Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-12-08
CORRESPONDENTS.
Henry George From II Christian
Standpoint.

Strange to say, Henry GEORGE styles
himself a believer in christianity-not
of the kind, he says, he finds III the
church of to-day, but of that kind of
whlsh the prophets foretold aud for
which Christ and some of His Apostles
laid down their lives. He points ont
long lists of defects in our civilization
which he considers Incompatible with
christianity" and which ''show that
our so called christian communities are
not christian at all. But" he says, 81
believe that there is n true christian
ity power to regenerate the word.'
Mr. George then proceeds to re-
generate the world in line with his
christian belief and lays before i; the
bold and broad assumption that all
pricate otonership Of land is unnatural, m
just nnd ~rong. Contrary to the pre-
cepts and examples of the saints and
sages of antiquity, to the laws of God
and man alke-he comes forth, as if
with new diSpensation, to establish
the Fatherhood of God and the Broth
erhood of Man upon the ruins OF the
cursed individual ownership of land.
The humble home that the aged couple
are peacefully enjoying us the resting
place in age sought by Il long life of
patience, economy and industry. Mr..
George would consider, as did Christ
the traders in the temple, usupers and
poluters of that which properly be-
longed to God alone, and with his
wand of authority he would at one fell
blow make that aged couple paupers
by aboliSting their title to their Mnd anil IN
letting it ont to the highest bidders. The
poorest working man and the richest
millionaire would alike find their lands
buried from their possession us com
pletely as if the Atlantic and Pacific
rolled in and lay upon them two miles
deep. 1t would be "justice' to see
such Il realization simply because, like
the temple-tradeis were to Christ. they
had usurped that which God and
nature claimed rs intrinsically their
own.
That | may make no mistake, | will
quote from Progress and Poverty"
He says:
We have weighed every objection and seen
that neither ON the ground of equity or
espcdlency is there anything to deter us from
making land common property by COnlscat
ing rent But question Of method remains
how shall we do it, We should satisfy the
law of Justice, we should meet all economic
requirements, by at one stroke abolishng all
private titles mark that declaring all land
public PROPERTY. mark that and letting it
out to the highest bidders in lots to suit
this quickly whisks it out of sight of the
owner under such conditions as would
sacredly guard the private right to improve
ments.
This Is the christianity and single
taxism of Mr.. George.
Will somebody please tell us the
infidelity and anarchy of Herr Most I!
Ingersoll says he likes an honest man !;
the rest of us also think IAN honest
man the nohlest work OF God" The
complex question arises-can II man
be honest IN pursuance of wrong !
Measurably so, answer, for st. Paul
honestly thought he was doing God
service when prosecuting christians
before his conversion. Herr Most, in
the days previous to his Imprisonment,
was Il more honest man than Mr..
George. A: IL casual glance he also
seems more generous and more chris
tian, as hypocrisy is the worst enemy
of christianity. Mr.. George goes back
pristine freshness he assumes it as it
then was as n model more worthy of
imitation than The time-worn product
of our present day. He brings forth II
subtly devised scheme of robbery, to
which all thu schemes of Dick Turpin,
Jesse James and bank and political
robbers are vcriest infants ganbols.
1t takes IA deep insight, into his aims
to understand him. Honest men
among his admirers certainly cannot.
Herr Most what did he used to
teach in the days when his tongue had
not the watchers of the law behind it
SO far as mems possessions were con-
cerned he decreed Uhe woods are full
of these declaimers) that the rich man
could remain in possession of 500, 900,
and all men OWING sums under and up
to that amount would not be called
upon to 'divy," and their houses and
their persons would escape the elevat-
ing or depressing influences of bombs.
There was nothing hypocritical about
this, and as the difference between
nought and 100, 1000 leaves the latter
amount, the plan seems to have been
conceived in a heart overlooking with
generosity IN comparison to the scheme
of Mr.. George. When republicans,
| democrats, populists and all other
latter. day organizations have gone by
the board, | believe there would be
more honesty and muniticence in the
treatment of all classes under the
administration of Herr Most than under
that of Mr.. George. Or two evils
sensible men would choose the lesser.
However, it is high time to welcome
into the arena men who have reforms
that in their practical adaptation to
the wants Of the times and the ma SEES
at once draw all men unto them, while
leaving the agltators the audience of
the air. First fill mems stomachs, |
say : then reason with them and they
are yours. Don't attempt to talk with
IA man on an empty stomach any more
than the politician does without ''the
little brown jug"
Mistakes are common to the best Of
men, and it has been whispered in
my ear, perhaps Henry means we'll,
but that he has made u mistake in his
reading of the Bible, and really thinks
that he is doing God service in pro-
claiming the abolition of land owners"
Well, in this view of the case, there is
only one course TO pursue and that is
to show Henry" wherein the Bible
really intends the true christian" to
own LANDS" of his own.
Jesus Christ was the founder of the