The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-12
URGED THE SINGLE TAX,
Industrial History Reviewed by
A. n. Sanborn Before the
Society.
Mr.. Reynolds Gives an Account OF
the Present Campaign in
Delaware.

The meeting of the Single Tax Society
last night in the Foresters' building, 102
OFarreH street, was very interesting
one. The principal speaker was A. H.
Sanborn. Ex-President James S. Rey-
nolds also gave an account of the single
tax campaign in Delaware and a recent
action of the City Council of Glasgow,
Scotland, in favor of single tax. Mr.. San
born said in substance:
The main purpose for which the Government
of the United States was established was to give
freedom to the people. The development of
the country ran along smoothly Tor while,
but finally the question of slavery had to be
met and settled.
Only few persons started the agitation
against slavery, but the movement eliminated
IN the election of an anti-slavery man for Presi-
dent, and ultimately slavery was overthrown
With this evil done away with people naturally
looked for an era of prosperity. The wealth Of
the Nation wonderfully increased, population
poured in, and the material resources were de-
veloped. Soon, however, industrial troubles
began, the panic of 1873 occurred, and labor
disturbances and strikes were the conse-
quences.
The tramp phenomena commenced People
began to look around for the causes of the
business depression. The reasons assigned
have been extravaganza on the part of the
citizen, over-product1on and the payment of
the war debt; but none of these adequately
explained the difficulty, until in 1878 Henry
George published his book, progress and
Poverty" and showed that the depression was
due TO the private ownership or land the
people being compelled to pay for the right to
live on the earth, and that the system of land
lordism with its collection of ground rents for
the use of the land was the real cause
The Astors alone collect SO, 900, 900 annually
in rents, and the aggregate rental in this coun-
try is almost past calculation. Until this sys-
tenn of extortion is stopped we cannot have
prosperity among the masses. The single tax
will stop it.
Speaking of the campaign in Delaware
Mr. Reynolds said that twenty-five speak
ers stumped that State every Saturday
night. DIR. r. S. Law, he remarked, hap
pened to have been in Philadelphia when
he heard of the movement ION to Della
ware" and went down there to see how it
worked. That gentleman found the peo-
pie very liberal and with minds free from
any "sham reform theories" Referring
to Scotland Mr.. Reynolds said:
The Town Council of Glasgow recently
adopted, by vote of % to "a. after long and
bitter contest, resolutions favoring the taxa
ton only of land values and ordering the
Town Clerk to invite the cooperation of as
SCISSORS and the authorities generally through
out Scotland to cooperate with the council and
Join in petition to the British Parliament for
an act enabling the city of Glasgow TO carry the
plan into effect. These resolutions had been
pending in the council ever since 1890.
President H. f. Dessau took occasion to
commend certain newspapers to the sup
port of the members of the society He
mentioned the Star of this City and the
st. Louis Single-Tax Courier as two weekly
papers worthy of support, and for daily
he said THE CALL was very fair in its treat
ment of economic questions and should be
fully appreciated.
III. l.. Pleace and others closed the meet
ing with fve-minute speeches, and urged
monthly contributions toward the Della
ware campaign.