The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 27, 1901, Page 4

‘THE SUNDAY CALL. By B q Laihrop. RE been published a Life o George,” by his son, Jr. Mr. George Jr . st the highest praiss has wove in which he teresting f greatest fair- subject i s rela tes with t his fact that ws ir 1 e with exact stat a . se his kinship of ad- as he is able to give rivate correspo: jjaries of his should not ons we o8 e SAllig of marriage 1 e Georges went to Sacramen their first child was born named after his father. " ad done pretty well in the first bis marriage and had managed most of the old bills contracted in rancisco. Now, at odd hours, he red to pick up money in any hoa- way. At one ame he hired out ket-taker for a lecture given by k Twain. Like most Califernians in se days he couid not resist the fasc ? gambling In mining stocks with ssual disastrous results which gen- followed ventures of this kind the little family. returned to San sco and then began the darkest ve they were to know. Fortunately for it was the darkness before the dawn while it lasted it bordered close edy. Mr, George writes in his diar; 1 came mear starving to death, and at one time 1 was ®o close to ft that I think I ehould have done so but for the Job of print- re @ few cards which epabled us to buy a 1 cornmesl. In this darkest time In my v second child was born. o The frightful sufferings of the family are best told in the author's own words. After such an experieace as this it is not to be wondered at that Mr. George's deep - est eympathy was ever with the poor and t he belleved poverty and crime are s Inherent fauits of unfortunata e taby came at 7 c'clock in the morn- of January 27, 1865. When it was born the wife heard the doctor say “Don't stop to wash the child; be is starving. Feed him!" After the doctor had gone and the motber and baby had fallen ssietp the husband left them sione in the house, and taking the eldest cbiid to & pelghbor's, himself went to his busi mese in @ desverate State of mind, for his wite's condition made money—some money—an ebsolute and immediate necessity. But noth- ing came into the office and he 4id not know where to borrow. What then happened he told #ixteen years subsequentiy. 1 walked aiong the street and made up my mind tu get money from the first man whose sppearsnce might indicate that he had it to give. 1 stopped a man—a stranger—and told him I wanted %. He asked what I wanted it for. 1 told him that my wife was confined end that 1 hed nothing to give her to eat. He gave me the money. It he had not I think 1 was desperate enough to have killed him ™ An explanatory note follows: Henry George related this incident to Dr. James E. Kelly in a conversation in Dublin during the winter of 1881-1852, in proof that en- vironment has more to do with human actions, y with so-called criminal actions, t we generally concede, and to show how acute poverty may ound-minded moral men to the commiseion of deeds that are sup- posed to belong entirely to hardened evil na- tures The diary notes comm: and espec arive ce again twenty days er the new baby's birth and show that the cgle for subsistence was still continuing; that Henry George abandoned the job printing office and that he and his wife and bables had <maller house where he had to nly §9 & month—just half of his & puy & rent former rent Here is & portion of that dlary which errors for the mek~ an acqua with wh home lses and be st think consecutivel resolutions Ge ir. rge’s mind J about to make another start in life He the last rung of the ladder and the first thing ery cent he i'e tie pleasant n the face. uni un he vigto, and not bas a in it. al- though at that time any t ughts of a joke were furthest from Mr. George's thoughts. The idea of saving five cents a week. even If it be borrowed from a friend, s spiendid. The frequent use of the word “if'" shows the number of schemes which had been tried and found wanting, until finally George has lost ail confidence in positive assertion and is content “not to run in debt IF it can be avoided.” There Is a pathetic ring in that o stay at home less and be more scefal.” Things then began to mend. Both hus- band and wife did what they could. Mrs. George managed to pay their rent by sewing for the ladlady, and finally George kimself obtained regular employment. He was now 26 vears old, and this period miarks the date of the commencement of his career as a writer. His article, “Sic Semper Tyranni in- spired by the assassination of Lincoln and which appeared in the Alta Call- fornia, won for him a place special 1eporter on that paper. He had written it on the spur of the moment and thrust it in the editor's box with merely his initials as signature, and was surprised 10 see it appear in type the next morning. It was not, however, until some years later that Mr. George was able to leave the composing-room for good and all and de ste himself to the pen alone. He then made & quick rise from the position of extra reporter on the San Franclsco Times