The independent., 1903-03-12
FREAKS OF THE MIND


or twenty minutes, would make logi-
cal, symmetrical and consistent argu-
ment, and then all at once proceed
to state conclusion, not only unsus-
tanned by the facts, but absolutely
contrary to human experience. The
minds of the brightest men will
sometimes play them freaks OF tnaS
kind. Henry George was an exam
pie. Take his last unfinished work on
political economy. Up to the point
where it was necessary for him TO
treat of money, no work on the SUD-
ject is more logical, but the moment
he takes up that subject his reasoning
powers seem to break into disjoined
fragments. Look at the statement
1--WE quote from memory, the volume
not being at hand) that money is
partly wealth and partly not wealth.
That portion that is composed OF gold
is all wealth, the portion that is
composed of silver about half wealth
and the paper money not wealth at
all. Notice the strange use of the
word money" He seems to con-
ceive that it is two or more different
things. 1t must be, if part of it is
wealth and part of it not wealth.
Many of the single takers are trou-
Led with this same frailty. Here is
a statement made by The Indepen-
dents correspondent, Mr.. c. F. Shan
drew. From the facts that "men were
given feet to walk with, that birds
were given wings to fly with, that
fishes were made to live in the water
and men to live on land" he draws
the following conclusion:
"Hence if he (the editor of The In
dependent) would learn the intent OF
the Creator in social affairs, let him
but look and he will find that the
Creator made man to live in society,
and knowing that society would need
revenues, He at the same time pro-
vided the revenue just as he provides
milk in the breast of the mother for
the nourishment of the child"
The Psychologists tell us that civ
ilized man has certainly existed on
this earth for 10000 years. During all
that time the child has been nourished
at it's mothers breast, but never yet
has man found the revenues that God
has provided. Without the mothers
milk the race would have become ex-
tinct within, one generation, though
it is possible with modern knowledge
to raise child without it, but with
out this single tax the race has in
creased and multiplied until it covers
nearly the whole face of the earth
and society has never once gathered
in this God-ordained revenue. Man
could not exist without feet, nor birds
without wings, but man does exist
without the single tax. If one were
as much a provision of nature as the
other the failure to apply them would
have the same results. Man cannot
exist in direct violation Of natural
law. That is SO evident that no mind
will play such freak as to deny it.
But according to the statement of Mr..
Shandrew man has existed for 10000
years in direct violation of natural
law, which is an absurdity.
The Independent has never yet
made a dogmatic statement against
the single tax. 1t is open to convic-
ton. If it can be shown in a logical
way that the adoption of the system
will bring about all the blessings, or
even half that it is claimed it will,
then it will become an enthusiastic
advocate of the system. 1t has the
very highest respect for the men who
advocate the single tax from Henry
George down to the humblest in the
ranks, for unquestionably they are
men unselfshly advocating a system
fhau ha1ioun xrrslJ ~ -