The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-02-27
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT
HENRY GEORGE.

Henry George was born September .,
1889, at 3l2 Catherine street, Philade1.
phia The house still stands. His
grandfather was a shipowner and sea
captain; his father in early life pubs
Usher of religious literature and for
thirty years clerk in the custom.
house; his mother, a comedy and esti-
mable woman, at the age of eighty was
described as "a queenly looking woman
still beautiful despite the years that
have left their traces on her features"
Henry George attended public school
until his twelfth year, and afterward
attended DR.. Hare's academy. At IS
he was indentured to a printer, but
soon becoming weary of the calling,
persuaded his father to allow him to
go as a cabin-boy on the ship Hindoos
bound to Calcutta on three years
cruise. On his return he was appreu-
ticed to King & Baird, printers, but the
panic Of 1857 caused the failure of the
firm, ard Henry George was compelled,
from lack of other employment to
ship on a small coal steamer running
between this port and Boston. On this
vessel he labored for one year, and then
secured berth as sailor on the
United States steamer Shubrick bound
for San Francisco via Cape Horn. On
reaching its destination the vessel was
thrown out of commission, and our
embryo political economist out of end
ployment with few dollars and no
trends
1t was at the time of the gold dis.
coveries in California and Henry George
became miner and followed the occu.
patton for number of years but with
Indifferent success In 1851 he obtained
aposition as compositor on the Alta Cali
fornia Presently he began anonymous
communications to the press which
were almost always accepted Among
these he wrote nine-column article
on the life and services of Abraham
Lincoln, just after the assassination.
1t made a marked impression, ex-
tracts therefrom being published
in every section of the nation.
Changing his position as compositor
from the Alta California to the San
Franciso Times. he sent all his COM
munications to the latter paper. They
were eagerly received and invariably
published, often as editorial matter.
Finally DR.. Gum, the editor, determined
to discover his unknown contributor.
His attempts to do so were unsuccess-
full until he noticed that these letters
were always deposited in box at the
foot of the stairs leading to the editorial
rooms. At this box watch was kept
Whenever a note was inserted the per-
SON on watch removed it and compared
the writing with that of the unknown
correspondent At length Mr. George
was seen, in passing the box. to slip q
letter in 1t and proceed up stairs to his
employment The watcher glanced at
the letter and found the handwriting he
had been searching for. He hurried to
DIR. Gum, told of his success Both
rushed into the composing room Hem
ry George was in one of the alleys"
removing his coat DR. Gum showed
him the letter and asked him il the
handwriting was his Mr.. George an-
swered yes" "Then. young man."
said the doctor, '.you must not fool
away any more of you time as COM
position. l have q place for you in the
editorial room"
Three months afterward he became
managing editor of the paper and held
the position until 1867, when he re-
signed and Joined the editorial staff of
the San Francisco Herald In 1872
Henry George. in conjunction with four
others started the Evening Post, PEN
ny paper Owing to his brilliant and
logical editorials the paper soon had
thousands of readers and to large ex-
tent among workingmen. He contin-
ued in charge of the Post until 1875,
when 1t passed into other hands by pur-
chase He then accepted an official POI
sition from Gov. Irwin, which gave him
sufficient leisure to make an exhaustive
study of political economy, and to write
progress and Poverty" He found
great difficulty in securing publisher.
A first edition on five hundred copies
was published by Hinton in California
The Appletons sent out q second edi-
ton; then Kegan Paul, of London,
brought out large edition. but it re-
NAMED unsold and piled in their cellars
until the English government kindly
came to their rescue. At this time,
1882, Henry George was in Ireland as q
correspondent of the Irish World This
was enough to make him suspect and
cause his arrest on two occasions. His
arrest brought him into public promi- |
hence, and directed attention to his |
great work. 1t found readers compe-
tent to appreciate its merits. Favor
able criticism doomed its sale and with |
In fortnight the cellars of Kegan Paul |
we're empty, and new editions called !
fors which could not be brought out |
last enough to meet the demand. The |
Press