Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-01-05
FREELAND, Pa, JANUARY 5, 1898.
Where the Single Tax Is Being Tried.

different times relating TO the town OF
Hyattsville, Md, where the single tax
was put in actual operation some time
ago by the commissioners of the town.
Owing to state law it was not possible
to give the theory full and free test, as
the state and county still continues to
collect their taxes on real estate, per-
sonal property, ETC., but the taxes for
the town treasury are raised soley by a
tax on the value of the land in the town.
Handicapped, as they are, by the
state law, our readers can see in the fol-
lowing letter that the commissioners are
still on top in the fight against the sys-
tenn, and that the town is progressing in
an Unprecedented manner. The benefits
that are being derived by the communi-
ty from this partial operation of the
single tax are so plain that it is not like
ly any change will be made, although
the opponents of the single tax, the men
who are holding vacant land for specu-
lative purposes, are fighting it through
the courts. The following from one of
the commissioners, will be of interest to
the many single takers in this vicinity:
HYATTsvILLE, Nd, January Q 1893.
EDITOR TRIBUNE.-The troubles of the
Hyattsville anti-single takers are without end,
Every move they make against the town COM
missioners goes wrong. This time their trouble
arises from the incompetence of their lawyers
who are conducting the suit in courts. 1t will
be remembered that few months ago Judge
Brooke dismissed the petition for writs of man
damus against the commissioners on the ground
that they were acting within their powers.
The petitioners then carried the case to the
court of appeals, at Annapolis, but instead of
waiting to get formal order signed by Judge
Brooke, they took an appeal merely from the
judges opinion. When it was too late the blum
der was discovered.
But they were equal to the OCCASION and
with unabashed audacity Marion Duckett, one
of the attorneys, called on one of the commits
sioners and asked for his consent to have the
error corrected so that the case could come up
at once. He gravely and politely refused to
take any action whatever in the matter, but on
being pressed again told Mr. Duckett that if he
would make his request in writing it would be
laid before the board of commissioners.
The request was made in writing and was
laid before the board which passed IL resolution
stating that nasmuch las the board of COM
missoners of Hyattsville has by the action of
said relators been made the defendant in u liti-
CATION upon matter of policy properly deter
minable only by the voters of said town or their
representatives; We, the said board of commits
sioners do not feel that our duty to said town
or to ourselves demands that we assist said re-
lators or their counsel in the conduct of said
clse"
Being refused chance of correcting their
blunder, the anti-single tax lawyers entered an
order dismissng their appeal in anticipation of
the certainty of its being dismissed by the court
if it had been allowed to remain. Had every
thing been regular the case would have come
up for argument last November. 1t will now
have to go over to the first week in February,
and there are not wanting signs that it will be
abandoned in disgust
Meanwhile Hyattsville is enjoying an unpre-
cedented prosperity. Since the operation of the
single tax there has been double the amount OF
building than there was during any previous
year for like period. Dr. Well himself, the head
and front of the anti-single tax movement has
started to build another block of houses, in face
of his hot declaration few months ago that
the single tax would destroy building and
drive everybody out of Hyattsville.
The commissioners do not attribute the in
creased prosperity much to the actual lghten-
ing of the tax burden in dollars and cents on
builders, since after all the single tax here is
only applied for town purposes and is very
500. The result is due more particularly to the
public feeling that has been engendered that
the Hyattsyille commissioners are doing all
they can to foster and protect buildings and
improvements, and the great amount of publ
city that has been given the matter in the press
elsewhere, and particularly in Washington.
If the commissioners had authority to levy
really heavy tax ON the land values of Hyatts-
villa a ure "a tpl q ~ ha
could suddenly be transformed into large and
glorious CITY,.
When a new family comes to this town we re-
joice. When new house is erected we are
glad. We feel that there has come among us
the possibility of further beauty and develop
ment. There is no beauty in u vacant lot
There is no progress in the absence of pOpula-
tion. We live in the hope of seeing our town
grow larger, and that with such growth we
will obtain facilities of which we are now in Il
measure deprived, and besides, we want larger
and better market for our labor.
Until the coming into office of the present
board of commissioners, what were we doing
to obtain that growth of population and i'm
provement which we all think desirable2
our country taxed every newcomer who
might establish a home for himself and family
80 cents annually on the 500 for our benefit
and his own advantage. The state added tc
this another 27i cents, and the town was ex
pected to add further yearly punishment oi
"a cents.
For the privilege Of doing good to us all, fol
employing our carpenters, bricklayers, plas-
terers, timers and day laborres, for establish
ing that home for himself and family, which
we think every man ought TO have, we yearly
were expected to take away from the men
doing these things Sl,22t per s1OO, and to keep
on taking it away until the end of time. And
we call ourselves reasoning human beings, and
this is the end of the nineteenth century!
But majority of the town commissioners
conceiving that IL we wanted progress and de-
velopment, the best way to obtain it was not to
tax it, have remitted the tax on improvements
thereby somewhat diminishing the amount ouI
present and future home-builders will have tc
pay.
The experience of many cities and natoni
indicates that the action of the commissioner
was right. In Baltimore the manufacturer
plant is exempt from taxation of every sort
and no less an authority than Senator Gormar