New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-04

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: 1T is the spirit Of Henry George
that is riding the storm in England to-
day" said William Everett Hicks yester-
day referring 10 the action of the House
Of Lords in rejecting the budget MI
Hicks was secretary OF the first Interna-
tiOnal Land Congress. held in Paris.
where Mr.. George was delegate from the
United States.
1T is the fear OF the ultimate triumph
OF the principles OF the great American
political economist that has driven the
Lords TO make this Iast-ditch fight" Mr..
Hicks continued. They know mat The
taxation OF land values provided for.
though only slightly, in the rejected
budget would be the thin edge Of the
wedge and that when the revaluatiOn OF
the big estates is completed the English
people Will be astOunded at the tremen-
dous value OF the thousands and thou
sands of acres which the titled landlords
are holding idle and preventing the people
from using. No one who has ever travelled,
as l did. slowly over England on bicycle
can fail 10 see that OverpOpulatiOn is not
the cause OF enforced idleness and poverty
there but the inability Of the people 70
get az the idle lands.
Mr.. Joseph Hunter, a Conservative
Cory member OF the Liverpool City
Council and chairman OF the committee
that municipiized the street railways OF
Liverpool" went on Mr.. Hicks. told me
that there is enough vacant land around
Liverpool TO support ten million people
In comfort. Most OF this idle land-2O.6o0
acres-is held by the Duke of Westminster
as a great estate for hunting This estate
is nearer 10 Liverpool than YOnkers is 10
New York city. II adjOins the estate Of
Gladstone. consisting Of thousands Of
acres. this also going 10 waste II a
heavy tax could force this IDLE land into
use, the population OF Liverpool. row
crowded into the most narrow limits.
which causes disease and crime. would
spread over these acres and the conges-
ton would be relieved
1T IS such estates as this which viii be
appraised az their proper value IN the new
valuation The Lords understand perfect
" that the English people Will demand
a heavy tax on these values. which the
titled landlords have done nothing 10 pro-
duce and which are due entirely 20 the
growth OF population.
IN Paris and in Bermuda. where
taught Mr. George to ride the bicycle"
said Mr.. Hicks. we had many talks as
10 where the first great AnglO-Saxon
movement for breaking up land monopoly
would begin. He told me he believed that
the first step toward bringing the land
within reach Of the people would be taken
IN England. Three reasons ne gave me
for that opinion, First, that England IS
more compact and the people as a whole
can be reached more quickly there than
In the United States, second, that the
British House OF Commons is nearer the
people than our Congress. and. third. that
being free trade country the people are
nearer the land question than II they had
a protective tariff 70 get rid Of first.
"One has only 10 read the full accounts
OF speeches by Winston Churchill and
Chancellor Lloyd-GeOrge." Mr.. Hicks con-
tinued, TO realize how completely the
ideas Of the founder Of the single tax
movement dominate the situation. The
coming election for a new Parliament is
destined 10 bring the question of taxation
OF land values, or ground rents. before
the people of the world more prominently
than ever before in any country, and the
effect Of II Is certain 10 ne felt in other
countries. The people Of England viii not
be deceived by the talk about needing a
protective tariff. All the tariffs in the
and that is what is needed now in Eng
land-the breaking up of estates and let
ting the people get back 10 the land"
y. J. GRIFFIN.
New York Dec . lqq