From this time on,
Socialist views spread among college students, artists, and men
of letters, and the academic Socialist became a familiar figure
in American society.
Probably more significant than the Socialist movement, as an
indication of the popular demand for radical reform in the
government of the country, was the New York campaign of Henry
George in 1886. He was a San Francisco printer and journalist
when he published the work on "Progress and Poverty" which made
him famous. Upon the petition of over thirty thousand citizens,
he became the Labor candidate for mayor of New York City. The
movement in support of George developed so much strength that the
regular parties felt compelled to put forward exceptionally
strong candidates. The Democrats nominated Abram S. Hewitt, a man
of the highest type of character, a fact which was not perhaps so
influential in getting him the nomination as that he was the
son-in-law of Peter Cooper, a philanthropist justly beloved by
the working classes. The Republicans nominated Theodore
Roosevelt, who had already distinguished himself by his energy of
character and zeal for reform. Hewitt was elected, but George
received 68,110 votes out of a total of 219,679, and stood second
in the poll. His supporters contended that he had really been
elected but had been counted out, and this belief turned their
attention to the subject of ballot reform.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134