The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-08-31
THE DOCTRINE OF
THE SINGLE TAX
Henry Georges Visit to British Isles
Gave it an Impetus in
Scotland.
O'Connor Writes of Advance Made in
United Kingdom Since Death
of American.
John Ferguson, an Irishman in Glas
gov, Preached New Gospel
Many Years.

When Henry George came to Eng
land many years ago he got a curl
ously mixed reception. At first there
was certain coldness and hostility,
and, still more, unbelief. He came to
preach a revolution and panacea
and Englishmen do not care for revo-
lutions and have little faith in pam
aceas, writes T. p. o'Connor in tho
Chicago Tribune Of last Sunday.
This was the attitude Of England.
In Ireland he had no adherents, with
the exception of Michael Davitt. In
a country where already hundreds of
thousands Of peasant proprietors had
got possession Of their lands it was
vain to preach the gospel Of the single
tax.
Against Peasant Propritorship.
Once or twice Michael Davitt near
ly came into conflict with other lead.
ing Nationalists because of his pro.
nounced views against peasant pro.
prietorship, and, indeed, for some
years there was a certain coldness be.
tween him and several Of the Irish
leaders. But Davitt was at bottom
an amiable man, and these passing
misunderstandings disappeared. He
died at peace with all men, or nearly
ali men. However, he never made
any progress with his single tax pro-
gram.
The one kingdom. curiously enough,
i'm which Henry George made any
progress was Scotland. To the sur
prise Of most people, at least Of those
who did not know Scotland, Henry
George not only found enthusiastic
audiences. but left behind him a
strong school of single takers. The
ground had been prepared for his gos-
pei for years.
Preached New Gospel.
There used to be in the city Of
Glasgow-he died some years ago--a
fervid, eloquent. and active Irishman
named John Ferguson. He was pa
per dealer, and had to travel the three
kingdoms in his business. He became
a friar preacher Of the new gospel,
devoted to it time. money and energy,
and preached it from innumerable
platforms.
This fervid Irishman was one of
those Presbyterian Ulster Nationalists
who are more often enthusiastic than
their Catholic fellow Nationalists, and
bring to their creed something of the
dour and fanatical spirit of their
Scotch ancestors.
Every Irishman of Scotch blood whs
belongs to this type always reminds
one a little Of John Knox, one Of thu
first of the race Of fearless and fanat.
ical prophets. and John Ferguson was
q John Knox after his fashion.
Price Of Land Goes Up.
In Glasgow with its gigantic in
crease of the price Of land inside the
city boundaries, owing to the gigantic
increase Of the size and wealth 0!
the city, was splendid seed ground
for the new land gospel, and there
gathered around John Ferguson a
large school Of single takers.
They brought every year to the
house of commons a bill founded On
their theories, and at last got some
Of its proposals carried. Thus it came
about that Scotland, more than any
other Of the three kingdoms, was
won to the gospel Of Henry George.
Meantime the movement obtained
some recruits Of Importance in Lon.
don. First must be mentioned man
who Is not an Bnglishman at all
though he has made most Of his large
fortune in England.
Joseph Fels. American by birth
Jewish by race, belongs to that Sec
ton Of his people which gives to Ideal
causes the splendid gifts that are
usually devoted to finance.
Play Important Part.
Jewish enthusiasts play larger
part than is realized in the advanced
forces of Europe. They are often the
revolutionary leaders of Russia: they
form the journalistic forces behind
the socialistic movement in Germany;
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