The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-11-14
LIVED TO HELP MEN.
JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG'S TRIBUTE
TO HENRY GEORGE.

lieved In His Doctrines With Sublime
Faith-stories of His Life as the World
Knew 1t Not.
was very young man when 1 first
met Henry George. He had come to
New York from California upon some
newspaper. The friendship then formed
grew into intimacy and affection, re-
tanning to the end.
When / first knew Henry George,
he was young journalist who had
made modest mark i'll his calling in
San Francisco. He had been before the
mast and used to speak of cruises to In
dia. He never until in later years threw
off the sea manner, the breeziness and
good fellowship which recall the COM
radeship Of the waves. He was open
handed, unconventional, friendly, low
ing
Henry George in those days did not
display the brilliancy and waywardness
which marked the subaltern newspaper
life. He could swim along if the tide
ran toward merriment, but as listener
rather than partaker He was a seri-
GUS man, given to solid talk, wanted to
know thing exactly, exemplary in all
that goes toward the building of per-
feet manhood.
do not remember that in these early
days George showed proneness toward
new themes like single tax and other
matters. used to hear from him
through California friends.
George was a good fellow, but rath-
er odd, you know Harry George?
Oh, yes, we all know Harry. Sets type,
has small paper, but an odd chap.
Has queer ideas about some things, and
unless you watch him will run his ideas
into the paper. Can't make him under
stand that good prizefght is worth
all the political economies that ever
lined trunks. Good man, but doesn t
know the fundamental ideas of journal
ism j."
1t was to be seen by these friendly
stories that George was not in sympa-
thy with Ell Dorado; was, perhaps, the
round peg in the square hole. Twas not
to meet him until arriving in San Fran
cisco with General Grant, then ending
his tour of the world. He had not
changed, but ne spoke as a stranger
with his abiding place in strange
land He had not succeeded III his pa
per was not In the best of fortune and
had written book which he thought
wor d establish his fame.
aw much of George in these Cali
fornIa days. He talked of his career !;
was swimming i'll heavy seas This
could only be OWNED bit by bit, for
the proud, self respecting, sensitive
gentleman made no sign. Then came
the knowledge of the book, the new
gospel. never see Progress and Pow
erty" without recalling the pathetic
circumstances under which it was writ
ten and IGNORING the courage of the au-
thor
George was the friendliest of men !;
would go about with you and show
you what was to be seen; take the
greatest pains to do you a service. He
did not apparently care for notabilities,
for fashion, show and authority; had
group Of odd people as associates whom
nobody else seemed to know. He had
become pronounced Democrat, his po-
litical evolution from the Greeley move
ment.
Having run away from the Repub-
lican party you are ashamed to return.
Why not seek dissolution and come
back" 1 asked mo, no. l have made
the plunge. l cannot climb Niagara
after jumping over it. -
The clouds We're heavy over George.
Proud, brave, smiling, hopeful, San
Francisco did not appreciate him-had
never given him recognition. He would
speak of it as cold and barren, ruled by
strenuous men too busy with mines and
wheat and empire building to listen to
prophecy. George never for L oment-
never when under the grinding heel of
bitter conditions-doubted the truth of
his mission to mankind and its ultimate
success, but this obviously was not to
be attained in FL Dorado. Acting large
ly, / fancy, upon my advice, he resolved
to try conclusions with fate and seek a
career in the east.
And he came. Too proud to ask or ac-
cept favor, he crossed the continent in
an emigrant train. Alone and almost
friendlesS, he searched the metropolis
in 1880, as remember, taking dingy
lodgings-a stranger to city in which
he was in few years to receive SO, 900
votes for mayor.
These early New York days We're of
extreme and honorable poverty. / saw
him great deal-was almost daily
1t was daring experiment
this unknown gentleman, with no aid
but his own high spirit, nothing in his
but one book of gospel, COM
ing at AZ to make his way INTO the heart
OF mighty Babylon. The more studied
George under heavy conditions the more
l admired him. His ability and his cour-
age, his honesty, independence and in
tellectual power, were those of leader
Of men.
Walks on the Battery, whittier we
went under the flush of strenuous mid
night work, the great city at peace and
no companions this side of the stars;
strollS in the park, in Westchester and
the suburbs in Brooklyn-the brave, in
trepid soul wrapped up in his book and