The herald., 1896-01-07
THEY IRE FOR SINGLE TAX
An interesting Session OF the
Club Held
THE DELAWARE CAMPAIGN
Progressive Movement for Single Tax
in the Little State
A Discourse on the Subject OF "Ciooked Tax.
alton" by Clarence A. Miller Which
Was q Revelation

great success. The new music hall in the
Bradbury block was filled by an audience
OF both sexes, representing nearly all the
various educational and business classes of
the community. deep interest was man
ifested in the educational features of the
program as we'll as in the excellent music
rendered by Mrs. Valentine of the Conser-
vatory of Music and Art, her son, Mas er
Earl B. Valentine; Miss Annie Dsnby and
the charming humorous readings by Miss
Josephine Gilman, late Of Boston. but
now of the Los Angeles school of express
sion. majority OF those present heard
Miss Gilman for the first time. The speak
ers, who talked briefly on different phases
of the single tax movement. also held the
close attention of the audience and we're
literally applauded as they presented their
numerous telling points and apt illustra-
tions.
Ralph d Hoyt, president of the organiza-
ton, occu ,ed the chair and early in the
evening called attention to the famous
Delaware campaign for single tax which is
now in progress.
He said in substance that tho single tax
Campaign in Delaware had begun about
SIX months ago; wss attracting the atten-
ton OF thousands in nearly every portion
of the country. In some respects it WAS
the most unique campaign of education
ever known ia Tho United States. Many Of
the grs,n newspapers of the Pacific coast
were devoting columns of space every
week to telegrams from Delaware. giving
reports and graphic descriptions OF what
was going on lily in The interests of tax
reform in hi' little etate.
Delaware had no constitutional barrier
to prevent the passage OF a law by the leg
igislature one year hence that would ex-
enpt all private property from taxation
and provide for tho raising of needfui pub
lie revenue from land values irrespective
of improvements. Early last summer the
single tax national committee decided to
cooperate with the Delaware state organ.
izatIon in a grand movement looking 10
the capturing of the state az a single tax
object lesson. The proposition met with
universal approval among adv es of the
one tax theory, and arrangements were
soon made for sanding speakers and iiters-
ture into Delaware and opening a cam
paign of education to he continued unceas-
ingly for about eighteen months, or till the
November election of 1896. Ever since
the opening of he battle Delaware had
been kept "red not' BY singl. tax cam.
paigners. who hold meetings and distrib-
uted literature daily and nightly in every
city, town and village in the sta g. Thou
sands of converts had been made anon :
others. Great enthusias II was reported all
along tho line.
The speaker said subscription for the
Delaware fund would be opened here. He
hoped all s,hgie tayers would respond to
the call from Delaware. Advocates of the
theory believed that if it were fairly tested
in one state the single tax would prove a
success. Many of it's opponents, however,
declared that if tried it would fail. Such
persons also we're invited to aid the Della
ware movement.
"rhe dem md for single tax" said the
chairman, Twill continue till it has been
tried and found either successful or other
wise. Now Let those who oppose it and de-
sire its eX inctiop help bring it to test, so
tn 1t they may enjoy themselves by seeing
it die.''
The first speaker was o. &. Cushing, an
nounced to speak on the social question.
Mr.. Gushing said that instead of present.
ing his own thoughts he would use those of
another and abler man Henry George.
He then read. in admirable style, the first
chap e. of Mr. Georges famous work, EN-
titled "Social Problems" which was lis-
tened to with rapt attention and heartily
applauded.
Clarence A. Miller spoke on Crooked
Taxation. He took as his text the famous
rep ,rt of the Illinois bureau of labor statis-
tics for 1894, drawing therefrom some sta
y
in showing how crooked taxation gets in
its deadly work under existing laws. Some
of tn statements and figures presented by
the speaker were a revelation to most of
the audience.
He showed by official data that many
taxpayers in Illinois, and especially in
Chicago, we're the subject of gross discrim-
ination, favoritism, deception and fraud
on the part OF tax-isvying and tax-colect-
ing officials. The rule was to bleed the
po lrer classes and the real wealth pro-
ducers, whe her poor or rich, o the u most
limit of forbsarancs, and ITO go easy" on
Inonopolistic corporations and very rich
landowners.
But the condition of affairs in Illinois
was perhaps no worse than it Is in Ca!ifor-
mia and other states, except that in no
other state besides Illinois had there heen
such borough and complete expose Of
the rottenness Of tho fiscal situation
These deplorable facts, the speaker said.
were the natural outgrowth of crooked
taxation. He advocated strongly the abo-
luton or Gro nked taxes in every form, in
GLIDING tariff taxes which he declared were
not only croos sed hut unwise, unnecessary
and therefore un Just.
Mr.. Miller then urged the adoption, as a
substitute for crooked taxation, of a
system of direct taxation, under which
there could be no deceptions, no shifting
OF burdens from one person to another. no
dodging the payment of just claim from
the state. The only wise and natural tax
was a tax on land values.
Ralph L. Hoyt spoke briefly on Abolition
ism. He said all single takers were abo-
litonists. as they were in favor of abolish
ing Involuntary poverty, with its resulta II
evils. They would repeal all laws that
place needless burdens on industry-ou
legitimate business of any kind-all laws
that restrict production, limit mems oppor-
tunities, or in any other manner interfere
wi h tho exercise of natural ,igh s. Chat
tel slavery was abolished more than thirty
years ago. Industrial slavery must 60
down, but its over hrow should be accom-
plished by peaceful methods, by education
and moral Gu age.
Frank ii. Finlsyson delivered an address
upon the subject of Freedom and the Single
Tax, in substance 8 ating:
"Ths history of civilization for he past
thousand years. particularly of Anglo
Saxon civilization, is tho history of the
growing Importance of he individual and
of the decreasing power of the government,
whether the government be that of mon
archy or democracy. The progress of
the English speaking peoplss in particular
to the highest form Of civil and religious
liberty has proceeded along the line OF in
divlduaiism. and 10 due to the eeunobiemsnt
of the individual himself. In consonancs
with this fundamental cOncep' ion of Anglo
Saxon civilization, our industrial system Of
today. system foui.ded on private prop
erty and tho sacred rights of
freedom OF contract, has grown
to its present conplexity and gigan-
tic proportions. Unfortunately, however,
this sys EN- is not consistent and harmo-
NOUS whole. The feudal system that pre-
ceded it gave birth tn enorrnous land mn