Page:The Complete Works of Henry George Volume 3.djvu/138

 20 PROPERTY IN LAND.

in the history of political societies ? Lastly, I will ask one other question Is it not true that, to say the very least, this inherent tendency to corruption has received no check from the democratic constitutions of those many "new worlds " in which kings were left behind, and aristocracies have not had time to be established ?

These are the very questions which Mr. George answers with no faltering voice ; and it is impossible to disregard his evidence. He declares over and over again, in lan- guage of virtuous indignation, that government in the United States is everywhere becoming more and more corrupt. Not only are the Legislatures corrupt, but that last refuge of virtue even in the worst societies the Judiciary is corrupt also. In none of the old countries of the world has the very name of politician fallen so low as in the democratic communities of America. Nor would it be true to say that it is the wealthy classes who have corrupted the constituencies. These at least to a very large extent are themselves corrupt. Probably there is no sample of the Demos more infected with corruption than the Demos of New York. Its management of the municipal rates is alleged to be a system of scandalous jobbery. Now, the wonderful thing is that of all this Mr. George is thoroughly aware. He sees it, he repeats it in every variety of form. Let us hear a single passage :*

It behooves us to look facts in the face. The experiment of popu- lar government in the United States is clearly a failure. Not that it is a failure everywhere and in everything. An experiment of this kind does not have to be fully worked out to be proved a failure. But speaking generally of the whole country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Lakes to the Gulf, our government by the people has in large degree become, is in larger degree becoming, government by the strong and unscrupulous.


 * "Social Problems," Chapter H.

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