New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-28
THE NEW CRUSADE
Copyright. 1912 by C. W. smalley,
London, July II.

The sudden outbreak of new cru
sade against the owners of land and
-. revival of the single tax heresy
,.,.rr back a memory or two Of Mr..
,,o,rv Georges visit 10 England. That
.rinent visionary sowcd seed which
,,roupht forth no great harvest at the
.,r,o II a few shoots are now. after
,his long interval. showing above tho
.,rface il is because a new political
.vipencv has arisen. The English
roosevelt. like the American, is in
.rch straits that a new cry is heard
almost daily. The latest is the pro-
o,sal 10 free the land" Nobody
ynows precisely what that means, but
us a catching phrase.
When Mr.. Lloyd George used it the
,,ber day at Woodford Green il was
supposed to be his own; and his more
~ less complete acceptance Of his
American uamesake's single tax theory
was also supposed 10 be his own.
Put the Prime Minister has since an
nounced in the House of Commons that
Mr.. George spoke with his approval
and that Of his colleagues. Mr. AS.
auth guards himself against the single
fax. but il is evident enough that land
canfscation 10 some extent and in
some form or other is 10 be the next
Radical hid for a new lease of power.
NJ. George foreshaGoWed II so long
ago as the Limehouse speech and
avowed it still more plainly later at
Newcastle While he was there, ap-
pauding his own Budget of 1869 and
lashing the landlords with the whip
end Of his tongue. a man in the audi
ence cried out:
Tax them out Of existence.
Answered Mr.. Lloyd George:
IL have already made a beginning"
Which clearly implied that he meant
70 make also an end; an attempt for
which the moment draws nigh.
Among the men who were impressed
by Mr. Henry Georges rhetoric if not
by his argument was Mr.. Gladstone.
Not step toward the single tax or
any other form Of confiscation did Mr..
Gladstone ever take. but he read
Progress and Poverty" and talked
about IT. SO subtle was the mind OF
the great Minister that 10 him a MKT
ure Of a fallaCy. as 10 Bacon a MKT
ure Of a lie, did ever add pleasure.
He liked TO see a man play tricks with
his mind. He played them with his
own. He was so much attracted by
Progress and Poverty" whether by
It's emotionalism or by its sOphistry, az
10 recommend the book to one Of his
colleagues. the most distinguished Of
them all. II he did not accept it he
spoke of it. and this dialogue occurred,
Mr. Gladstone asking:
Have you read Poverty and Prog
ress?'"
40"
But you should read it,
QOu I lnltlN ~ itSlt II
why not? Whether you agree with
3; or not, and don't suppose you will
agree. il is a remarkable book
ut may be. but / know what Mr..
Henry Georges conclusions are, and as
I shall never accept his conclusions l
don't care by what process he reaches
them or supports them
Mr.. Gladstone reflected q moment on
this uncompromising attitude of mind,
then said:
AN exercise in dialectic is always in
teresting"
/ asked the Minister in question
whether he ever did read ii and he
said
mo. nor do / think it got hold Of the
English mind. Such attention as Mr..
Henry George secured in England was
due mainly not TO himself or to his
book. but to the we'll meant efforts Of
the Duke Of Argyll and Mr.. Mallock to
neutralize an influence which he never
really esta blished."
There was A dramatic finish TO Mr..
Henry Georges career in England-an
incident which, if they only knew IT,,
Mr.. Lloyd George and his henchmen,
Mr.. Hemmerde and Mr.. Cultivate Cthe
latter now standing as Radical candi-
date al Hanley). might profitably con-
slider. Mr.. Henry George went to New
castle to speak to a great meeting OF
Northumbrian workingmen. He pro-
bounded, with his usual vagueness, his
doctrine Of spoliation. Presently, from
the midst OF that vast audience, rose a
workingman, desiring 10 ask a ques-
ton. He said:
Mr.. George. l Will put this case TO
YOU. A neighbor Of ours here in North
CUMBERLAND, Mr.. Wentworth Beau
mont who all his life has been good
friend TO all Of us, lately bought an
estate in this county for which he paid
100000 (S3,OOOOOO OF honest money.
Now, what we want to know is
whether you think the government or
anybody else has a right 70 take this
land away from Mr.. Wentworth Beau
mont without paying him its fair
value
To this question Mr.. Henry George
replied evasively. He explained, quib-
bled, shuffled and equivocated. The au-
dience grew impatient and their spokes-
man said:
Mr.. George, II is a plain question
and we want q plain answer"