Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-07-25

siiucions put in the way Of advocates
of the Single Tax who have cndeayored
to harangue street corner crowds there.
IL may be that the motive on the part Of
the town authorities is really the one
announced; namely, to. prevent the
assembling of crowds which might in
terfere with those who wish to use the
sidewalks and streets. But the suspicion
forces itself upon the mind that the dis
favor with which the people and the
town authorities receive the Single Tax
doctrines, has good deal to do with
their zeal in breaking up the Single Tax
street meetings.
Single Tax street meetings have not
drawn big crowds in other Delaware
towns, where they have been held with
perfect freedom. A fakir who can tell
a good story or sing a poor song beneath
the flaming light of his gasoline. will
get together bigger crowd to watch
him sell patent medicines or novelties
to the gullible. We do not know
whether fakirs are permitted to ply their
trade In Midtletcwn.
Certainly political meetings are freely
held on the street corners i'll all Della
ware municipalities from Wilmington
to Selbyville. The Single Takers, with
their cowboy leggins and broad -brimmed
hats, have exactly the same right to
hold political meeting that the Demo
Gratis or the Republicans have.
That right seems to be based upon
the right of free speech and peaceable
assemblage. The first amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States pre-
vents Federal interference. 1t says:
Congress shall make no law = y
abridging the freedom of speech or of the
press; or the right Of the people peaceably
To assemble and to petition the govern
ment for a redress of grievances.
A free press is also guaranteed in the
Delaware Constitution. The same State
Constitution says in section 16 of arti-
Gle /:
The citizens have right in an orderly
manner to meet together.
We are not in the least in love with
the doctrines which single tax advocates
are preaching on the street corners of
our towns. Indeed, we feel a bit in.
clined to resent this scheme of the
Philadelphia Single Tax Club and of
various individuals scattered over the
country who believe in Henry Georges
plan of land contiscatioh, to come into
Delaware and use this State if possible
as single tax object lesson. But we
regard their plan to capture Delaware
as utterly nonsensical and idle, based
on dense ignorance as to what kind of a
State Delaware is. This paper has &C.
cordingly treated the single tax demon.
stration as an idle and not serious
matter.
While The GAZETTE is positively
not in sympathy with Single Tax
doctrine, it is nevertheless very much
in love with free and undisturbed
speech. 1t believes in open discussion
without let or hindrance.
The natural attitude of Delawareaus
is to give a respectful hearing to all
well-behayed men who speak in a
decent and respectable manner.
NPerhaps the people of far away Japan,
who have but recently put on free instr
buttons as if they were ready.made
clothes, may be excused for refusing free
speech. To-day's dispatches tell of their
foolish conduct in that direction. But
Delawareans have grown up in free,
dom. Two hundred and fifty years ago
this commonwealth was planted in free.
dom. 1t would i'll become us now to
interfere with the free speech Of any
man. no matter how much we disap.
prove of his notions. The better way is
to let him open his mouth and pour
forth his folly.
We hope, therefore, that the town
fathers of Middletown will let the
Single Takers work their talking ma.
chimes unhindered. They may pass away
after awhile, Of their own accord, like
mosquitoes in the fall. In the mean.
time it Is better to put up with the pass
ing inconvenience which the crowds in
the street may cause.