Henry George Historical Society

Progress and Poverty, p. 405

"Nor to take rent for public uses is it necessary that the State should bother with the letting of lands, and assume the chances of thefavoritism, collusion, and corruption this might invlve. It is not necessary  that any new machinery should be created. The machinery already exists. Instead of extending it, all we have to do is to simplify and reduce it. By leaving to landowners a percentage of rent which would probably be much less than the cost and loss involved in attempting to rent lands through State agency, and by making use of this existing machinery, we may, without jar or shock, assert the common right to land by taking rent fo public use."