The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-24

dates for the mayoralty OF Greater New
York. used to be printer in the office of
the San Francisco Post years ago On
the staff Of that paper with him were A.
A .Ames. later Mayor Of Minneapolis, who
also came near being elected Goyerno
OF Minnesota; George Frederick Parsons
the well known New York writer, and
less we'll known but distinguished on the
Pacific coast, the late Douglas Gum,
editor of the San Diego Union and ut
one time Mayor of San Diego, Caltfor 4
ia. These young men were then getting
$500 a week, for George had now been
promoted to the reportorial staff. Od
Doctor Lewis Il. Gum, father OF
Douglas Gum, and then proprietor Of
the Post, used to talk to me, during my
newspaper days on the coast, about some
of Georges pranks and evidences OF
promise. He was then, according to DR..
Gum, considered man of unsafe theo-
ries. but he was persistent in searching
for a remedy which later found express
sion in Progress and Poverty
Rut II was as to how he came to get CT
the editorial staff Articles began to ap-
pear anonymously and frequently IN the
editors box, and finally their unusual
ton of the chief He began to print
them and they at once aroused wide
spread remark Inquiry was made as to
their authorship, but to no avail, until
finally some one was put on watch near
the "box." Day after day, the printer
youth was seen modestly coming to the
door and dropping in the communications
which were effulgently striking even If
in the public mind they We're not at first
definitely classified. DIR. Gum sent for
the young man whose name turned out
to be Henry George and took him from
the 'case'' to the editorial department Il
don't hesitate to say" DR.. Gum con-
tinued, "that I was a little afraid OF
him: had to watch him. with hawks
eve. but I never once doubted that there
was unusual power in the man. At any
rate | was rather pleased in having thus
discovered him. Now my boy laughed
the old doctor, what do you think if
that quartet, Parsons. Ames, George and
Gum as four $500 reporters on the
staff of one paper|
4 y
No matter how long he stayed on the
Post, George. according to the same inn
formant. afterward drifted to the col
umns of the Sacramento Bee. The Bee.
was, if not stupidity staid,at least far be-
hind the advanced social theories that
were fcrmenting in the young mans
brain. Certainly the policy both of its
management and its readers was in no
mood to be trihed with or tainted by
what were considered TO be the restless
theories of a chimerica mind not yet
come to a proper sense of relations be-
tween men and things But one morn
ing, the editor of the Bee went away
for weeks rest, with George left behind
to run things. He ran them. About two
mornings afterward there came out 4
leader which nearly landed the sane
tum into the hands of mob of its old
conservative patrons. The next morning
the land question was discussed in a
way to stop clocks. and young George
was sitting ON clouds, enjoying the free
ride oblivious of the threats
of those who were trying TO get
at him from the Earth. The
with his young "trusty." From the time
George left the toe of his ex-employers
boot he never touched land until he
dropped on the Atlantic coast Looking
about somewhat dazed. he found himself
in New York The chronological order
Of his performances is not minutely
given here: for he really did not prac-
tically appear in the East until after
the appearance of Progress and Pow
erty'
1t was noted, no doubt that Editor
Hearst. of the New York Journal. was
very fayorably disposed toward George
when he was first nominated. The fact
is only during the past week did the
Journal come out definitely for Van
Wyck, and then seemingly only on ac-
count of regularity with a dangerous
proyiso against Croker. Of which no
doubt Croker took uneasy heed. 1t is
quite likely that Mr.. Hearst. after the
manner of the newspaper men of the
coast, as well as after the manner Of his
thoroughly wholesome sympathy with
the people, felt an almost irresistible
tendency both from State pride and
from principle to espouse the cause of
this brilliant and honest if not ayailably
conventional man.
1t seemed very natural thing for Mr..
George to be found among the fascinat-
ing variety of free-thinking minds that
make the Reform Club at least a lumi-
nous force. In spite of the vivid flash
with which progress and Poverty" fell
upon the intellectual world. not to speak
of "Social Problems and other writings,
Mr.. George is accounted a poor man,
who yet makes his living by his pen. |
hardly believe it would be misusing the
word to say that Henry George is
great man; if so, is it not lamentable to
find greatness, mingled, too, so unusual
~ with heroic honesty and genuine love
Of its kind unavailable because of some
reason of which men may not know or
cannot tell Can it be because this man,
as Emerson somewhere says, answers
some questions which none of his con-
temporaries put, and is isolatedW Ger
tain men," the same wise man tells us,
"affect rs as rich possibilities, but help
less to themselves and to their times
the sport, perhaps, Of some instinct that
rules in the air; they do not speak to
our want" This fatefully practical OBJ
servation of Emerson may be all too I'M
fortunately applicable, in part at least,