Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-07
SINGLE TAX TALK
Representative Mcguire Tells Of Its
Progress in Delaware.
TEE IDEA GROWING IN CALIFORNIA
General Political Outlook in His
Own State.
F ZEE SILVER PLAN S

Representative James q. Mcguire Of Cal
ifornia is in Washington, having come here
directly from Delaware, where he took a
prominent part in the single tax campaign
now going on in that state.
Il spent three days in Delaware" said
Mr.. Mcguire to Star reporter today
THE single tax men are conducting a
very vigorous propaganda work in that
state. They have met with remarkable
success in Wilmington and Newcastle. I
spoke at two very large and enthusiastic
meetings in Wilmington, but at Dover,
where I delivered my third address, I
found very strong passive hostility to the
movement among the people. Our people
expect that a majority of the voters Of
Delaware will be favorable to the single
tax in '96, but the difficulty arises from
the peculiar condition existing there by
the single tax supporters being mainly in
Newcastle county, which has a population
of more than 100000. That county has but
one-third of the representation of the en-
tire state In both houses Of the legislature,
while the two lower counties, with but
population of 10000, have representation
of two-thirds in the legislature. 1t will
be practically impossible for the single tax
men to carry either OF these lower counties
as early Us 90, but believe the contest
will be continued until they have secured
majority in both houses Of the legisla-
ture.
Growing In California.
''The single tax idea is growing very rap
idly in California" continued Mr.. Mcguire,
referring to his own state, land has now
extended to the farmers, who. as a class.
were not willing to give any thought or
consideration to that subject during the
last two years. A number of rural papers
have become pronounced single tax papers
and have largely Influenced thought in
tnat direction among the farmers. The
effect of their work was surprisingly mani
Tested in August last, when the state
grange of California invited me to deliver
lecture before that body on the single
tax. At the conclusion of my lecture which
was radical and positive. fully three
fourths Of the farmers present applauded
my remarks. Newspaper men all through
California have been students of the single
tax philosophy, and most of them are
single tax men restrained from its advo-
cacy in their newspapers by reasons of
policy. But the San Francisco Call has
been for months giving considerable space
to the advocates Of the system. The San
francisco Examiner Is also giving much
space to single tax arguments, and has
frequently given editorial approval to the
single tax doctrine.
The Coming Election.
I'm the last election in California, not
withstanding the landslide throughout the
country in favor of the republican party
democratic governor was elected. Now,
both republicans and democrats are tolera-
bly, confident of carrying the election next
year, and the republicans hope that the be-
lief prevailing last year that the democratic
administration caused the Industrial de-
preston will continue, and by the prevalence
OF that belief they expect to maintain the
advantage which they then secured from
that source. The democrats, seeing the ap-
preaching revival of Industrial and COM
mercial activity, expect the democratic
party to receive credit for the new condi-
ton, as it suffered blame for the depres-
sion. OF course. II the revival should be
slow, the republicans will have a CORE
spending advantage, but my opinion is that
a general revolution of feeling in favor of
the democratic party throughout the entire
country during the next year.
Free Silver and Debts.
"a preponderance Of the people of both
parties in California are favorable to the
free coinage Of silver, but the advocates Of
free coinage are by no means agreed as. to
the conditions upon which the change from
the present system to free coinage should
be made. The most prominent representa-
tives of the free coinage movement are in
favor OF the immediate and unconditional
establishment Of free coinage, with the
regardless Of the difference in value which
may exist between gold and silver there
after. That plan involves a reputation of
existing debts to the extent of the difference
between the value Of gold and the value of
silver under free coinage. That Is opposed
by large proportion OF the free silver ele-
ment as dishonest.
"They believe that existing obligations,
all practically having been contracted upon
gold basis and being payable in gold,
should, upon the establishment of free coin
age of silver. be paid in gold or it's equiva-
lent, the new system taking effect only as
to obligations contracted under it. The
claim that under free coinage silver would
Immediately rise and gold fall so as to equal
each other at the ratio of sixteen to one is
not satisfactory answer to this PROPOSE
ton. because it Is not certain that that will
be the result.
His Own Position.
my position has always been that exist
ing obligations must be strictly fulfilled and
enforced according to the laws under which
they were contracted, the government as
Stunning and paying out at once whatever
difference may result from its agreement
to maintain the parity between gold and Sill
yer, on the present gold basis The only
foundation for the other position Is the
belief that the creditor classes will be In
fluenced by the hope of gain to them to sup
port free silver coinage movement as a
mere matter of personal gain at the expense
Of their creditors. do not believe that we
should help either debtors creditors in
this matter, but we should establish the
best system Of coinage with reference to the
general good of the people in the future.
bearing the burden to maintain the integ-
rity of existing obligations, whatever they
may be. 1t is probably in view of this wide
difference of opinion that in California, as
in other states, the free coinage issue will
not be as clean cut or as permanent as 1t
promised to be a few months ago.
Legislature and Governor.
"In California the last legislature, which
was strongly republican. made an unpopu-
lar record, while the democratic governor
made a conspicuous effort to prevent the
passage Of obnoxious measures and to keep
down public expenditures. These will tell,
of course, in favor of the democracy. but
California is normally republican state,
and the result Is at least doubtful. Times
are much better in California than they
were year ago, and are steadily improv-
ing. The improvement has not been as
rapid or as notable there as in the eastern
states, but 1t has been observed that in
dustrial depressions affect California later
than they do the eastern states, and that
revivals come to California corresponding
ly later so that, suppose, the present de-