Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-11-21
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS WELL,
SPENT.

That Is the sum One Man Paid to Get
Sound Opinion.
A former Louisvillian. who is largely
interested in the largo corporations
tells this interesting story of how he
became acquainted with Henry Georges
ideas:
II was travelling on a railroad train II
Northern Ohio one day." said he, "ant
the newsboy came through and flung
book into my seat picked it up, look
cd at the title page and read: 'Socia
Problems, by Henry George 1 had
never read any OF Georges books, and
from the political dispatches concerning
him, l had taken up the idea that he
was a mere labor agitator So threw
down the book, and amused myself by
gazing out of the car window. Pres
emily the conductor, who knew me, came
up, took up the book carelessly and ask
ed me II l had read it.
NO said 7, Il haven't
"'Well, said he, you ought to- 1t is
one of the most remarkable books / ever
read, and to a man like yourself. who
has made his own way in the world, 1t
will be particularly interesting
THE conductors remarks struck me-
and paid the boy fifty cents for the
book and began to read. 1t nailed my
attention from the beginning, and every
now and then the conductor would come
through and smile knowingly as no saw
me glued to the pages. l read it all day,
took it home, read it all evening, and
for the next week my head was greatly
bothered. Finally l took the book to
my lawyer, member of rich firm OF cor
poration counsel. and asked him II he
had read it.
mo said he, Il have no time for
such rubbish.
81 have read it, replied, and some-
how it strikes me as being remarkable.
l wish you would read it and tell me
what you think Of it..
! If were to do that he answered,
4 would charge fec of $780,
"Ill pay it. said /. because want
to have an expert opinion upon its logic.
have had no school discipline, and
am not sure of my ability to judge this
book. l want you to read it carefully,
mark such passages as you may find
whore there are flaws in the logic, and
then go over it with me and give me
your opinion of it,
"He agreed to do it for $500 and told
me to call in week. l did so, and he
said: Two read that book and marked
a good deal of it up for you, but I'm not
through. Call again Several days after
l met him on tho street and he stopped
me and said: Look here, I've read that
book through again, carefully, and I've
rubbed out q good many marks / made
against it last week. At the end Of the
week called again.
"'Well,' said he, I've studied that
book carefully, and I've rubbed out al
the marks in it. There may be differ
ence of opinion as to some Of his facts
and the premises from which he starts
but if one accept these no human being
can deny the irresistible logic OF hi.
conclusions. There are no flaws there
and SO I've nothing to discuss with
you
"'But, said /, what about his prem
ises?
"'Ah,' said he that's more than
know He is as likely to be right as any
body, and more likely to be right thar
!, because he has devoted his life to tn,
study
"After that" concluded the speaker
81 bought and read all of Henry George
books. What do l think of them. Well
I think l never paid $500 for any lega
opinion that gave me more satisfaction
and information. "-Courier Journal