The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-22
Bob" Bridges Advocates the
Single Tax Outright.
he DEFIES THE COMMITTEE.
Defends the Doctrines OF Henry
George-Says He Wishes the SIN
gle Tax Itself Were Even More
Directly at Stake-Pauic In the
Audience NJ Ballard Caused by .
Fall OF Plaster From the Ceiling.

Las nights fusion meeting at Ballard
was not without interesting ana even ex-
citing incidents. Land Commissioner
! Robert Bridges. forgetting or Ignoring the
instructions sent out by the fusion state
com nittse 10 the speakers. telling them TO
refrain from discussing the SINGLE LAX.
started his speeca by defending the doc
tr.nes CT Henry George, and telling his
audience taai he wished The single tax IL
selt. instead o: the amendments. was the
soc ISSUE in the campaign.
During the evening panic III the
audience was caused by the terrific pound
Ing coming from the second floor OF tie
Odd Fellows hail in which tbs meeting
was held A piece CT p!ss,esing fell from
tie ceiling over the stage, and fer few
moments Il seemed az II the whole build
ing vas about 10 collapse.
Tie audience becoming frightened. start
ed 10 stampede out OF the building. Wo-
men screamed ana men shouted in an en-
deavor 20 stem the tide Of frightened spec
eaiors. Amid tie din came the sound OF
crashing glass as several people broke
through the windows 10 get outside fear
Ing that the building was about 20 fall
The disturbance. IL was Subsequent
learned. was caused by lodge OF Wood
men in the second story. They were en-
gagged IN initiating some new members and
IA TIE performance they rolled about the
fioor very heavy square .ir block. The
series OF tAumps Jared the plastering OF
he ceiling loose in several places.
After quiet mad been restored a colored
giee club contributed a number. Then the
experimenting continued. but the audience
was restless and a number OF people went
home.
Land Commissioner Bridges made II
plain TO the audience al the beginning OF
Ills speech nat he is an ardent single taXer
ana that he believes not OILY IN the pro-
posed amendment TO the constitution, but
that he is quite satisfied. as a SINCE taxer,
Win the plank In the fusion platform ie-
manding exemptions from taxation of per-
soma! property and improvements upon
land More than that. Mr. Bridges ignored
the state committees instructions TO leave
the single tax alone. and for ten minutes
spoke in advocacy Of the system. He said
mat the single tax meant in brief the rails
ing OF revenues from the bare land Itself.
Tna' such 3 system was better than the
present system OF taxation. he declared
with all his force, and finally he said that
The people should not be afraid of the sin
gle tax: that IL was not a bugaboo, as had
been represented. and that the common
people had nothing 20 fear from IL.
Then Mr.. Bridges. remembering. perhaps.
he Inhibition OF the state committee. had
the temerity 10 tell his audience that the
single tax Is not an issue in the campaign.
In reviewing the state issues, Mr. Bridges
set up the table Of figures published by the
fus!onists TO substantiate their claims TO a
ministration Of the land office Finally he
asserted that III the last eighteen months
Of Republican state administration but
$3ia"o had been appor,ioned TO the current
common school funds OF the state and that
IN the first fifteen months of the fusion
administration the apportionment had been
Sal0.eco. OF course. Mr.. Bridges did not
say that during the first fifteen months OF
the fusion administration the people vera
paying UP their delinquent taxes which
went TO swell the funds apport.oned to the
various school districts
Mr.. Blethen contributed to the cheerful
ness of the meeting by telling those pres
ent that as soon as gold appreciates a little
more their homes would he couiscated 10
the money power and they would become
tenants. Then the meeting adjourned