The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-05-06
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT..
THE SINGLE TAX BEFORE THE
ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
Letter Of Warren Worth Bailey In The
Standard.

ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.
Letter Of Warren Worth Bailey In The
Standard.
The eXpediency cf adopting the single
tax will be investigated by committee
of the Illinois legislature. This much
we are sure of as the result of our trip
to Springfield on Tuesday, when the
question of appointing a special COM
mittee to inquire into the subject was
set for a hearing in the house. Our
club sent a delegation of five, consisting
of Messrs. John Y. White, Edward Os-
good Brown, Herbert Darlington, Frank
W. Irwin and w. w. Bailey. Several
others had intended to go, but could not
get away. The single tax delegation
was reinforced by Mr.. John c. Harding,
president of the Illinois Federation of
Labor, the whole crowd going down
Monday night on the legislative train
from this city. At Springfield they were
joined by Messrs. Hill and Buchner, of
the Peoria club, and number of the
local friends, who treated the visitors
very kindly during their short stay.
The resolution calling for the appoint
ment of the desired committee was in
| troduced by Hon. John Il. Noteworthy.
| editor of the Carmi Partisan, and the
matter was in his hands He had sue
ceeded in having it made a special order
and it was arranged that the house
should go into committee of the whole
for it's considerations This was done
Immediately after the reading of the
| journal, on Mr.. Norsworthy's motion,
the republicans voting solidly against it,
as they did when the questson was on
the adoption of the resolution itself.
Valuable assistance was lent to Mr..
Noteworthy by Representatives May
and O'Donnel of Cook and Gehr of
Peoria, and Speaker Crafts was obvi-
ously inclined in our favor. When the
house went into committee of the whole
Representative Craig was called to the
chair, and then we were invited to ad-
dress the house in behalf of the matter
under consideration.
John H. White was the first speaker
When he began his argument / noticed
that at least third of the members
were engaged in anything but listening.
Some of them were reading, others
1 were writing, still others were chatting
| with neighbors or moving about the
| chamber. But Mr. Whites first sem
tences and the voice in which he de-
livered them, very quickly commanded
attention. The gentlemen who were
| looking over their mail laid it aside,
newspapers We're folded up, writing
was suspended and conversations were
stopped abruptly. The faces of the
scornful took on first a look of curiosity
and then one of thoughtful interest, In
little while nearly the whole body
was intently listening, and particular
ly observed that none were more alb
sorbed in following Mr.. White than the
legislators who wore upon them the air
of the farm
Mr.. White in opening his remarks ex.
| planned that we were not there to ad-
vocate the single tax, but to ask the ap-
pointment of committee to investi-
gate and report the facts from which
might be drawn a conclusion as to the
merit of the single tax system as COM
pared with the present Chicago's val
uation, Mr. White declared, four years
after the fire was S306, ,0O0, 900, in 1884
SsoS, 600, 600, and last year $3.50, Q0Q, 900.
This, the speaker maintained, would
indicate that Chicago was growing
4 steadily poorer, something that was
manifestly absurd. 1t was patent that
the wealthy of this city were escaping
taxation for obvious reasons. If per
son went into any of the large houses
| and tried to Justly levy an assessment
the word of the owner or his hirelings
was all that could be secured. 1t was
different with the farmer. HIS proper
ty could not be secreted and all his
neighbors were taxed with some show
of fairness. Mr.. White showed in the
local valuation in the six most populous
counties in the state, Cook, Peoria, st
Clair, Kane, Mclean and Adams, tha
but Is per cent. was personally, where
as in the six least populous the person
atty amounted to 20 per cent. Mr.
White contended that the repeal of th'
personally taxes would relieve 81.
rural counties of 20 per cent. and 81.
urban counties of but Is per cent. o
their present burdens. The single ia:
advocates would also like to have tn
committee of investigation report in ia
vor of local option in the matter OF tax
alton, allowing each town to raise rev
enue for it's own expenses in such man
ner as might be deemed best. Wit
this much accomplished the singl
takers would undertake to secure tria
i of their plans, and in this way demon
!, strate their truth or fallacy. He cite
two cities--Aurora and Elgin-by wa
of illustration, and held that if the fol
ner adheres to the present system an
! the latter relieves all industries of pull
9 lie burdens Elgin would be preferre
by manufacturers. ''If this is true,
inquired Mr. White in conclusion, sis
not an admission that the present syl
TEN is hindrance to production, an
8 that our proposed system would encou
age manufactures to the same extent
Do you wish to encourage or retar
y the development of the various e1
= terprises in which our citizens are el
y gaged?"
9 Mr.. White was followed by Preside,
L Harding, on behalf of the Federation
Labor, which, after full discussion
. had asked for the special committe
2 not because it was prepared to accel
the single tax, but because it was reat
. to receive light from any and eve1