Evening journal., 1895-10-29
THAT SINGLE TAX MEETING
BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS
DECIDES AGAINST IT.

Aud Chief Dolan 10 Instructed to Stop 1t
n Taxation Is Discussed-The Opinion
OF City Solicitor Harman-If the Single
Takers Insist on Holding the Meeting
They May Hear Something Drop.
The Board OF Police Commissioners
decided last evening that Il the proposed
meeting to be held In the Grand Opera
House developed into political one, or
II the subject of taxation bs discussed
It should at once be stopped, and the
chief Of police was so instructed. This
was In accordance with the opinion Of
City Solicitor Robert g. Hsrman, which
was submitted and which reads 30
follows
In reply to your question as to the
use OF the Opera House next Sunday by
the Single Takers for the discussion Of
the doctrine Of their party would
respectfully say that call 1t by wbau
term one may, the discussion OF their
theories is a discussion OF politics pure
and simp Q, or ssvors OF it TO such an
extent As to practically amount TO the
same thing; and In our opinion. does not
come within any exceptions made by the
law, which are solely those OF charity
and necessity The meeting would
therefore, be a political meeting. They
discuss the subject OF taxation amp
con6ne themselves to land A
Democratic or a Republican mseting
would discuss the subject OF tariff
(taxation) and confne itzelf to personal
property The principle In both is
practically the same aud each of the
parties has for It's sole object the
attempt to solve the question as to bow
the affairs Of the government should be
administered
"A meeting Of this nature we believe.
would be proclamation OF the Sabbath
II Is neither moral nor religious. but
worldly aud secular in the full sense OF
the word. The moment, therefore, that
the nesting drifts into one OF political
nature or actions or demo 1stfations OF O
bOisterous or disorderly character are
made or indulged 10, that momeut such
a meeting becomes an unlawful meeting
and renders those who partake in il
amenable 70 the law.
Neither the constitution OF the
United States, nor the constitution and
laws Of our state, ever contemplated the
use Of the Sabbath for the discussion Of
1t did for the transaction OF private
business; but intended that the day
should be devoted solely and exclu.
slvely to rest and to religious worship
"Very respectfully.
ROBERT G HARMAN,
"City Solicitor
This sction on the part OF the com
mission Is 6nai, aud the decision Of the
campaign Committee Of the Single Tax srs
to hold the meeting nolens volens, goes
for nothing. In conversation with o
prominent city official, that gentleman
said II am In accord with the Single
Takers Ia at least one sentiment, and
that Is that the land belongs to the
people ! differ from them Rs.to their
definition Of the people however. l think
that the land bounded by PennsylvaDia
on the north, Maryland on the west and
south and Delaware river on the east,
belongs TO the people Of Delaware and
not o agitators from other states and
am very much afraid that II
those men, who devote so much
of their leisure moments aud spare wind
to the sharpening Of the wedge which
they hope will open q crack large enough
to permit them to make an entrance into
national politics, will strike large sized
snsg II the attempt to hold their meeting
10 the face Of the opinion OF the city
solicitor or the orders OF the Police
Commission and the chief of police.
There Is every inclination on the part
Of the city TO give these advocates OF
economic reform a fair chance TO promul
gate their theories, and IA hours each
week is open to them for that purpose.
There are twenty four hours, however,
/ during which the law says that secular
matters must be laid aside, and this must
be obeyed II the Single Tax men insist
on violating this law, they are very liable
to hear something drop"