The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-30
Death Of Henry George.


York on yesterday removes from the
stage Of action one Of the most eonsp4c-
nous figures in the United States Henry
George was an honest man. He was
the architect of his own fortune. He
was born in the city of Philadelphia,
his parents being poor people Death
sought him when he was probably upon
the verge OF nsw achievements. That he
would have been elected mayer of New
York no one can tell, but that he was
rapidly changing the political map of
that municipality goes without saying
Henry George was 10 dreamer He was
a student. A student OF economic ques-
tions as they existed. He was rot a
theorist. yet millions Of people will say
that he was
Henry George knew what it was to be
poor. He had seen poverty in it's many
phases. He krew what 1t was to go
hungry. He knew what 1t was to work
eighteen hours out of twenty-four and
derivs but a scant compensation with
the country progress from the time of
the first millionaire to that period when
about two thousand men practically con-
troll It's wsalth. He had faced adyersl-
ty and triumphed at every point. He
was not necessarily an enemy of cor
porate power, but he was the foe of the
practice of men who control grsHat cor
porations. Mr.. George was a friend of
the people. He was of the people. He
had shared In their trials and knew
how the other half of the world lived.
He was a free trader because freedom
OF trade was the rightful inheritance Of
the people. He was the enemy of legis-
lation which made one man rich and
hundreds poor. Henry George was the
pioneer in the advocacy of a new coEdi-
ton of things. Beginning life a printer
at the case, i1s, marched through the va
r.ous positions of newspaper life, from
printer to reporter, reporter to sub-editor
sub-editor to edtorein-chief, and thence
to proprietorship. There was never
tlifl6 la I1CIhy oTCuSSAS SohSeh ihAi AAS
was not upon the side eff honesty and
the people
During the last fifteen yilars of his life
he was acknowledged where the English
language is spoken as enc Of The most,
AZ "a vancsd thinkers of his day. All of Mr..
Georges ideas may not have been at
ot;o htlt that
they were right, few thoughtful people
will dispute. If he had lived and had
been elected to the chief magistracy CT
New York, he would have given to that
municipality an honest administration,
which would have been the pride of the
American people. Mr.. George Thought
for the people. He worked for the PEG
pie He cared little for money except
for the necessities of life which it pro-
vided
He had the courage of his convictions,
which few men had. Mr.. George was
selishly devoted to the interests of his
fellow man. It is sad indeed that a man
of Mr.. Georges honestly of purpose
should have been taken from the the
alter of action when engaged as one of
the leaders in one of the geratest pcl1a-
ical battles that has ever taken place
within the history of municipal govern
ment in the Uniteh States.
He was opposed to one man power.
He was making a fight upon boss rule
t1s,k dad ba a5p nF
cry intelligent person. He owed no al
legiance to any political party. He was
for the people, first, last and all the
time. In the campaign of 1885 when
he ran for mayor of New York against
Abram S. Hewitt and Theodore Rooye-
Welt, he was then a candidate of the
people. He fought the ring power with
all his might, just as he was doing
when he lay down To his final sleep. In
that campaign he made the remark in
a speech that if the bosses and the heads
of the great corporations in the city of
New York could, they would bottle up
the atmosphere and sell 1t to the peo-
pie for not less than half a dollar a bot
tle
His death will have a great effect on
the result in next Tuesdays election.
While his son. a very promising young
man, has been made his fathers sue
cessor as candidate, 1t is reasonable to
suppose that the son cannot command
the voting strength that would have
gone to the father.
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A1ohoS,. Roun