Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20
HENRY GEoRG E's TRIBUTE.
To the Character and Ability oi His Lat,
Associate.

To the Character and Ability OF His Late
Associate.
The New York Standard of Aug 18th
contains a very complete biographical
sketch Of the late William T. Croasdale,
written by Edward N. Vallandigham,
who had been very close to him In the |
old days when they were both engaged |
upon EVERY EVENING, and had since |
kept up the intimacy in their New York |
newspaper work. The Standard also |
contains the following memorial trib-
ute, which we reprint, from the pen of |
Henry George:
| first met William T. Croasdale some
nine or ten years ago at a picnic in
Baltimore, where Mr.. Powderly and |
| spoke, and Mr.. Croasdale, then editor
of the Dug, made a few remarks-the
first time, as he told me, that he had
ever ventured to say word in public
In listening to him and in talking with
him | felt that he was man of force,
of character and of true instincts, and
though at the time he had not, | think,
formed any very definite ideas on social
questions, yet from his way of looking
at political matters, and from the general
trend Of his thoughts, l recognized him
as one who ought to be with us and
probably would yet be with us, in a
movement that already counted many
adherents though it had not, as yet,
begun to assume organization or to find
a name. After that we had some little
correspondence, which intense occupa-
ton in other directions made it impos-
sible to keep up, and / lost sight
Of Mr.. Croasdale until in 1886 he
came to New York to take an editorial
tlNa f.a /
was nominated for mayor, on
platform that gave full expression
to the Jeffersonian principle, and that
was the first enunciation in American
politics of what since, for want of a
better name, we have learned to call the
single tax, and the first political de-
mand for the Australian ballot, he came
fully, unreservedly and with all the
strength of his vigorous nature to my
side. From that time to his death, as
the readers of the Standard know, our
association has been close and intimate.
In ways Of looking at things, in judg.
ments and In methods, we often differed,
but agreeing or disagreeing, always
felt, as every one who well knew him
, felt, the frankness, the sincerity, the in
tellectual honesty, the clear, answering,
! may almost say unrelenting, devotion
! of the man TO principle. A politician in
the sense of seeking to effect political
action by political methods, he was, in
the sense which suggests suppleness and
, sinuosity, the very reverse of a politician.
for he was utterly deficient in the art of
, minimizing objections and easily win
ming opponents; and by the unreserve
+, of his judgments and the frankness of
4 his expression, he frequently made
enemies and raised opposition for which
:. there was no need. But these were the
: surcharges of nature masculine, ag-
gressive, tenacious, the faults of quail
h ties in themselves useful and loveable.
Y And what good work Mr.. Croasdale has
e done, what useful place he has filled
: in the single tax movement, the readers
5 of The Standard know. Weshall deeply
: miss him.
}, Like so many others of us, Mr.. Croas.
dale found in the movement into which
4 he threw himself in 1886, with all the
c force of his forceful nature, cause
n which gave him something to live fol
i and to strive for, and which not merely
l. reused but developed his powers In il
IS he had grown, and was still growing
u and strong as he was and useful as ht
n has been, it has not seemed to me tha
e the full measure Of his strength and use
'e fulness had yet been felt. A man o.
II large executive ability, a facile, graceful
l. vigorous writer, yet the field for which
ie his qualities most peculiarly fitted hin
" was that of legislative debate. 1t wa
e there that the qualities that made hii
Ie conversation so sparkling and so strong
10 the clearness of conviction, the intensity
ID Of earnestncss,the power OF rapid ,concis,
,ialt fu M
at times the grotesqueness of his humor
and the epigramatic quality of his wit
would have come out as they could no
i, come out in the pen, and would sooi
~ have brought him to the front rank il
70 any assemblage. This power of publ
speech had laid utterly dormant in hin
r. until the exigencies of the single ia,
II movement began to develop il, and h
ii had even now hardly more than begul
=. to gain its freedom. Had he lived
IN nothing is more probable than that hi
ts first run for Congress last year nigh
40 have been repeated with IA more forlu
N nate result, and the sphere in whc
,n more than any other his powers coul
IA, have been used to urge forward tn
y good cause would have been opened
n. him.
But it is idle to speculate or to lamen
~, Death came to Croasdale when he dl
sa not expect it and we never thought c
a. IT, 1t came to him as sooner or late
~ ~. and with warning or without it, il mus
of come to us. We feel the loss; we al
~ touched by the awe. But it is not fc
Nv, us to sorrow or TO dwell on what migt
~ have been. Into and out of the vint
va ward go the workers, they who al
called for one hour and they who al
- called for more. But the Master sec
eJ SS and knows, and the work is yet to d'
- Let us rejoice for our friend that I
of him il was given to do so much. I'll
W. joy, and the glory, and the triumph
w W they are not in winning the good fgh
~ but in the doing of what one may
oh help it on. "They also serve who onl
,d stand and wait" HENRY GEORGE.
~ Tho Old Ferry Mill.
| q L.. 4 IL 4 M,