Evening journal., 1913-12-11
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The True Prediction Of
John SwintOn
Holland.


think it was in the summer OF
1878, certainly it was in that year.
that ! met John Swinton, then the
chief of stan of the New York Sun.
and for years very prominent as a
newspaper manager and editorial
writer under the shadow of the
Greeley monument near the Tribune
Office in New York City. With Mr..
Swinton was a short man who seemed
to be even smaller than he really was
by reason OF his striking contrast with
the great PHYSICAL proportions Of Mr..
Swinton. He trotted along beside Mr..
Swinton with quick step which
was almost a half run. Under his arm
was a bundle wrapped in heavy brown
paper. Mr. Swinton occasionally
leaned over so that he might talk to
the good hearing of the little man.
! did not know whether that was due
to the great clatter OF vehicles upon
the Belgian block pavement or wheth-
ar Mr.. Swintons friend was deaf.
AS soon as Mr. Swinton saw me he
summoned me to his side. And then.
without introducing me to his friend.
he led the way into the business Of
fees Of the New York Sun.
There is too much internal noise
out there said Mr. Swinton. 81
have brought you in here because !
want to have you and this gentleman
meet. hope you will have a little
talk"
He then introduced me to his
friend. saying:
"You must know this gentleman by
name He is Henry George. and the
time will come when everybody will
know him by name.'
Mr.. George was very affahle ]
observed that he had a beautiful and
perfect set of very white teeth, which
he showed consplcuously when he
smiled. He asked me some courte.
ous questions about newspaper work
and then Mr.. Swinton interrupted us
saying "In that bundle, Mr.. George
has Immortality"
AS Mr.. Swinton vas very fond oil
jestng l did not know exactly how
to take his remark. ! observed, how
ever, that Mr.. George made a gesture
Of modest dissent as though to init
mate to me that Mr.. Swinton was
paying him too high a compliment
Then it occurred to me that there
might be within the cover Of the
bundle some manuscripts which Mr.
George purposed publishing in book
form.
That surmise was correct. II was
the manuscript of his famous book
Progress and Poverty" which, If my
recollection is certain, was published
a year or two later.
After a 1rief further conversation
Mr. George bade us good-day, and
then Mr.. SVinton said to me:
years ago met man who seemed
to me to possess the most original
genius of any American whom I had
ever known or heard. He was Henry
G.. Thoreau. | believe he came t
New York upon the invitation o.
Horace Greeley At all events. have
met him in company with Mr.. Gree
ley.
"Of course, you know now that
Thoreau has become one OF the Amer
lean immortals. Not until me
Henry George and had conversation
with him did ! ever discover an,
other American who brought to m.
mind my meeting with Thoreau. Boil
men possessed absolute intellectual
independence. Both were true tc
themselves and to their thoughts
Thoreau's name is secure. nov
make the prediction TO you that tn
man with whom you have just talkel
is to gain a place among those who's
names survive for generation afte
generation, so that at last what the
esaid or wrote Is enumerated anon
the classics"
| lCnnvrighted. 1919. hv u. j Edwards