Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-10-11
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS WELL
SPENT.
That Is the sum One Man Paid to Get
Sound Opinion.

That Is the sum One Man Paid to Get
Sound Opinion.
A former Louisvillian, who is largely
interested in the large corporations,
tells this interesting story of how he
became acquainted with Henry Georges
ideas:
~ was travelling on a railroad train in
Northern Ohio one day." said he, land
the newsboy came through and flung a
book into my seat. picked it up, look
ed at the title page and read Social
Problems, by Henry George l hai
never read any of Georges books, and
from the political dispatches concerning
him, had taken up the idea that he
was nero 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 If l had read it.
"'No,' said L, Il haven't
"'Well, said he, you ought to. 1t is
one of the most remarkable books ] ever
read, and to man like yourself, who
has made his own way in the world it
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 he saw
me glued to the pages. / 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 if he
had read it.
"'No,' said he, Il have no time fol
such rubbish
81 have read it, replied, and some
how it strikes me as being remarkable
/ wish you would read it and tell me
what you think of it.
If We're to do that he answered
4 would charge fee of $780,
"T'll pay it, said /, because wan
to have an expert opinion upon it's logic
1 have had no school discipline, and
am not sure of my ability to Judge this
book. want you to read it carefully
mark such passages as you may fine
where there are flaws in the logic, ant
then go over it with me and give mt
your opinion of it.
''He agreed to do it for $500 and tolt
me to call in week. / did so, and hi
said: I've read that book and marked
good deal of it up for you, but I'm no
through. Call again Several days afte
/ met him on the street and he stopped
me and said: Look here, I've read tina
book through again, carefully, and I've
rubbed out a good many marks / made
against it last week. AT the end of the
week l called again.
"'Well,' said he, I've studied tina
book carefully, and I've rubbed out al
the marks in it. There may be differ
ence of opinion as to some of his fact
and the premises from which he starts
but if one accept these no human bein!
can deny the irresistible logic of hi
conclusions. There are no flaws there
and so I've nothing to discuss witt
you
"'But, said I, what about his prem
ises?'
"'Ah,' said he that's more than
know. He is as likely to be right as an,
body, and more likely to be right thai
/, because he has devoted his life to tn
study
after that" concluded the speaker
Il bought and read all of Henry George
books. What do | think of them. Wei
l think l never paid $500 for any lega
opinion that gave me more satisfaction
and information. Courier Journal.