to that of its managing editor. This part of Mr. Henry George Jr.'s book will be found especially interesting to San Franciscans, containing so much ase it does about local events and people. The life of extreme poverty was now over for Henry George, but it had been a lesson that he never could forget, and all his energies were devoted to the lead- ing question, “Why poverty accompanies wealth in advancing civillzation.” His past experiences and present studies of life in New York @nd San Francisco finally resujted in the book that made its author famous—'"Progress and Poverty, an Inquiry Into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of the Increase o Want With the Increase of Wealth Mr. George set most of the type for the book himself. Theré was the usual trouble about finding a publisher, but the work was finally undertaken by Apple- ton & Company and appeared in 187. It soon began to attract tho attention of the reading world. In the fall of 1881 Mr. George went to Ireland and England as the special cor- respondent of the Irish World, the great Land League movement being foremost at that time in British politics. His writ- ings and lectures were as of old, strafght from the shoulder and by their strength made for him many friends and enemies. His trip abroad did him at least this much zood that when he returned, to America after a year's absence he came back ‘“pretty " near famous.” He was wined, dined and talked and written about to his heart's content, for he con- sidereq It meant that at last the truth was to spread. Some three years later hc found out, however, that many who saag GrRAPH TAKEN IN SAN FRANCISCO SHRORTLY AFTER WRITING PROGRESS AND PoveRTY.{ his praises then had dene o in honor of the man's snecess as an individual and not to tribute to the doctrines which he promulgated In 1884 Mr. George again went abroai on a lecturing tour. In the present vol- ume are given some Verv arausing anec dotes of a personal nature concerning this trip. The most important enisode of this pericd was an attack made on him and his principles hy the Duke of Argyll in an article in the Nineteenth Century, en titled ““The Prophet of San Franciseo.” Mr. George replied through the columns of the same magazine, but not until he had written and rewritten his answer and even taken it to New York with him to “polish it like-a steel shot.” Back again in America he devoted him- self to political and social problem writ- ing. Then came his nomination as a car- didate for Mayor of New York. The eur- prisingly high vote he received, consider- ing the fact that his party lacked both experience and organization, was com- mented on at length. He was even taiked of as labor candidate for the Presidency in 1888 The book closes with an account of his trip around the world and with some chapters devoted to his personal and do- mestic matters. Published by Doubleday & McClure Company. New York. A work whose title may prove mislend- ing is *The Expansion of the Amerlcan People, Social and Territorial,” by Edwin Erle Sparks, Ph.D., assistant professor of American history in the University of Chicago. Tt might be understood to be simply disquisition on the expansion prop- osition, made up largely of the author's persoral ideas and opinions regarding the future action of the Government in ruling our new possessions. On the contrary, the volume deals with past history and not with prophecies for the future. Profes- sor Sparks has accumulated his material carefully and places it before the reader in a conecise form most commendable. It is the best book tbat has come to our no- tice giving an idea of the remarkable growth of these United States of ours from their inception down to the present day. The author wastes no time in the expression of personal opinions, but only in the last chapter presents in a scholarly and dignified way his deductions founded on past happenings. In a sentence, the book traces simply the actual growth commercially, politically and soclally of our people as is shown by well ‘authenti- cated history. Professor Sparks’ long years of study of historical subjects has well fitted him for making just the proper selection of material nécessary to suc- cinctly show the development of America and Americans since we first raised our national flag to the time when it has be- come necessary to send the stars and stripes over the sea ax a vanguard of still further westward expansion, 1n a brief introduction Professor Sparks points out the law of the survival of the fittest as applled to the original inhabi- tants of the central portion of the conti- nent of North America and also the ways in which the formation of a new people takes place. He calls attention to the fact that ‘“‘the study of the expansion of the American people must not be confined to territory. Trade, invention, the arts, edu- catlon of the masses, the comfort of the people, the alm and scope of the church, the fdeals of citizenship and good govern- ment—all these have