George, Henry

Henry (1839-1897), an American writer and economist. He was a native of Philadelphia. He went to sea when a boy and brought up in California, where he learned the printer's trade, and became a reporter on the San Francisco Times. In 1867 he became its editor. He conceived the notion that, under our system of paying wages, the workingman does not receive his full proportion. As opposed to the capitalist, he enunciated a doctrine, since somewhat hackneyed, "I am for men." He opposed the present system of taxation, claiming that it would be more just to levy a single tax on land values only. He wrote a number of works. His views are set forth fully in Progress and Poverty. In 1880 he went to England and later took up his residence in New York City. In 1886 he was nominated by the labor party for mayor, and received the very respectable number of 67,000 votes. Not discouraged by defeat, he was nominated again in 1897, but the excitement of the campaign proved too much for him. He died before the day of election. See Taxation; Socialism