The herald., 1894-03-13
Proceedings at Last Evenings
Public Meeting.
Assistant District Attorney COnkling
Makes an address.
The Principles OF the Method OF Raising
Revenue ExplaIuod-An Inter-
esting Mseting-The
Discussion.


mentioned few reasons why there was
such movement and such an organiza-
ton in this city. After the audiences
had listened to some lively ins trumental
lnusie, the chairman introduced the
speaker of the evening, M. W. Conk-
ling, assistant district attorney. who
proceeded to discuss the moral phase OF
she single tax. in accordance with the
announcement made some time ago. The
speaker discussed the reform entirely
from the standpoint of the moral law,
and contended not only that the single
tax fulGlls the moral law, but that ex-
listing laws upon the subject Of taxation
were incentives to crime and immortality;
that these laws violated the command
ment, Thou shalt not steal" that the
single tax doctrine was one OF the high
est and pureHt laws or doctrines OF
Christianity.
That man, and not God, is to blame
for what is wrong in existing conditions,
and that such conditions are the result
OF ignoring the moral law in the consid-
Grafton of political questions; that the
% doctrine that "God wills it" had no true
application to existing conditions, but
that the teaching Of such doctrine was
what made the poor unbelievers while
the rich crowded the churches; that
every political question WAS \ moral
question:" and that there could be no
millennium until we made our civil in
stitutions conform to the great moral
law. which would give to each his nat
urai rights, and, so Jar as civil govern
ments could do go, abolish privileged
classes. The speaker dwet at some
length on each of the propositions an
nounced at the start, and cited
numeroua facts to show how. exist
ing laws burden industry, dis
courage production, and reward
speculation in the indispensable
bounties of nature. He pleaded earn
sstly for justice toward all, as contem-
plated by the single tax, and declared
that better system than the present
for raising public revenue must be
adopted or we would witness success
sicn Of Labor troubles" commercial
depreHsions, and financial cyclones
almost without limit, each time becom-
ing more destructive OF human happi-
ness.
Mr.. Cenkling spiced his speech with
numerous pertinent comparisons, all OF
which, as we'll as his more logical argu-
ments, were well received. From start
to finish he had ths close attention Of
the audience. and frequent applause in
dicated general sympathy with the sem
timents be uttered.
Before inviting discussion the chair
announced that the most encouraging
news was being received from all por-
tioRs OF the east that the single tax
mnvsmsnt was spreading and growing
rapidly but BEAUTIFULLY, and that IN
several states the people, regardless Of
politics, were uniting in aggressive
movements for local option in taxation.
An associate editor OF the Chicago
Herald writes that "thsre seems to be a
single tax boom all over the country"
After some vocal mnsic by Mrs. w.
d. Hinckley, which elected hearty ap-
plauee, it was announced that discus
sione and questions were in order.
The moment the meeting was thrown
open to discussion Mr.. Fay. who is very
ardent in his purpose to find flaws in the
single tax, plunged right into his sub
ject by showing that the state Of Texas
is not large enough to support the peo-
pie OF the whole world, and figured out
to q fraction how many acres each per-
son would have if moved to the Lone
Star state. Alter that he made it his
duty to explain. the details Of wheat
growing, which, it is to be presumed,
the whole audience learned from him.
Mr.. BeRrdsley of Iowa then advocated
single tax in his own way.
Mr.. Stewart read an extract from
Progress and Poverty on the land ques-
tisn, then explained that he agrees with
George on the land tax, but opposes
single tax because Hutchinson of Chi
csgo made S2,000,0 900 in a wheat deal
also that it is wrong to tax away land
values OF 40 years ago.
Mr.. Conkling compared owning slaves
with owning land. If the fret owner
of slaves bad no right to the slaves the
last one did not either. The same with
land.
Mr.. Forest spoke of large1wheat rails
ing and quoted large wheat raiser as
saying that bonanza farmers cannot
raise wheat for less than so cents per
bushel.
Mr.. Thurber believes that single tag
ers are not all infdels and asked if it is
just to tax land and let the millionaire
70 with his personal property. Why
should the unimproved farm pay as
much tax as an improved farm? II am
real estate man, and say orange land
will come down to $75 per acre."
Mr.. Byrons cannot see that single tax
will do =. II am laboring man, and
AOA UClRofo III lhuQ Will
cut remunerating the owner"
Mr.. Bennett said all objections to the
single tax have been answered over and
over again, but, like the good old scrip
ture, it is always good. About exempt
ing millionaires, he said aa long as the
public has fund out of which to pay
its expenses, it has no need OF taxing
millionaires on their personal property,
and the rent of land is such fund.
Miss Louisa Smidt was next called
upon with view to varying the atmos-
phere of the ball. which by this time
was thick with single tax. Miss Smidt
was equal to the occaaion and in her
own individual style pleased all present
with a beautiful piano solo. Nor was
this all. High takers believe more sin
cerely and religiously in their pet phil
osophy than they believe in anything
else, still they have weakness for some
other things, among them 10 music. 1t
was therefore fitting to the occasion that
Mrs. Hinkley ahould vibrate the air
with an admirable vocal sole, which was
highly appreciated by the audience.
This new school of political economy,
however, have an eye to business, they
loose no valuable time. The moment
the agreeable wavss OF music subsided
the single tax was again on deck.