The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-04-07
MR. JOHN S. CROSBY.
Lectures to an Immense Audience
in the Opera House, on the
Single Tax Question.

VII oNSodf 1856 tii
crowd of the citizens of our towT
assembled in the Opera House tt
hear the grafton of Mr.. John S
Crosby, on the Single Tax theory
The stage, which had been most
beautifully arranged for the occa
sion by the ladies of our city, was
occupied by the speaker Of the
evening and Messrs J. B. Lawton,
r. H. Cage, r. S. Mcmahon and
Rev. G. C. Kramer.
The music for the occasion was
furnished by Mrs. Gus Suberbielle,
whose rendition of the "Intermez-
zO' from s1Cavelleria Rusticiana," +"
could pass muster before any musi-
cal critic. The execution of this
famous composition of music was,
to say the least, grand.
The meeting was called to order
by Mr.. j. B, Lawton, President of
the Pelican Single Tax Club, and
that gentleman called upon Rev.
G. G. Kramer to preside over the
meeting.
In his remarks, Rev. G. G. Kra-
mer said:-''It is very gratifying
to SEE (at this point the electric
lights went out and Mr.. Kramer
saw nothing) so many Of the citi-
zens of our town turn out to do
honor to the distinguished gentle
man whom | am called upon to in
troduce to you. Our citizens have
always proved Themselves ready
and willing to receive any distin-
guished orator, and it is with great
pleasure that | present to you a
gentleman who has come from a
great distance to present to you
the philosophy of the Single Tax.
In the great sciences we are con-
stantly hearing some new depart
ment of truth. The great discov-
cry that has been made by Henry
George, has been presented to us
for our understanding. We are
when we see progress, but
at the same time poverty along
side of it. What the Single Tax
ers denounce is i'll gotten wealth.
| now have the honor to introduce
to you Mr., John S. Crosby
Mr.. Crosby was received amid
and said 'Ladies and
Gentlemen, | have been in a sort
of dream since l came to your
beautiful city and amidst your
hospitable population"
awe have no science Of govern
ment at the present time; we are
still experimenting. The manner
now adopted of raising revenues
for the government'is is unjust. The
Single Tax is a tax levied on the
value of lands The Single Tax
theory is increasing all over the
world. 1t is a Gospel. We have
prosperity to-day, but prosperity
precedes hard times. You will
h i've a panic before long. DO not
expect the prosperity of to-day to
continue, it will not! Single Tax
ers believe that when God built
this world, he knew that it was
big enough for everybody. As re-
CARDS the doctrines of Single Tax,
say with certainty, that no man
has ever departed from the Single
Tax theory after he has accepted
it. The churches too, are taking
up the Single Tax Question. Busi-
ness will leave any place where
there is rigid taxation. 4 have
never seen man outside Of the
asylum who said the pre-
sent system of taxation was just.
The producing classes OF the
United States pay the taxes. You
paw a thousand million dollars an
nually to support the government
Mr.. Crosby then spoke of w. w.
Astor and his methods of practice
as a landlord, TRADING his princi-
pies as such and continued "Noth-
ing should be practiced, but that
which is just and right. Land is
not a right. That which is pro-
duced by laborer belongs to ths
laborer. All wealth is the pro-
duct of labor on land, and the
profit of the earth belongs to the