Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-10-10
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
UNDER THE WHEEL.
Hamiin Gariand's New Piay-The Single
Tax Idea In the Drama.

nodt dime doc protest? Our wages is re-
duced dwice already in four years-te
rendt half been raist four dimes. How?
1t is hell. is it nodt? Vat you do?
Edwards-(without looking up)-I
don't know.
Berg (darkly, looking at Alice)-I
know vat do. / magke protest so
shall pc heardt 1t is nodt do be born
wit. l gift in my name tonight. (He
starts toward the door,
Alice (stopping him)-Don't do that
Keep away from those Anarchists, Mr.
Berg. They will hurt you. They don't
belong here. Such meetings are wrong
in a free country
Berg (turning)-Free? Free do pay
rendt in. fly from de tyrandts ofe my
native landt | reach FREQ landt! Bah!
j am only slave under anodder name,
dat is all. De mardch of feudalism is
here even. ! say there is no free blaze
| left. Let dem tage care, l shall fight
l am wolf ad bay. If l fall now, l
trag someding wit me. (He starts to
go.)
Alice (stopping him)-Don't go with
those men. You're not yourself tonight
Stay with your mother.
on his arm)-For your sake, 1 will stay.
am nodt veil. 1t is true.
Alice (recoiling)-No, no; not for my
sake, but for your mothers sake.
Berg-For you half ask me stay. CHe
| turns to the figure at the door, You
hear, l go nodt oud. Higure at the
door goes.) l wish to dalk NIT you'll
half
(Alice stands speaking in low voice
to Berg. AT last he nods.) Ipromise-
ant will gone again soon? (Exit.)
Alice Cunning to her father)-Can't
something be done-can't you strike?
Edwards (spiritlessly)-No, we can't
strike-at least, it wouldn't do any
good
ilice-Why not?
Edwards-What can men do strikin'
with families as l have needin' every
/ dollar they en- earn? Rents due an no
money t pay it with. / don't know
which way t turn.
Mrs. E.-Don't give up, Jason. Well
git along some way. We can move into
cheaper tenement
Edwards INDIGNANTLY don't want
/ y to do that, Jennie. You're low
enough; Eve been hopin' t. move into a
better one.
Alice (resolutely)-Tll give up my
course at the conservatory and go to
teaching. I'll do my part.
Edwards-It wouldn't save us, m girl,
for next year the rents would be higher
an wages lower. Itain't the present that
scares me, it's the future! | could pull
through for year or two if 'twant for
the turrible uncertainty of the future.
If should he laid up FIR a month-Tm
gettin' old an liable t bel don know
what we'd all do. John jest about makes
Twin for his family-hc can't help u.s.
Linnie must go t school an Alice ought
to go on with her music
Alice (firmly )-No, father. I'll give up
the conservatory. I'll find something
TO do; I'll be a help.
Linnie-Soll /.
Edwards quitting his arms around
them -You'r re help to me now, Allie;
nothin' cheered me more all day long
than the thought O your havin' good
time with your musical friends.
| (Alice has a thoughtful look on her
face. She is thinking of Reeves, and his
question and her answer.)
Mrs. E. with a sigh)-What's the
world comm to, Jason, when hard work
in people can't make a decent livin'?
Edwards lin the same gloomy tonel-
l don't know, Jennie. | tell We I've
done pile O thinlkin' lately. I've
looked at the whole matter fore and aft,
and they hain't no other way to it. It's
plain case O rents goin' up an wages
going down. Ten men FIR every job
ne gettin' old. CA long pause.
Mrs. Edward thesitatingly) = We
couldn't go back to Derry an go to farm
in agin, could we? They say they's
deserted farms there that can be
bought"
Edwards bitterly WY are they de-
serted? Because people couldn't make a
livin' off 'em. Can we do any bettcr?. | t
/ was young man-if you was young
and the girls didn't need schoolin,
they'd be jest one way out-the way out
FIR so many b'fore u.s. mean go West
an get free land and start agin.
Alice Feeling her way)-Why don't
you go West now? Well go with you.
I'm sorry wore not boys, we'd be of more
use with growing conviction) OF
course that's the way out. Why didn't
we think of that before, mother? Every
body is happy and successful that goes
west-it's the refuge for all like US.
Let's go tins very summer! Maybe /
can find place to teach music out there.
Edwards (rising and going to his coat
Wal, now you've said s much, Allie,
I'll own up I've been thinl1in a good
! cal of it FIR some time. I've Jest about
wore these maps out lookin' at EN-. CIe
spreads some railway maps out on the
table, and they all look at them. He
grows enthusiastlc)
Edwards (pointing)- here's Bos-
ton, an there's Chicago, an you follow
that black line away out there an that's
Boomtown an free land. Dye hear,
mother? Free land The place we're
all dreamin about!
Linnie-What d. you mean by free
land poppa?
Edwards (raising his head Where
there amt no landlords an no rents.
Where there amt no rich mr. no poor.
Where people don't live in holes like
this. Where they raise such ears O.
corn as that, and have farms like that
(holds up two gay-colored posters), with
cows, an pigs, an clover, an brooks
near by full O. trout. Mother, I've been
hungry FIR farm all my life; let $ try it
agen, eh?
Mrs. Every we'll, Jason, If you
think hest