The herald., 1894-03-27
THE SINGLE TAKERS.
THEY HOLD AN INTERESTING
MEETING LAST NIGHT.
A Large AudIence-The ofncial Leo
turer Coming -Prssident Ralph
HoyPs Address - The
Discussion.

The single tax meeting opened last
night at the Unity church with one Of
the largest and most intelligent au-
diences gathered since the organization
OF the club. Many business men, as
we'll ss representatives of laboring
classes, were present. There WAS also
quite a sprinkling OF lawyers in the
room, and ss usual goodly percentage
of ladies graced the occasion.
President Ralph Z. Hoyt announced
that arrangements had been made for
two grand public meetings, May 9TH and
Sth, to be addressed by Louis +. Post,
the official lecturer OF the National Sin
gle Tax league. who as an orator and
logical expounder OF the principles es-
poused by the organization WAS unsur-
passed. Mr. Post will be accompanied
by his talented wife, who will probably
while in this city and in Pasadena sd-
dress several gatherings of women from
the ethical side OF the single tax. The
chairman stated that Henry George ad-
dressed an immense mass meeting in
Central Music hall, Chicago, on
Sunday evening, week ago,
on which occasion many thous-
ands filed the large hall to overfowing,
while hundreds were turned away un-
able to gain admission. George Was in
troduced by one of the superior court
judges, and his speech was applauded
to the echo by ministers. lawyers, mer-
chants, bankers, mechanics and respect
able people from all the walks OF life.
The great Chicago dsilies the next
morning contained whole pages of re-
ports of the meeting and laudatory COM
ments on the address itself. The Morn
ing Record editorially indorsed the
single tax by declaring it was high time
for the people of the United States to
follow the example of New Zealand in
the matter OF taxation laws. An edito-
rial from the Sydney, Australia, daily
Telegraph of February 18th, which the
chairman had received, described the
deplorable condition of business
affairs in that country and the
prosperous conditions in single
tax New Zealand, and declared that
Australia must adopt similar system to
that OF her sister colony.
The chairman incidentally stated that
arrangements we're in progress for hold
ing meetings soon and organizing clubs
in Pasadena, Downey and many other
places in this county. Adjoining coun-
Copies of the st. Louis Courier, the
official champion OF the movement in
the United States, were displayed and
numerous subscriptions taken.
After the close of the chsirman's re-
marks Mr.. Oonkling took the floor, and
said that as a lawyer he felt it his duty
to speak. Greece, said he. at one time
actually applied sort of single tax. and
history bears out the statement that
Greece attained an exceedingly high civ
ilization. Rome'e taxation was similar
to the Republican doctrine-try to tax
foreigners and fail, then turn around
and take from the people whatever they
could lay their hands on.
Mrs. Stanford's estate consists princi-
pally OF a large ranch, railroad stock and
stock of the Pacific Improvement COM
pany. That company's business is to
fleece the railroad company by contracts,
etc.
William the Conqueror had q land
tenure scheme which was much better
than our own, because he made the no.
bles pay land values to the king, who
represented the people. But the fault
was in their form of government, which
was in the interest of the crowns, and
the crowns divided the land afterwards
among their favorites.
Frequent recurrence to first principles
is the best method OF getting the peoples
rights, but the monopolist is always op-
posed to recurring to first principles.
Let all the people move away from
Los Angeles and land values would dis
appear. Let more people come and
land values will advance. Then, who
makes land values? And why should
not the people have land values if
they make them? And the way to get
those values lie by the single tax.
In France they once had a window
tax. 1t was absurd and unjust. 1t
barred out the light which people had
a right to, and just go any tax on the
products OF labor will reduce the
wealth of the people. A tax on
monopoly will drive out the monopo-
list
Mr.. Welcome said tax on any kind
of monopoly is paid by that monopoly
and cannot be shifted on the public,
because by raising prices their business
would decrease and yield them less
profit than at their present prices ;
monopolies always charge all the traffic
will bear.
Mr.. Miller next spoke, saying: A
udIAoy pIOuRub LIS uasGoI uOOte,
when the master said: "Those boots
do not match; they are both leits."
eyes, sah," said the darkey; mime
don't match either, dey are both
rights" So it is with society. Labor
and natural opportunities do not match
either, at present, because something
is wrong, something is in the way, and
it is plain that it must be the land
speculator.
At present the farmer uses poor land,
while the speculator holds the better
land out of use. This city contains
number of poor buildings on valuable
land. II we had single tax those build
ings would be torn down and good
buildings would go up at once, because
these fine buildings would not be taxed,
and the lot where poor shAnty stands
would be taxed as much as that with the
good building.
Robinson Crusoe had no difficulty in
finding employment. Why2 Because
opportunities were free. Let us make