expanded with the increase of territory and population.” He bears these lines carefully in mind, and in his descriptions of the various periods of transition through which thls country has passed dilates at length upon the dif- terent heads as given above. In his opening chapters the author shows the preparation of Europe in the fitteenth century for expansion followed by Spanish, Dutch. German and French immigration. He calls attention to the aseimilation of the different nationalities In the new country; the dangers encoun- tered, whch give to all a common interest through the law of preservation of self and kind. I'requent maps give the relative growth In territory and show the arrangement of netional boundaries and public domain. These prove of great help to the reader in ixing strongly in his mind the order of development of the different parts of the country.. First appears a detailed account of the French-English struggle for the Missis- sippi Valley and the organization of the stem of public lands; the methods of surveying and partitioning. He dwells at length on the scheme of giving bounty lands for service in the army and the ex- cellent opportunity aforded the people of obtaining Government lands of their own for homes, ‘'hen is considered the peopling of the great Northwest Territory by the hardy P oneers, who wished by individual effort to ld up a country of their own. The description of their life in the Ohlo Val- 5l ley. with tne prices or pwmiding at that time, the costs of living, customs, super- stitions and education, offers an interest- ing lesson in contrast with the develop- ment of to-day. The author brings out well the gradual ,progression—frst, the selflsh interest which set every man hard at work to make his home; second, this completed, the common interest which bound them all together for a mutual and stronger protection, and third, the broad- ening in a feeling of local security to a feeling of national pride. which finally culminated in the laying of the corner- stone of the National Capitol in Septem- ber, 1793, and the establishment of a na- tional seat of government. A traveler in 1807 describes the weakling capital city of the Union as follows: It remains, after ten years of expensive fostering, a rickety infant—unable to go alone. * * ¢ The Federal city Is in reality neither town ner village. It may be compared to a hunting-seat, where state sportsmen may run horses and fight cocks, kil Time under cover and shoot Public-Service fiying. * * * A few scattered hamilets here and there indicate a sordid and dependent population; and 2 or 3 edifices upon distant hills, * * * There sits the President. upon a summer recess—like & relican in the wilderness or & sparrow upon the housetop. * * * Imagine the members ‘of Dbith houses on @ frosty morning trudging along through mire and snow—like s0 many 3'igrims incurring’ voluntary hardships on a journey of penance; and you will no longer wonder that the House is never full at roll call, . Protessor Sparks then calls attention to the pressure in the Southwest—the fact that thes Kentuckians and could ralge good crops but could not mar- ket them owing to the Spaniards’ control over the mouth of the Mississippl. His mccount of the overt acts of the i lards, which resulted in the hasty forma- tion of a military company under George Rogers Clark of Revolutionary fame, and the gradual rounding out of the gulf pos- sessions, whicn inevitably followed, is very Interesting. B : There follows some good matter on the evolution of the American frontler, to- gether with' a resume of the development of literature and Intellectual growth, as well-as the progression in modes of travel and communication. The Oregon expan- slon marks another step in the territorial growth and the general advance west- ward. A memorable oceasion was that— the first breaking of the Oregon trail in June, 1843, when 200 wagons and 1300 head of cattle made theiry perilous way from Westport, near where, Kansas City now stands. to the vast wilderness of Oregon. Then follows the acquisition of Texas, the conquest of California and the strug- gle for Kansas and Nebraska. Professor Sparks closes with some remarks on the incraase of well-belng among the people and the beginning of a colonial system. The following footnote given in connec- tlon with the text may prove a source of surprise to many who have merely a vague idea of the vastress of our colonial possessions, but’ have never consuited actual facts and figures: Tt {5 ympoksible -as. vet to grasp fully the finmensity of the American colonial posses- s'cne. The extent and population of the sev- eral parts are thus estimated: Popu- Country— lation. Alagka 4 32,058 Hawail"..... 