The revolutionary
movements of Europe at this period were having a seismic effect
upon American labor. But all these attempts of the workingmen to
tourney a rough world with a needle were foredoomed to failure.
Lacking the essential business experience and the ability to
cooperate, they were soon undone, and after a few years little
more was heard of cooperation.
In the meantime another economic movement gained momentum under
the leadership of George Henry Evans, who was a land reformer and
may be called a precursor of Henry George. Evans inaugurated a
campaign for free farms to entice to the land the unprosperous
toilers of the city. In spite of the vast areas of the public
domain still unoccupied, the cities were growing denser and
larger and filthier by reason of the multitudes from Ireland and
other countries who preferred to cast themselves into the eager
maw of factory towns rather than go out as agrarian pioneers. To
such Evans and other agrarian reformers made their appeal. For
example, a handbill distributed everywhere in 1846 asked:
"Are you an American citizen? Then you are a joint owner of the
public lands. Why not take enough of your property to provide
yourself a home? Why not vote yourself a farm?
"Are you a party follower? Then you have long enough employed
your vote to benefit scheming office seekers. Use it for once to
benefit yourself; Vote yourself a farm.
"Are you tired of slavery--of drudging for others--of poverty and
its attendant miseries? Then, vote yourself a farm.
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