The sun., 1897-06-20
SINGLE TAX RHYMSTERS.
THEY Attack DELAWARE, BUT 1T
ISN'T THEIRS.


ISN'T THEIRS.
Their salvation Army wnys In Peiitics Have
Attracted Attention but Few votes-Pie-
turcseueness OF Their CampniEn-specinena
OF Their Economic Ditties That Didn't work.
DOVER, Del, June l9.-Among the progressive
features of the new Constitution Of Delaware
thero 10 strongly conservative clause which at
fret sight would not suggest to an outsider tho
reasons that lie behind it. campaign of two
ycars, unique in Its nature original in its meth
DDS, distinctly absurd in some OF its develop
ments. but nevertheless aggressively and con-
tinually carried on, reused the convention to de-
clare that tho single tax 10 an alien vagary. and
not one with which the representative mon Of
the State have any sympathy. Dolaware's re-
pudiation Of the hingletax Is found in ono of tho
sections concerning taxation. and is as follows:
In ali assessments OF real estate for taxation the
value OF tho land and the value OF the buildings
improvements thereon shall DO included; and in oil
OF the rental value of real estate for
alton the rental value of the land and the rental value
OF the buildings and improvements thereon shall be
included.
So much for Delaware sentiment. whether
the "windlords," as the State newspapers have
nicknamed them. In contradistinction to the
landlords whom they attack, will give up their
campaign. remains to be seen. They camo as
uninvited guests two years ago, squad OF them
men from New York and Philadelphia, who
regarded Delaware as ANAL enough to be car
ried by storm In year at longest To impress
the dwellers In tho Diamond State these disci.
pies Of Henry George wore tan leather leggings
and knapsack. the knapsack full Of tracts and
pamphlets for distribution; yellow slouch hats,
with wide Tapping brims, and broad band of
ribbon lettered with the word "single Tax" In
gold around the arm. This garb fulfilled expec.
tations, for 1t drew attention everywhere, and
the wearers, choosing a crowded street corner as
their rostrum, buttonholed the passers-by and
told them Of the wickedness of landlordism and
Of the millennium that would follow the intro
duction OF the one panacea for all social ills,
the single tax.
Unlike other economic systems. It was ex-
planned, the single tax luminously simple.
A child could understand 1t, Us this extract from
tho "Catechism," published weekly in Justice,
the single tax newspaper. will show:
SINGLE TAX cATEcHIsN.
who made the earthP
God.
For whom was It made3
For the and support Of all His children each ono
OF whom has an equal right to It's enjoyment
How do you know that each has this equal right7
Without the OF the earth human being can
exist As each haa equal right 10 existence it fol
lows that each has an equal right TO the OF the
earth.
Some persons claim to "own" land. Where did
they get their titles toll
All such titles In this country were derived from
foreign kings queens who claimed 10 "own"
America
How did these foreign governments get this alleged
right2
Through open violence or fraud.
Have the people OF one generation any right give
salIt tharU nataf fnr
No; the earth belongs TO the living; the dead have
right therein.
II any man claims to .own" land has he . moral
title to It?
No; and 1t makes no difference whether he has pur.
chased inherited IT, his title be better than
his from whom he dertvedi;.
To whom does :hp land OF this country belong7
To all the people OF this country and to unborn
generations
Besides their creeds. all great causes have
their poets and their marching songs. and the
single tax was not behindhand in this. To the
music of popular airs the invaders carolled such
stirring lays as this:
Justice forever hurrah BOYS hurrahl
Down with the landlord. up with the law
For equal rights TO all, boys wen rally once again
Shouting the battle cry OF freedom!
Or this Ito the tune OF :. Tramp. Tramp. Tramp,
the Boys Are MGrching'):
oh the age OF them that toll
Shall not he the idler's spoil.
Let the Landlord hustle round and his share,
When you feel his grip relax.
That's our little single tax,
On! there's Iots of fun ahead for Delaware
Tax tax tax we'll tax the landlords
Cheer up. comrades, tax them high
TIL at last they all d.ssorge.
Then hurrah for Henry George
And well savo the whole creation by.and.by
That Delaware did not fall at the Il rst blast of
the single tax trumpet thus alluringly blown is
somewhat astonishing. Indeed, IL has aston
ished the windlords considerably for they are
an enthusiastic, m earnest, and guieless, folk.
h; Even the rural reputation was not dazzled by
been more more nnbeeS!ns sti T wimnston Vim Sns hfSs fos
hHde the Single Takers the privilege of speaking
to speak there) and objected to Sunday mass
meetings in the Opera House. Dover capped the
climax by refusing to allow them 10 obstruct the
market place on Saturday afternoons and even.
inss aud offered them instead the use OF Dover
This was refused Indignantly by the windords,
who, since they want the earth. are naturally
Gngcred by town ordinances reserving the streets
ably absurd contest, with all the clements
Of successful opera bouffe took place.
The Single Taxcrs-nostly Philadelphians-s sent
volunteers to Dover every day or SO to speak
upon the forbidden ground and the constables
arrested them as soon as they began to harangue
the citizons, who. for their part. wanted TO mar
ket in peace and emphasized their feelings by
throwing things at the single Takers and cheer.
"mnrtyrs" were jailed Tor thirty days each.
utterly refusing ,S e pay tho small a,ernatiye
news broadcast over the country that free
speech was boing interfered with In Delaware
while Dover Green, open to the Single Takers all
the time, remained deserted. Finally, when tho
thirty days were over. the martyrs" after hay.
iGI ing tnelr pn0loFrapNWS W, takeh IN monumental
BY brass band and escorted to headquarters
IL was altogether an inspiring incident-yet
even this failed to conquer Delaware. In vain
the "m martyrs sang:
Tho hid beneath a bushel in the past.
We're the army OF salvation
For the saving OF the nation,
And we may as well admit It first as last.
CHORUS.
swing ye golden gates, wide open yes. wide open
o swing. yc golden gates aJari
We're bound for Deaw arc, for glory yes for Rlory