Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-20
roar JOHNSON Is Knona.
He Makes Statements That are Very Mucf
I ut Variance With the Facts in the Gaze.

ut Variance With the Facts in the Case.
Wilmington Single Takers Friday
made public the following letter:
Brooklyn, N. r., July %, 1896. MIR.
Harold Sudell, New Castle, Del. Dear
Sir; While ut the Chicago
convention. Mr.. George and myself
were sought out by Senator Gray and
Mr.. Salisbury, who were very anxious
to make some arrangement to get the
Single Takers support during the next
campaign in Delaware. After good deal
of discussion i finally suggested to
them that would sea, whether the
Single Tax peoplemofl Delaware, as
well as Single Takers generally, would
not be willing to aid the Democratic
party in the next campaign, il they
would declare, in unmistakable terms,
in favor Of oxempting improvements
from taxation. fat oring an immediate
statute and constitutional. amendment.
and expressed 1t as my personal belief,
in which I was Joined by Mr.. George
that this would meet tbe views OF
you gentlemen who are devoting so
much Of your time TO the campaign.
1t was finally decided that Senator
Gray and Mr.. Salisbury would appoint
a meeting in New Yorlaioand we would
arrange to have some Of you gentlemen
meet them for the purpose of discuss
ing the question, and II you are not
satisfied with the above plan, you could
probably present some other satisfactory
one.
1t was gratifying to read your hope
full expressions Of the present situation.
Yours truly, Tom l.. Johnson.
Ex-Congressma johnson is taking
much for granted in this letter.
Senator Grsy's talk with him in Obi
cago was brief and of the most casual
nature, involving nothing that could
BIZ construed into request for Single
Tax support of the Democratic party.
As to Mr.. George, Senator Gray had
no conversation with him at all during
the Chicago convention.
When a reporter OF The Gazette saw
Willard Salisbury Saturday about the
Tom johnson letter no said that from
the letter as published he imagined
that Mr. johnson had not intended his
letter for publication, although Mr..
Sudell did not seem to appreciate that
fact. Such being the case, Mr.. Sauls.
bury cared to say nothing. except that
he had known Mr.. johnson for several
years and has high regard for him.
His meeting with Mr.. johnson in
Chicago was very pleasant. When Mr..
Salisbury reached Chicago on Satur-
day before the convention, he met Sena-
tor Gray on the steps OF the Auditorium
Annex and as they walked to the desk
to secure rooms they met Mr.. johnson
and he'd short chat on politics gen
orally; and In reply to an inquiry as to
how Delaware would be, either Sena-
for Grny ~ Mr. Ca,,lol,,,ry anil that
Democratic prospects were very bright.
but that Mr.. Johpson's disciples were
trying to kick up all the disturbance
possible and that any disturbance of
that character gould only injure Demo
cratic prospects. Mr.. johnson. as
Democrat, expressed regret if that
should be the case, and said that the
three ought to have private talk and
that Henry George was in town, and
he would see him and IL Senator Gray
and Mr.. Salisbury cared to meet him.
would get together some time during
the convention and talk matters over.
Both gentlemen expressed desire to
meet Mr.. George. as neither of them had
personal acquaintance with him.
Mr.. Salisbury said he had always de-
sired to meet Mr.. George. He had a
great respect for his intellectual abili-
ties and literary attachments, and an
ticipated much pleasure in talking with
him.
Subsequently, Oh the floor of the con-
vention, Mr.. Salisbury thinks. he met
Mr.. johnson and was introduced to
MIR. George, and that evening they
both called at Senator Gray's rooms
in the Auditorium, as they said they
would do, when Mr.. Salisbury met
them, but Mr.. Gray was not present
being then engaged either at confer
ence or on the committee on resolu-
tons. Mr.. johnson, Mr.. George and
MIR. Salisbury had pleasant talk for
about an hour. hoping that Senator
Gray would appear, but their talk was
almost entirely of Mr.. Georges books
and theories. Delaware matters were
only touched on in the course of the
talk, Mr. Salisbury saying that unless
all good citizens in the Statejoined earn
estly together to suppress bribery and
the debauchery of the electorate there
would be no room for legitimate politi-
cal discussion, and expressing the hope
that the other gentlemen would use
their influence with their followers to
bring about Democratic SUCCESS.
Just as Mr.. johnson and Mr.. George
left, Mr.. johnson suggested that be
thought If the Democrats could favor
sxempting improvements from taxa
ton, al! his friends would be enthusi-
astic for Democratic success, but no
proposition of that character to secure
the support OF his followers was either
made Nor declined: and as Mr.. Sauls
bury left Mr.. johnson and Mr.. George,
who were stopping at the Victoria
Hotel, the usual cordial expression of
the hope that they might meet again
was the occasion for Mr.. Salisbury
saying how much he had enjoyed Mr..
Georges talk and that be would be
glad to have Mr.. Gray stay with him
at Wilmington should he ever come
there; and an invitation from Mr..
johnson and Mr.. Gray to run over to
Fort Hamilton to see them any time
he could. There was no further con-
ference or arrangement for one, nor
was Senator Gray present during the
time that the gentlemen were in his
rooms.
This seems to show that Mr.. john
SON IS words sought out,in were, to say
the least, peculiar, as the call was made
by Mr.. johnson and Mr.. George upon
Messrs. Gray and Salisbury.
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