The herald., 1896-05-10

! provement Of such lots, either by their
! present owners or others thereby Great
| ing Il demand for labor at fair wages
| and adding to the aggregate wealth and
| prosperity of the community. Whether
/ this theory be correct or not. there
! seems to be prevailing sentiment
! throughout the state in favor of giving
! the proposed scheme chance. Dissat-
| isfactiOn with existing laws and methods
of taxation is widespread throughout the
country, and Delaware has it bad. Farm
ers. manufacturers, merchants and pro-
fessional men are inclined to the opin-
ion that almost any change would be
better than the present system. The
single-taX educators feel greatly en-
couraged at the progress made thus far
and are preparing to push the fight with
all possible strength and rapidity, be
lieVing that victory is in sight Among
the converts already made are numer-
Gus influential business men, manufac-
turers. merchants, lawyers and minis
ters Farmers and wage workers are
slower about falling into line. but grad
ually they seem to be getting there with
both feet a goodly number of recent
accessionS to the ranks have become
active workers for the reform and are
doing their best on the stump. in the
pulpit. at the street corners and else
where to convince their fellow citizens
that a change to the singie-taX system
is the only thing that can save the blue
hens chicken from being smothered to
death under the pressure of land monop-
oily. Last Sunday night Hon James G.
Mcguire, the Well-knOWn Single-t tax
congressman from San Francisco. came
up from Washington for the fourth time
within few months and addressed a
large, intelligent and enthusiastic audi
ence in the opera house, elOquently urg
ing everybody to fall into line and help
make Delaware single tax state. Other
distinguished speakers who have ad-
dressed meetings here are Henry
George DR.. AIcGlynn, Louis F. Post,
Colonel William Norton of this city, Rev.
]. +. Taylor, Bolton Hall of New York,
Jerry Simpson, DIR. r.. $ Law a million
aire mine-owner of California. William
Lloyd Garrison of Boston, DR. Long
street Of Texas and c. Mobius, recently
engaged in addressing large religious
meetings in Oakland and San Francisco.
The latter gentleman is very recent
convert to the cause but an enthusiast
who brings to the work here the eio-
quence and zeal which characterized his
religious addresses on the Pacific coast
AS was expected. the leaders and
would-be candidates in the two old
political parties of the state are re-
gardipg this movement with anxiety
not loud but deep. For several months
after it started. politicians of the old
school pooh -poohed the movement, as
did thousands of others who are not
known as politicians. 1t was freely pre-
dicted on all sides that the single tax
fad" in this state would soon die of
weakness never more to be heard of.
But it did not die worth q cent, and it
appears to be more alive today than
it ever was. Hence the desire of poljti-
cal leaders to either capture or con-
ciliate the voting element in the single
tax ranks.
Several of the more prominent politi-
clans, Republicans and Democrats, are
already approaching the single tax lead
ers and suggesting this, that or the other
kind of compromise or condition on g.
basis that will insure the reformers at
least part of loaf, and at the same
time save from starvation the chronic
office hunters who are beginning to
shake in their shoes. Very soon it will
be known at least to the initiated. .wheth-
er anything in the way of dividing up
the chances for success between single
takers and the "other fellows is likely
to be accomplished. Delaware contains
some shrewd, experienced, political
schemers. whose abundance of wealth
and paucity of moral principles fit them
for making bargains for their own ad-
vantage, and even buying their way
into coveted positions. On the other
hand, the single takers who lead in
this movement are several sharp. cool
headed, sagacious and thoroughly hon
est men, who can neither be hoodwinked