Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-09-11
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
UNDER THE WHEEL
| HamIin Garland's New Play-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. Howl
It is hell, is it nodt? Vat you do?
Edwards-(without looking up)-l
| don't know.
Berg (darlly, looking at Alice)-]
know vat do. I magke protest so
| shall pc heardt. It is nodt do be born
wit. Gift in my name tonight tHe
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 free country
Berg (turning)-Free? Free do pay
rendt in. 1 fly from de tyrandts ofe my
native landt, l reach a free landt! Bah
/ am only slave under anodder name,
dat is all. De mardch of feudalism is
| here even. 1 say there is no free blaze
left. Let dem tage care, I shall fight.
am wolf ad bay. If I fall now,
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.
| Berg (moved by her words and hand
on his arm)-For your cake, I will stay.
I 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 1 stay. Gle
turns to the figure at the door, You
hear, go nodt oud. Higure at the
door goes) 1 wish to dalk NIT you'll
| half
(Alice stands speaking in a low voice
to Berg. At last he nods.) promise
ant I will gone again soon? (Exit.)
| Alice turning 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.
| Alice-Why not?
| Edwards-What can men do strikin'
with families as I have needin' every
dollar they en- earn? Rents due an no
money t. pay it with. l don't know
which way t turn.
Mrs. E.-Don't give up, Jason. Well
| git along some way. We can move into
| a cheaper tenement
Edwards Gndignant1y)-I don't want
| Y to do that, Jennie. You're low
enough; Eve been hopin' t. move into a
| better one.
Alice (resolutely)-rll 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 a year or two if 'twant for
| the turrible uncertainty of the future.
If should be laid up FIR a month-Tm
| gettin' old an liable t bel dom know
what we'd all do. John jest about makes
Twin for his family-he can't help us.
t Linnie must go t. school an Alice oughl
to GO on with her music
Alice (frmly)-No, father, I'll give w
the conservatory. I'll find something
TO do; I'll be help.
Linnie-So'll I.
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' a good
time with your musical friends.
(Alice has thoughtful look on hel
face. She is thinking of Reeves, and hi.
| question and her answer.)
Mrs. E. with sigh)-What's the
world comm to, Jason, when hard work
in people can't make decent livin'?
| Edwards Tin the same gloomy tone)-
don't know, Jennie. 1 tell We I've
| done pile O. thinkin' 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 wage.
! going down. Ten men FIR every job
me gettin' old. "a long pause.
Mrs. Edward fhesitatingly) - 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)- Why are they de-
serted? Because people couldn't make a
Twin off 'em. Can we do any better? II
was a 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 us-I 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 we're 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 this 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 thinkin' good
zeal of it f'r some time. I've jest about
wore these maps out lookin' at em. (He
spreads some railway maps out on the
! table, and they all look at them. He
! grows enthusiastlc.)
Edwards (pointing)-Now 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-coiored posters), with
cows, an pigs, an clover, an brooks
near by full O. trout. Mother, I've beer
hungry FIR farm all my life; let's try il
agen, eh?
Mrs. Every well, Jason, II you
think best.
Linnie dancing about)-Oh, yes
lots! I'm tired of this old city. amt you
| or Gil