The true northerner., 1897-11-03
CAREER OF THE MAN WHO FELL
Could Not Get Publisher and Printed
Progress and Poverty Himself

Henry George was born in Philadel-
phia in 1888 His grandfather though
born in England. fought on the Ameri
can side in the war of 1872. After leav-
ing school Henry was clerk in a mer-
camille house, and at 16 shipped on a
schooner for San Francisco. He pros
pected for gold, but found but little,
though ne went as far as British CO.
lumbia. In 1858 he got employment in a
printing office. He learned the trade and
did some reporting on the papers Of that
city In 1866 he married Miss Anna g.
Fox. In 1871, he with two partners,
founded the San Francisco Post, remain
ing as editor of that paper for four
years. He had ideas on sociology, and
when he left The Post he began work
on his book, Progress and Poverty"
But he could find no publisher and he
was compelled TO get il out himself"
Being of an economical turn OF mind
for he was by no means rich-he availed
himself Of his printers trade and set the
type himself.
He made up the forms" and carried
them TO the printer. When the first hun
dred sheets were printed he had them
bound and began TO push" the book.
1t finally brought him fame and a good
deal Of money. George went TO Ireland
as correspondent of several American
newspapers in 1881, during the land
league agitation. He was arrested as
suspect and held prisoner for ten hours,
but was not molested after his release.
He delivered many lectures in Ireland.
His book and lectures brought him fair
income In 1881 he wrote The Irish
4 lot ton
apeared as The Land Question" He
also published Social Problems and
protection, or Free Trade?" He was
now located permanently in the east,
and in 1856 he was nominated for mayor
by the labor party Of New York. They
had read his book, and they had heard
him speak And they wanted him.
The campaign was as bitter as the one
now drawing TO close in New York.
The politicians refused for while to
consider Henry Georges candidacy Sc
rious But he polled $4,000 votes, to Co.
435 for Roosevelt, the Republican candi-
date He was staunch supporter Of
Grover Cleveland. for free trade-abso-
lutte free trade-was one Of his founda-
tion principles. One incident shows the
mans defiance Of convention. Called as
Juror in the trial Of DR.. Buchanan, ac-
cused of murder, George was rejected
because he said he would not take the
judges ruling for the law He believed
he knew the law himself. The judge
was lncensed, but he could do no more
than dismiss the fearless talesman.
In 1896 he was at Chicago reporting
the Democratic national convention for
New York paper. He had worked for
wages practically all his life. Yet he
had been undoubtedly regarded as In
the foremost rank Of influential men in
America. The keynote of his character
was aggressiveness. While Ii was his
great power Of mental concentration that
enabled him to elaborate into a system
his single-tax balm for human Ills, yet
il is quite certain that his proposition
for a millennium would have gone to JOIN
the procession Of forgotten Utopias IL it
had not been for the lighting ingredients
in his Welsh blood.
He was absolutely fearless He was
not afraid to charge Richard Croker
even the king of Tammany-with out
right theft; and he repeated night after
night the promise to send that potentate
to Sing Sing, IL elected. In attacking es-
tablshed forms Of government he was
no less courageous. But the tact OF the
man, and his evident honesty must have
been his chief defenses. for although he
advocated a change as sweeping as
could be well conceived he was never
for a moment classed with such as Par
sons and Most. and Emma Goldman.
He leaves a widow and three children.
who occupy the beautiful home at Fort
Hamilton. which he had viewed with
more loving interest than any other
OF his possessions. and on which he law
ished whatever Of wealth his labor could
wiring from the world. His books are:
Progress and Poverty" Our Land and
Land Policy" "Single Tax" The Irish
Land Question" Social Problems" /"
Property in Land" Protection or Free
Trade" THE Condition OF Labor" and
"A Perplexed Philosopher"