Evening star., 1899-03-01
SINGLE TtNERS MEET.
Advocates of System Listen to Praises
of Henry George.

Single takers gathered in enthusiastic
numbers at National Rifles Armory Hall
last night, and listened with every evidence
OF hearty appreciation to the praises of the
late Henry George and his theory of taxa
ton. The meeting was held under the aus
pices of the Washington Single Tax Club
and was addressed by Representatives
James Hamilton Lewis Jerry Simpson,
Champ Clark and James G.. Mcguire F. L.
Siddons. president of the local organization
presided. Seated upon the platform in ad-
dition to the speakers, were Rev. Alexan-
der Kent, R. j. Shpman and j. II. Ralston.
Mr.. Simpson was the first 20 speak. THE
siIsle tax said he, lis a tax on land val
ues. and would fall most heavily upon the
cities, where it ought to fall. The farmer
of today is under another disadvantage
His property is all open TO the eyes of the
assessor, while in the cities wealth can be
concealed. Then, too, the farmer is taxed
on every Improvement he makes.
IF taxes all fell upon land values, land
would not be held for its speculative worth
because ii would have none but would be
put on sale to those who wanted to use it
at reasonable rates. i speak tonight not
fer the farmer who farms the farmer, but
fer the farmer who farms the farm. [
krow this tax would not benefit the farm
ers of Illinois, who. for the most part, rent
their farms and live in the cities
This country is an agricultural country
and its success depends upon the success
of those who till the soil and upon the
number of its home owners. The problem
of labor is to give man access to the earth.
and he will solve that problem himself-to
give back to the people the values they
have created
Representative Clark spoke upon the sub
ject, Freedom of Production and Freedom
of Trade" He declared Henry George to
have been the greatest political economist
that ever set foot on earth, and said:
The poorer man is the more interested
ne is in taxation. A rich man can get
along with most any government or sys-
tenn of taxation. but the poor man needs
the best of both. The per capita taxation
for running the United States government
las increased from 30 cents year under
Jefferson to sl2.S5 under the second year OF
William Mckinley.
God made it my duty to toll to get
money to support myself and my wife and
my children, but 1 object to working to
support some other fellows wife and chill
dren. I can't understand how any one not
a beneficiary of the protective system can
have the idiocy to vote for it,
Mr.. Mcguire gave some personal recollec-
tions of Henry George. who. he said as
young boy. left his home to become
sailor. After a few years at sea he went
to California, where he took up work. first
.as compositor. and later as an editor on
various California newspapers. After his
return from a trip TO New York city Mr.
George became absorbed in a considera ion
of the social question In This country. His
doctrines were not new, but went back In
substance to the forgotten tenets of the
physiocratic school in Europe and this
chartists In England.
Mr.. Mcguire declared he was surprised To
find upon investigation that Blackstone and
John Stuart Mill both held more radical