109,020 Fhilippines 000 Forto Rico.. 957 Cuba 1,631,657 Totaly:ii siis. 10,611,620 The territory is n double that of the original thirteen States; the population Is &reater than that of the whole United States in 1820. The retention of Cuba iIn the above table is prophecy based on human nature. As a close student of history and the development of nations Professor Sparks’ prophetic opinion in the closing chapter of his hook cannot be without interest: To the student of the larger politics the cul- minating point in the territorial expansion of the American people, made possible by their soctal expansion, is found in the spread of FEnglish speech. The English of the Americans Dbas already reached Asia to meet the Eng- lish of the parent country coming from the opposite direction. It means the beginning of the world division on lines of language and trade it not entirely on race affillations. Hav- Ing thus entered on the new era of world pol- ftics the inherited land-hunger of th» Saxon will manifest itsel? sre and more ‘ana co-operation with the parent country -asier. It is safe to eay that the United States wi to in at the geographical, or, what is usually the first stage, the commercial, division of China. She has sufficient damage claims upon Turkey to be interested there. in Africa alone of the foredoomed countries she has et no inferest, but it may come as unexpectedly as have some {n the past. A study of the map of the world whereon fs depicted the land possessed by and that threatened by the people of English speech is warrant for a prophecy of the coming relgn of t language and the people using It The oniy geographical competitor is Russia That the United States will succeed in every respect in this new role no ane expects has not succeeded” in governing perfectly as " PHOTOGRAPH "TAKEN, continental home possessions. Indeed that a republic ~ with its 1 t change of ad- ministrations and petty officials; ita.nec- essarlly large proportion of ined ser- vants, with its constant danger from spoils seekers and patriots for revenue, with Its in- vested Interests meeking & colonial market, that. such a government -is at all fitted for bolding colonles has not beep proved. But, as was sald in the beginning, the success of the past is the hope of the future. “The Expansion of the American Peo- ple” is published by Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago. Price §2 Lz Favorite Texts of Famous People. “Favorite Texts of Famous People,” by Frederick Barton, contains the favorite or notable texts of over 400 persons, to which is added by the contributors or author some 200 or more interesting incidents concerning texts or Bibles, both involving the use of over 300 different texts. Auto- graphs of elghty of the more prominent persons contributing are distributed through the book and also collected on four pages, there being added over forty autographs of English men of letters, many of whom are quoted in connection with texts. Among these are autographs reproduced from reliable sources of John Milton, Willlam Shakespeare, Ben Jon- son, ete., while among the autographs of contributors .of texts and incidents are Leo Tolstoy, Charles Dudley Warner, A fred Austin, Edward Everett Ha Zangwill, Chlef Rabbi Adler. Henry M. Stanley, Edwin Markham, Secretary Long of the United States Navy and many army and naval officers of th States and England, F. B. Meyer drew Murray, J. Hudson Taylor, Wu Fang (Chinese Embassador), Andrew White and other Ministers and Em dors, Charles M. Sheldon. Governors Alaska and Hawaii, Ian Maclaren ert Burdette and of poets scores The contributtons of ics and the book makes ver) esting reading. The indexing is arrange £0 that it is convenient for guoting by Sunday School teachers, members young people’s societies, and it should be a gold mine for ministers. One of the chromatic illust is the “Holy Night” and the other is produc- tion of the first page of the Mainzer Bi- ble published in 1452, the transiation being very. interesting. The book contains 275 pages price of the regular edition, bo green and stamped in gold white $125. - A gift edition bound in white and gold and stamped in purple, giit top and rough edges, $2. F. M. Barton, publisher, Cleveland, Ohio. te a the nd or The Fugitives. Here 13 another novet founded upon the trouble in South Africa; “The Fugitiv by Morley Roberts. War alway a fine opportunity for st appeal to the majority of fic The beginning of the book finds the matis personae gland. Two dav ters of the Middleton household gaged to be married; one to an o the' British army and a prisone toria, and the other to duty of effecting the ¢ ish officer from the Pru falls on this second at one time a resident of the Transvaal capital and therefore is familiar enough with the country te warrant some hope of success on his pari. He finally st ceeds, after countless adventures, in lib- erating the prisoner and together they are able to makeq their way through the Boer lines to Kimberley. Many historical char- acters are Introduced to add interest 1o the story. (Published by McClure, Phil- lips & Co., New York.) n ex-of ape of the B orian T n wall pver. He has been Nervous Breakdown. Abrams, A M., M. D., berg), F. R. M. S., 15 the author of a recently published pamphlet rvous