Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-10-17
FREELAND, PA, OCTOBER II, 1s9;
Campaign of the Single Tax.

now centered upon the state of Della
ware, where, as has heretofore been
stated by the TRIBUNE, movement is
under way to capture control of the
next legislature. For years the beliey-
ers in Henry Georges theories were fir
ing off their guns aimlessly, having no
particular target, until the leaders fl
nally realized that the conversion of a
nation to the doctrine of taxing land
values alone is too large an undertaking
to be successfully accomplished without
having some state, county or town to
hold up as an object lesson for the
doubtful. few years ago they sue
ceeded in getting control of the town of
Hyattsville, Maryland, but before the
new tax system had been given fair
chance to prove what is claimed for it
in theory, it was declared unconstitu-
tional, inasmuch as it conhicted with
the state constitution in some small de-
gree.
Its success, the short time it was in
operation, gave single takers courage
to try again-neXt time in some state
where a more liberal constitution exists.
A careful examination of the constitu.
tions of the various commonwealth was
made. In many the trainers, doubtless,
had not thought that the time would
ever come when an effort would be made
to impose but one tax, consequently
some queer paragraphs relative to per-
sonal and property taxes found their
way into several of the state constitu-
tions.
In Delaware it was found there would
be less probability of having it declared
illegal than in any other state. Della
ware, then, was chosen. At the recent
session of the legislature a single tax
bill failed of passage by very narrow
margin. This was because the nature
of the proposed law was not fully under
stood by either the legislature or the
people at large, and they were frighten-
ed by the claims of its opponents, who
predicted coniscation of land propert
and homes and otherwise miSrepresent-
ed an act which would merely give the
state power to concentrate its tax levy
upon the value of the land within its
borders.
The closeness of the vote on the bill
and the friendly feeling shown for it en-
cOuraged the Delaware single takers.
and upon the adjournment of the legis-
lature steps were taken to obtain con
troll of the next house and senate, the
election for which taxes place in 1896.
The number of voters in the state is
something in the neighbOrhood of 4O, 900
considerably less than there are in this
county, and to convince majority of
those citizens that the single tax system is
right and just movement was inaugu-
rated last June From its inception it
has met with unbounded success, and
the crusade has been carried on with
such diligence that its projectors would
not fear a test of the issue now. feeling
confident that two-thirds of each branch
of the legislature could be carried.
The Delaware campaign, however,
has been but started. 1t is more than
year until the vote will be taken, and
uIit ldblOudl tOll bbct, Ill NllDNc nulluS
the movement has been placed, intends
to put this time to use. Though the
little state has already been shaken
from centre to circumference by single
tax orators, the committee proposes to
continue the work with increasing vigor
until November, 1896, and if the object
in view is attained, the country will have
an opportunity, in a few years, to
witness the single tax in operation.
SO much interest has been aroused in
the matter that contributions to push
the campaign have been received from
every quarter of the globe, and, to Judge
from the editorial expressions that
appear in the Delaware newspapers, the
money received is going direct for the
purpose it is given. At present the
state is invaded by a small army of
orators, who speak no less than once a
week in ever town or hamlet, and the
number of converts, real and oStensible,
that are reported by the public press is
very encouraging. Nightly meetings
are held in the cities, where the system
of taxation is debated and explained.
The first speech by any of the "big
guns" of the movement was made in
Wilmington last week by. Congressman
Mcguire, of California. Ex-Congress-
men johnson and Warner, Louis +.
Post, DIR. McGlynn, Henry George and
others prominent in single tax circles
are booked to speak in the state later in
the campaign.
Taking it all in all, the assault made
upon Delaware has astonished both the
natives and the public in general, espe-