re we find the chief reason why the finest natures
suffer so keenly in this age of heartless greed, self-absorption, and
gold madness, of wanton extravagance and biting poverty, of widespread
misery and growing discontent. Sensitive natures who are spiritually
alive to the misery around them must suffer while they sow the
seed-thoughts of a new day--suffer uncomplainingly until the
waiting-time of this great transition period has passed.

In John Ruskin we find great breadth of thought and a wide range of
intellectual vision, going hand in hand with a profound philosophical
grasp of life's deepest problems; and, what is more, these excellences
are rendered luminous by the influence of an enlightened soul. His
life has been characterized by nobility of purpose, purity of thought,
a passion for nature and art, and an enthusiasm for humanity.

THE SINGLE TAX IN OPERATION.

BY HON. HUGH H. LUSK,

_Ex-Member of the New Zealand Legislature._

Few if any of the various economic theories that have been advanced,
claiming attention in virtue of their practical benefit to the
existing conditions of human affairs, have gained so immediate or so
widespread an acceptance amongst intelligent persons as that which is
familiarly known as "the single-tax" theory propounded by Mr. Henry
George. In all parts of the English-speaking world, at least, the
theory has obtained many and enthusiastic disciples, who have
believed, and probably still believe, that they find in Mr. George's
doctrine a panacea for many of the most apparent of the evils which
oppress society not less under our advanced civilization than they did
at any former period of the world's history. It may be said, indeed,
that we hear less of Mr. George and the single tax now than we did a
few years ago, and from this some will argue that the idea has died or
is dying out of men's minds; this, however, is almost certainly a
mistake.

In the history of any great system of alleged reform there may be
traced at least three distinct stages which are marked by different
degrees of prominence in the public regard. The first of these may be
called the period of promulgation, the second that of fermentation,
and the third that of experiment. If the evils proposed to be reformed
are manifest and widely recognized the first of these stages is almost
certain to excite wide attention and much controversy on both sides.
The earliest stage, that of mere discussion, however,