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| Letter to
the Elector of the Hall of Fame Nominating Henry George |
| [The original of this
letter was given by Agnes de Mille to the Henry George School of
Social Science in New York. Daniel James was the grandson of William
James and was at the time (1944) with the American Field Service in
Calcutta, India. This letter is reprinted from The Henry George
News, October 1969] |
To the elector of the Hall of Fame:
"I have a candidate-the philosopher and economist, Henry George. I
would like to tell you briefly, for what it is worth, why I wish you
would consider his name for a place along side the other greats at your
next meeting.
"Henry George's philosophy, running throughout his books, is a
sermon against hypocrisy, a lesson in tolerance, justice, selflessness,
simplicity of living and bigness in relationships with other men. It's
clear, straight, understandable.
"His economic theories are more alive today, than the time when he
was making observations on the strange phenomena of a society in which,
with an advance of progress, poverty and misery increased.
"The Hall of Fame is not an advertising agency, but I feel that in
the interest of people the world around, by his admittance to the Hall
of Fame, those who'd never heard of Henry George, nor read his books,
will wonder who is this great man. The world needs to know Henry George
now. I believe it to be the one simple, practical plan for the
down-trodden of Asia.
"Whether there will ever be one free, united world is a question,
but at any rate it will never be realized until the lot of the Asiatic
is improved. I have so much faith in the intelligent Indian, and in the
application of a single tax, that I've decided to remain in India --
merchant seaman turned teacher.
"I won't write more. I feel strongly about this, Sir, that is why
I'm asking you, if you would be so good as to consider, if you have not
already done so, the merits of Henry George.
Sincerely yours, Daniel James."
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