Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-30


terviay was the announcement of The"
death Of Henry George. the candidate
Of the Jeffersonian Democracy and
minor organizations for Mayor Of
Greater New York.
Henry George was an unique figure
in American public life. He stood
alone. He was without a predecessor
and will be without a successor A
radical in all things Mr.. George came
to public notice through his works on
social economics in which he advo-
Gated his original single land tax the
DRY as the only method of taxation
that would equalize the burdens Of
government among the people and be-
tween the rich and the poor. It is
not necessary to discuss or to go into
the details of this theory now, suffice
1t to say that while it is most excel
lent and plausible as theory and ap-
peals to many students of economics,
it is not calculated to appeal to the
practical mind. Like it's author it is
visionary and impractical, and attract
ed that class of people to its support.
While Henry George could not be call
ed Socialist, the entire socialistic
element fiocked under his standard
His position in the New York cam
paign was quite as unique as his per-
sonality and his doctrines. He was
Democrat without acknowledging al
legiance to Democratic doctrines. In
other words he was a Democrat be-
cause the Democratic party seemed to
him to be nearer the plain people,
whom he loved and whose condition
he devoted his life to endeavoring to
improve. The people never had
more honest, sincere and unselfish
champion than Henry George, al
though visionary and impractical to
degree that caused the majority of
people to regard him as az unsafe
man to intrust with great power He
was nominated by the wing of the
New York Democracy when split off
from Tammany because that crganiza-
ton did not regard it the part of wis
dom to drag the silver issue into the
city campaign. Hence this wing of De-
mocracy adopted a separate platform
endorsing the silver issue and nomi-
mated Henry George. The oddly Of
this action and the peculiarly of Mr..
Georges position in the campaign is
shown in the fact that he was not an
advocate of bimetallism cr of any
metallic standard; to use his own lam
guage in defining his position on the
currency question, "Silver AID gold as
money are relics of barbarism' Henry
George believed in paper money only.
He was equally radical in his treat
ment of all other issues. He would
have swept the custom houses into the
sea, to use his own term of expressing
his advocacy of free trade. Yet,
withal, Mr.. George was man of ex-
ceptionally clear and logical mind, Of
brilliant intellectual attainments and
personally man of the highest char
acter.
The effect of his death on the New
York campaign is problematical on ac-
count of his peculiar position, peculiar
views and peculiar following He was
bitterly antagonistic to both the regu-
lar Democrats and the Republicans.
He declared his intention to endeavor
to put Croker in the penitentiary il
he (George) should be elected Mayor,
and he designated Plat as "a plain
common thief" On the other hand he
took every occasion to eulogize Seth
Low and advised his audiences if they
did not care to vote for him to vote
for Low, although George and Low
were direct opposites in politics and
social economics, Seth Low represent
ing Republicanism and the single gold
standard, and George standing for
what closely approaches socialism and
paper fiat money pure and simple.
Henry Georges son, who has been
nominated in his place, it is safe to
say will cut little if any figure in the
election, for Georges followers follow
ed man rather than any principle
But as he stood ostensibly for free
coinage and the Chicago platform, the
bulk Of his following was, Of course,
Democratic, and was drawn from Tam
many Hail. This element that is left
without aE9leader is antagonistic to
Tracy and to Low and will doubtless
drift back to the support of the Tam
many candidate, Judge Van Wyck,
whose election, according to all signs
is thus made doubly sure.