Breakdown.” The subject is treated in scientific way, but not above the head the average reader, and in these davs ¢ busy workers and brain fatigue it shoul be found helpful reaiing. The author carefully considers the var S ¢ s of nervous breakdown, classifving and ex- plaining as he proceeas. He then dwell3 at some length on the general symptoms, afterward taking up the special symptoms and suggesting the treatment for cases from various causes. (Published by the Hicks-Judd Company. San Francisco.) The New England Primer. Ginn & Co. have just put out from their Athenaeum Pre: carefully prepared faésimile of “The New England Primer” from an original published between the ars 178 and 1790, and now owned by G. A. Plimpton of New York. The last Albert (Heldel- A L ¢ 1 = OCTOBER 1897 SPVRIGHT leaf, which In this originai 1s missing, ts printed from modern type. The binding of the original is literally of boards—not in the modern sense of pasteboard, but strips af wood one-eighth of an inch thick covered with thin paper. To re- produce this binding exactly was so diffi- cult a matter for the bookbinder that the publishers Have substituted the. paper binding in which so many of the early editions of “The Primer’” appeared. Wich the exception of the cover, this edition is an inal almost ex even to th o of € d It of the age tk > tributed, perha hook except the v g of those sturdy > America its = Even late repr gcarce and ex in the book colle Mooswa and Others of the Boundaries r has utilizéd weill his Athabas e , “Mooswa Boundaries." ling’s “Jur Thomp: cannot £ tertain of imit be be has studied n as s wel caref! to details and his of the talking, with ju ow the part he pla Arthur Hem- ing is m for > strikir no smail part of the e book. (Published Scribner's Sons, New York. Opie Read, well known as the author of “A Yanke fro: the W, and “The Waters Caney Fork,"” ha s laurels by a new story pi t ally those immortal Ame 2 1 in the element is he main part & stor: gical st ddle-ag idy of affairs of 1 ma L a ) an ex-Congressman for the as, whose heart fs won by tne ations of the hercine—a woman The falr one fs un h prevents her ret an whom she re ywardson, of T rary Notes. e New lams to the F alysis of the world's markets. The reports made to the Ja; man by the book stores of th large cities of America show that * of Old Vincennes,” by Maurice Th scn, was the best selling book of month. Truth for January fconmtdins, other Interesting contributions, an ar devoted to the wo £ the well-kn painter la Holmes Nich Two b r pages, reproduced ¢ rectl artist’s original canvases, accompany the arti there are also sev- eral black and white illustrations and a portrait of Mrs. Nich Harper & Golfer's Ca B The p tures, which e and are su! framing. especldlly ap for dec bif ciub houses. The February number of McClure's Magazine will a graphi tive of Hernando de Soto an he Mississippl, by whose powers 1 picturesque e historical writing have won » nd adeq so much esteem from the reading he article will be fully fllus- This number of MeClure's will for its fiction and for its art. The authors represented are Rudyard Kipling, Robert Barr, Sarah Orne Jawett, Josephine Dodge Daskam and Edwin Lefevre; the artists are Kenyon Cox, Bd- mund J. Sulllvan, Lockwood Kipling, Ed- win Lord Weeks, Genevieve Cowles, Charles L. Hinton, Henry Hutt, George Gibbs and Frederic Dorr Steele. The Over! v has some capital matter in number. Thers s pienty of fk ory reader by Elizabe Soley, Fran Fred Har ) Eliza Gelette F has essay on “The Diary Habit.” There are also sonfe posms ty Charlotte Leech Park Barnita, L. Cralgham, Elizobeth Gerberding, Annetts Kohn a Ina Wright Hanso One of resting. rially, in this rticle o Hoopa Indian reservation by Theodore ¢ ing the Buddha's Most 1 D. Brainard Spooney, tutor at t legation, Tokio, will be f reading. “Welcom- 1tz “Japanese Playe and Playfellows" is the title of a little book by which will be published the Macmillan Company twelve colored plates by Osman Edwar immediately dainty little person muc magic, its picturesqueness. its politeness.” The ‘llust s quite a new faature in boo Vo are not aware of another K that has been spectall by Japanese artists on “Religious Pla ““The Geisha and Ch gar Songs,” “Taking the Waters.” ing With Fire,” *“Afterncon Calls” “The Scarlet Lady. tllustrated in T and -— Books Received. THE DECLINE AND FALL OF 8 UBEL SAWBONES, M. D.. ON KLONDIKE—By next best frien The Neely Company. New York. $1 5. MORAL CULTURE AS A SCIENCE- By Theoda Wilkins. M. D., and/Bertha 8. Wilkins. The Whitaker & Ray Com- pany. San Franci ABOUT DANT Sanborn. The Whitaker & Ray Company, Ban Franeisco. $1 THE EXPANSION OF THE AMER CAN PEOPLE—By Edwin Erle Sparks, Ph. D. Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago. THROUGH STRESS AND STORM-By Gregory Brooke. The Abbey Press, New York. 3. POEMS—By Alexander Blalr Thaw John Lane. New York. = THE NORTH AMERICANS OF YES- TERDAY—-By Frederick 8. Dellenbaugh. G. P. Putnam’'s Sons, New York. 34