Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-04
SINGLE TAXWRANGLE
Three Hours Disputing Over the
Clause Fayoring Government
CONTROL OF THE RAILROADS.
Henry Georges Voice Mingles With the
Thunder of Arguments.
NTROL OF THE RAILROADS.
TALK OF STAMPEDING THE MEETING
sPEc1AL TELEGRAM TO THE prspArcz.I

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsPArcH.I
NEW YORK, September S.-The Single
Tax conference devoted the greater part of
to-day's session to wrangling over platform
constructed by committee of which Henry
George was Chairman. After q resolution
recognizing the work of women in advanc-
ing the good cause had been passed, Mr..
George read the declaration of single tax
principle, a long document, from which this
is an extract:
The single tax can be instituted by the simple
and easy way of abolishing, one after another,
all other taxes now levied, and commensurately
increasing the tax on land values, until we
draw upon that one source for all expenses Of
government. The single tax we propose is not
tax on the use or Improvement of land, but
on the ownership of land taking what would
otherwise 20 to the owner owner, and
not as user. The farmer would have
no more taxes to pay than a speculator who
held a similar piece of land idle. and the man
who. on a city lot, erected a valuable building
would be taxed no more than the man who
held a similar lot vacant The single tax, in
short, will call upon men to contribute to the
public revenues, not in proportion to what
they produce or accumulate, but in proportion
to the natural opportunities they hold.
wRANGLE OVER THE PLATFORM.
This declaration was scarcely read when
clauses. The main objection came from J.
W. Graham, Of Massachusetts,, who wanted
to strike out the final clause tavoring Gov
ernment control OF te1egraphs, railroads,
water and gas. For nearly three hours argu-
ments were Numbered to and fro Mr.. George
going on the floor took a hand in the debate
as delegate Considerable i'll feeling was
manifested on the part of the opposition,
which soon found itself in the minority, j.
M. Campbell, of New York, when a point
of order made by him was overruled by
President Post, said, as he sat down:
Speaker Reed is in the chair"
The debate continued until the single
takers got tired, and the previous question
was carried by large majority. The final
clause was retained against several attempts
to amend it, and the platform was adopted
with but two or three votes in the negative.
The conference then adjourned sine die.
The National Committee organized to-day
and chose w. 7. Crossdale as President.
STAMPEDE THE MEETING.
After the conference Chairman Louis
F. Post made statement to the reporters
which indicated that the feeling between
Henry George and DIR. McGlynn is not as
cordial as was supposed by the delegates on
Tuesday night when they applauded DR..
McGlynn's appearance at the meeting. He
said:
"a delegate from Ohio (whose name
don't wish to give) informed me on Monday
as chairman Of the conference, that DR..
Houghton, who is manager of DR.. Nc
Glynn's lecturing arrangements, told him
that he, (Dr, Honghton) with DR.. McGlynn
and few more of his friends, would come
into the convention in body. The init
nation was clear that they wished to stam-
pede the meeting"