Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-22


THE TOWN COMMISSIONERS AND DEFENDS THE
METHOD OF TAXATION ApoPrED-rHE oP-
PoSESTs WE'RE CONSPICUOUS BY rHIha AB-
sEScE-
The town commissioners Of Hyattsville Of
single tax tendencies had their inuing last even
ing. and the approving cries Of their supporters
were heard all over the little town, as they
vigorously applauded the champion Of their
cause, Mr.. Jackson H. Ralston, president of the
board of town commissioners. who, standing in
the hall of the Hysttsville Athletic Club, facing
an audience of $50 men, valiantly defended
the action Of himself and his two fellow mem
bers of the board, Messrs. Britt and Long.
The meeting was called ''for the purpose Of
discussing with all the citizens Of the town the
merits of the exemption of improvements from
taxation and the right of the board to take such
q STEP"
THE OPPOSITION ABSENT.
Messrs. Latimer and Aman, the remaining
members of the board, and who are opposed to
the single tax ideas, were conspicuous by their
absence. Ard, indeed, judging from the senti-
ments of those who attended the meeting last
evening, as expressed by their loud applause of
Mr.. Ralstons ideas, the opposition Of the ideas
were all absent. II was said that the gentlemen
who attended the meeting held several days ago
to denounce the action Of q majority Of the
board had stated that thew would refuse to take
par; in last nights meeting, claiming, 1t was
said, that the meeting was not the answer they
had asked. Mr.. Ralston was the principal
speaker, and among those who listened to him
were Henry George, IT,, son Of the well-known
single tax advocate; Mr.. Joseph T. Darling Of
the Manhattan Single Tax Club of New York
and several gentlemen from Washington inter-
ested in the subject.
The room in which the meeting was held was
about twenty by fifty, poorly furnished and
filed with chairs and benches. On a table at
one end of the room WAS placed single lamp.
1. was not exceedingly large lamp, nor was
il o very brilliant one The consequence was
that much more than half of those present
were hid in darkness But no objection was
made and il is probable that none would have
been entertained.
Mr.. RALsToN's STATEMENT.
The meeting was called to order by Mr.. Raj
ston, who, after explaining the objects of the
meeting proceeded upon an elaborate state
ment Of the controversy. He spoke with con-
siderable feeling. and at times he was dramatic
ally earnest in his remarks. He said that In
view of the recent agitation Of the subject in
the community the majority of the board of
town commissioners felt that the people Of the
town should know all that had taken place. the
precedents relied upon by the board and how
they came to decide upon their action. He
hoped TO discuss the matter fairly and dispas-
sionatelv. and il any one was reflected upon the
fault would Law with the facts in the case. To
fully understand the question 1t was necessary
to 20 back three years ago, to the election of a
board Of commissioners. of which he was q
member, and then go over all that has taken
place since The people of the town then we're
taxed in a three-fold manner. 1t was grossly
unfair 10 the householders, and equally as
favorable to those who held land merely for
speculative purposes. There was one instance
where n piece of property was at that time
taxed for SO which under the new system
would pay one Of 5000.
TOWN REVENUES NOT REDUCED.
1t had been said that the recent action of the
board reduced the town revenues from $500 to
O. 900. This he denied. But whatever the re-
suit the board had but followed precedents, for
the original measure of taxation adopted by
the legislature permitted the exemption Of per-
sonal property and improvements, and was
drawn so as to permit succeeding boards to do
the same That was not the speakers action,
nor was il new idea. Yet even if he had not
been single tax man he would, as . con-
scientious lawyer, have said that it was both
lawful and just And had that provision not
originally been made it would have prevented
the exemption Of church and other property
from taxation. But if any one was to be
mos. willing to be blamed for it.
WHAT FORMER COMMISSIONERS HAVE DONE.
The exemption of certain property had been
thought of by other persons than himself. Mr..
F. ]. Gromlick. one time town commissioner,
had petitioncd the legislature to have the bound
aries of the town SO fixed that his own property
would be exempted, and without consultation
with his fellow citizens. Two years ago Mr..
Sebastian Aman, a member Of the board, had
moved that personal property be exempted,
and the question had been asked whether the
board had the power to do SO. His reply was
that they had. So that was no new
idea. Point out" said Mr.. Ralston. amid
great applause, ''the difference in principle
between the exemption of personal property
and the exemption of improvements now. In
doing what we have lately done" he continued,
1--WE had the right to do it and we did 1t. The
beard was urged on its course by no one, but
had simply acted under the authority 1t I'M
questionably possessed"
Former members Of the board had stood
ready to do such things without consultation
with their fellow citizens, and could it well be
denied that the present board had the right to
do what it had done under the cover of the law2
And yet the people of the town had been told
that the speaker had sprung something upon
them which had never been heard Of and of
which they knew absolutely nothing. He did
not mean to criticise the actions or purposes
VI Stutltllicu, Out NC uiu Lucdh w 10y tnnt
he had the right to deny their assertions that
the course of the board was q new and unheard-
Of thing.
THIRTY SINGLE TAX MEN.
He had IN his pocket list Of thirty men, citi-
zens of the town, who had announced them
selves as favoring the single tax system. On
the other hand, the board did not know that
there were that many opposed TO it II there
now were that many he believed that In the next
nine months that that number would continue
in their opposition. OF these thirty men whose
names he had eight Of them had solemnly COM
planned that the board had not consulted the
people of the town, and had signed protest
against their action. "Calling public meetings,
gentlemen" said Mr.. Ralston, was not the only
way Of obtaining mems opinions. And we have
lately seen that it is one Of the very worst ways
Of getting them"
This remark Of the speaker caused an out
burst of cheering which interrupted bis speech
for several moments.
The towns government" continued Mr..
Ralston. ais a representative one. 1t is not a
democracy. And If the board does not repre-
sent you rightly you have the remedy at the
next election" ICries Of "Good Good That's
it,
CONGRATULATIONS HE HAD RECEIVED.
1t had been drummed into the ears Of the
people Of Hyattsville, since the late action Of
the board, that the town was socialistic, anarch-
istic and all else that bad, yet the boards
action had created the greatest interest every