The herald., 1894-09-04
THE SINGLE TAKERS.

Tho Proceedings at tho Meeting of tn q
Club Last Night.
large, intelligent and very enthusi
aetic audience attended the single tax
meeting last evening at Unity church
After the announcement that Rev. r,
M. Webster would address the next
meeting and the audience had listened
to brief but lucid explanation of the
ningle tax philosophy by M. w. Conk.
ling. the trial of the case entitled The
People vs. The Tariff was opened. Col.
Will A. Harris addressed the jury (thc
audience) for the people in scathing and
eloquent speech, insisting that proteo.
tlonism was un-American, unjust and q
robDer. Gov. Gosper spoke for the
defense, contending eloquently and with
deep earnestness that his client was not
only innocent of the crime of robbery,
but was genuine blessing, to whom
the people OF this country lsrg ely owe
their great prosperity. Both speeches
and alec Col. Harris closing plea were
greatly enjoyed and heartily epplauded.
President Ralph E. Hoyt, acting as
judge in the case, delivered nstructions
to the jury, the more salient points in
which were the following:
On sbehalf of the prosecution I give YOU
these Instructions: III the jury believe that the
tariff is a tax, that it Is an unnecessary tax,
mat unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation,
That unjust taxation is robbery, such belief will
point toward conviction. If the jury further
believe tnat no moral law yet discover d justi-
mes a civil government in imposing burdens on
one class of citizens for the benefit of another
class, that also should bear strongly against
the accused"
On behalf of the defendant the court gives
you these Instructions: If the jury be ieve
from the evidences that tariff is not q tax on
the people, ana that If it is "A tax the foreigner
paysit any how, so that the American people
are never hurt or hit by 1t; and that 1t is wise,
Just, noble and pIaiseworthy for great nation
IKE the United States to c01npel other nations
to pay our tariff tax for the privilege of trading
with US; that a tax Is sometimes not tax; that
a spade, though generally spade, may under
certain conditions be something else-as for
example, pitchfork or rat-trap-it the jury
believe these things, you should give the ac-
cused the benefit of such belief, even though
at the risk of exposing yourselves to the charge
OF I'm becility.
II the jury further believe, as urged by coun-
sel TO. the defense, that protective tariff is
the Will of God enacted into law they should
unhesitatingly acquit the accused, and the
court will thereupon issue bench warrants for
the arrest OF all persons engaged in this prose-
cutton, 90 charge of entering into conspir-
acy to de teat decree OF the Almighty.
IL the jury believe hat protectionism stimuli
taneously makes the game goods dearer for the
seller and cheaper for the buyer: that men
who can safely be trusted to trade with each
wllhln the boundarie9 of the United States,
cannot be safely trusted to exchange ploduc's
across en- International line; then the jury
should acquit.
And if the jury further believe that intelli-
gent people, VINO carry on interstate commerce
successfully, become i'm beetles and need the
inter ention of paternal govern m ent tn mo-
ment they begin to engage In international
deiendann11. the inrv should find verdict for th-
Ii the jury believe that the trading instinct
in man is wicked and dangerous instinct,
muZZteQ
you believe that custom houses are schools OF
morality rather than temples OF perjury, you
may acguit the accused II you believe that
though freedom is natural and right, and trade
is natural and right il these two factors In
civilization we're permitted 10 come togei her so
as to actually conAtitute free trade the results
would be disastrous to the business interests OF
the country-if you believe these things you
should ind verdict Tor he defendant. :,
The Jury should consider wne her after all
industry is aided by being robbed, even though
the robbery Ia perpetrnted under the forms OF
law and bears the soft, sweet name-"protec-
II the jury believe that the trading instinct
in man Is as natural and useful when Ppplied to
international commerce as when exercised te-
twsen states, counties and communities; IL
you believe every iufraction of the natural
laws of trade by legislation tends to burden in
dustry, increase poverty, and make mockery
of justice; and that tbs defendant in this case
is beyond reasonable doubt guilty of insii-
eating, aiding. abetting, or in sny manner en-
couragipg such scheme, you m ust convict.
II the jury believe, with large aud rapidly
increasing class of political economic. Is. that the
general government. as well as each local gov
ernment, could draw all needful revenue from
lan1 values irrespective of improvem ants,
and thus dispense with tariff taxes and all
other taxes on producion-that fact must be
considered as intsnsifyidg the henious ness OF
the crime with which the defendant stands
charged.
And finally, il you acquit the defendant you
will simply say in your verdict. mot gui tyr
II you conv ct you sh hould say, guilty, in man
ner and form charged In the Indictment"
And you will also fix the punishment of the
accused which must include restoration of
the tweDty-one billion dollars or more of viii ch
he has robbed the people, and confinement at
hard lator in the most accessible penentiary
for a period OF not less than nine thousand
years. You record your verdict at the
polls on the 9th day OF November next
And the court ttkes this occasion to say that
whatever be the resu CT this trial ] earnestly
hope the American people VIII ere long he
come wise snough to discover that true nation
oil prosperity can never be reached through the
thorny road of crooked taxation; that they will
adopt system of raising public revenue which
taxes nothing save the monopoly Of natural
opportunities; which will encourage industry,
restore to the dislnherited their natural inher-
itsnce, remove ali Legislative barriers between
land and labor, and recognize the inalienabe
right of everF man to all that his own efforts
honestly produce.
The court now stands adjourned.