Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/868

 852 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

the use of the courts, government by injunction, the use of the federal army in strikes, corruption of state and national politics, the influencing of public opinion by purchase or intimidation of the press, and by gifts to the university and pulpit. All this is seen to result in a centralization of government and a directing of public notice away from real conditions at home to a policy of foreign aggression. A parallelism is noted with preceding nations which now are in ruin.

Eight chapters are devoted to the investigation, and one to the remedy. Coming from Mr. George, the remedy can be surmised : (i) stop taxation evils and immunities by taxing land monopoly to death, (2) take all public highway functions into public hands. Mr. George's investigations are valuable in supplying a rich collec- tion of current material on important questions. The book is a veritable mine of information. One merit of his investigation is concrete illustrations of his statements and definite references to sub- stantiate his arguments. Particularly interesting are his discussions of government by injunction, and gifts by the wealthy to the mis- sionary societies, universities, and churches. He justly distinguishes between capital and privilege, recording the fact that privilege is sometimes miscalled capital. He nevertheless fails to credit capital sufficiently for the part it has performed in our industrial advance- ment. Another merit is the absence of pessimism. Nowhere does Mr. George lose faith in the masses, the princes of privileges, our industrial order, or system of government ; but he is hopeful for im- provement.

While Mr. George has investigated extensively and accurately, the reader feels that he is more than an investigator, he has a solu- tion. One feels he has a theory to prove. Can a man be a successful investigator and propagandist at the same time, without allowing the investigation to be prejudiced in its bearing? Most men cannot perform both these roles at the same time. However, one chapter only in the nine is given to the remedy, and yet many insinuations and suggestions as to the remedy are found throughout the investi- gation. His repeated references to the early industrial conditions of our country add nothing to his argument, because the advancement has been so great.

The book is clear in presentation and logical arrangement. It is a valuable contribution to the study of our social and industrial problems a book of unusual merit and interest.

SCOTT E. W. BEDFORD.