Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-13
The Single Tax Turmoi, at Dover.


No matter in what light it is viewed,
the turmoil at Dover betwee9,the town
authorities and the Single Tax leaders
Is an unfortunate affair. II has given
the State OF Delaware an unssvory
reputation and brought it's good name
into contempt.
The worst feature Of the detachable
mess is the life and impetus it has
impaired to the cause that the per-
secution--for persecution il is-was in
tended to crush out, The garrulous
Single Tax missionaries had been
laboring long in Delaware, without
solitary practical result to show for
the money expended in their labors--
money contributed by the deluded al
vocates of the new system Of taxation
from various parts of the country, who
fondly imagined that because Della
ware was small State it could be
easily captured. With the excite
nept consequent upon the national
political campaign, il is probable that
the Single Tax movement would
have been entirely lost sight of by this
time, had not the untimely, unresson-
able and violent opposition of the
Dover officials galvanized it into life
and being and raised its promoters
upon pinnacle of martyrdom, to be
for awhile the cynosure OF the eyes Of
the entire country.
1t can be said in extenuation of the
courss pursued by the Dover authori-
ties, that they are acting within the
confines OF law, and that the Single
Takers have taken especial pains to set
the law at defiance. There is no ques-
tion raised against holding Single Tax
meetings on Dover Green--the ac-
cepted place for outdoor gatherings in
that town-but the Single Tax pro-
moters have insisted upon holding
their meetings upon the public streets,
wherever it pleased them. AS TO the
jurisdiction of the Dover Town Council
over the streets OF the town, there can
be no dispute, and the Single Takers,
by their persistent defiance of the law,
have put themselves in the attitude Of
deliberate law-breakers, utterly with
out respect for the ordinances of the
community in which they sought to
preach their doctrines.
But the measures employed to punish
them were drastic in the extreme, and
the browning act-the advertisement OF
the Kent county Levy Court to put the
prisoners up at auction and sell their
enforced labor to the highest bidder
is disgrace TO the State. The legal
proceedings before Squire Cooper have
also been marked by ruthless dis
regard of the ordinary rights of the
accused that was positively indecent.
1t is not pleasant to read the recital OF
one of the recent hearings, as given by
Mr.. jackson II. Ralston, a reputable
attorney OF Washington, ID. c., who
went to Dover to look after the legal
interests of his Single Tax friends.
II could have got myself 10 Jail in
short order last night" said Mr..
Ralston. 1.-Two of our men were
arrested about o'clock for trying to
speak on the Single Tax theory. |
offered myself as attorney for one OF
them, Mr.. Albright, when he was
called for trial before Alderman
Cooper. My offer was refused on the
ground that / had not been admitted
TO the bar in Delaware and the offer ia
furnish an introduction by an eminent
member of the Delaware bar was also
rejected. All / could do, therefore,
was to sit by Albright and suggest ia
him what questions to ask in his own
behalf. Albright was sentenced to Jail
for thirty days. | was told to shut ur
and get out Of the room. IT was cIeaI
that word from me would have re-
suited in my going to Jail for contempt.
The peculiar thing in the situation il
that there is no appeal from this queer
tribunal, and no jury trial or change
of venue.'
The entire affair, as we remarked
before, is most unfortunate. The
Single Tax issue, if left to itself,
would have died of inanition. The
persecution Of the Dover authorities
however, has given it standing ant
prominence, and made martyrs of it,
promoters, besides gaining unenviabl,
notoriety for the State. 1t would b,
good thing TO turn the whole CAB
bling brood pell nell out of Dover. ja
and let them follow their own Bwee'
will unmolested. They would tall
Themselves and their cause out Of public
notice within week.