The independent., 1903-12-10
NATIONAL D. L. AND S. T. PRESS
WRITER'S

vldualS who is never happier than
when he is hard at work. Primarily
he is one Of the most ardent OF single
takers, but, as he has said in former
communications to The Independent,
he has little hopes hf accomplishing
anything substantial along the lines of
single tax until first, we shall have
secured direct legislation" and, ac-
cordinEiy his energies are directed to-
ward pushing the work of education
to secure the political reform, Tthe
OPEN door to all economic reforms"
as was stated by the Denver confer
ence-the optional referendum, init
iativeand recall of derelict officials.
DrrHill is president of the Twen-
tieth Century club, a Baltimore or
ganization which exerts decided in
fiuence in city politics. He is also
chairman Of the National Direct Leg
islation and Single Tax Press Writers
committee, an organization national
In hescope Of it's work. AS to the his
tory and objects of this organization,
PERHAPS we had better let DIR. Hill
tell his own story. He says:
At q meeting in Baltimore, Md, Of
the Twentieth Century club, February
IL, 1902, discussion took place as to
the best means within the power OF
the members of the club of forwarding
various social reforms of which they
were advocates. All were agreed upon
direct legislation as the initial step
to secure any reform. Hence the pro-
blem to be solved was the easiest way
n IN I hnf ha - J,n
people. Naturally the press presented
the most available means and it was
determined to make an organized eff
fort In that direction. A committee
was formed called the National d. l..
and s. T. Press Writer'S committee,
with the president of the Twentieth
Century club as chairman, with in
structions to open correspondence
with all persons who favor direct leg
islation and who were willing to write
letters, ETC., to the press. The idea is
to secure the cooperation and moral
and material support OF those inter-
ested in all parts of the country Most
of the members of the club being sin
gle takers, it naturally came about
that the correspondence took place in
most cases with single takers or those
friendly to that reform. 1t was final
ly determined during the summer to
endeavor to unite writer's on both SUBJ
jects into common organization, it
being shown that majority of the
single takers we're also believers in
direct legislation. All writer's who
believed in either one or both of these
ideas were invited to join the commit
tee, preference being given to those
who advocate both as vital necessities
to true popular government.
BY proceeding slowly and selecting
the best of the volunteers presented,
an effective organization was accom-
plished. The benefit accruing from
this work lies in the fact that each
member knows that he is not an iso-
lated worker in the cause and that he
can call upon other members to assist
him when necessary. The press is
much more open to contributors on
radical lines of thought than it was a
few years ago, the failure of the ex-
listing order to meet the conditions
having become patent to the majority
of thinking men. Papers often prefer
to publish communications from a dis
tance rather than keep their columns
solely for local matters. When
member writes an article for a paper
In distant place he notifies a MEM
ber of this committee residing where
the paper is published, and this COM
mittee member will look out for the
appearance of said article and any
comments thereon and forward the
same TO the writer. The plan Is very
simple and is capable of indefinite ex-
tension.
The following is list OF the men,
bers who have permitted me To make
use Of their names, quite number OF
others having requested that no pub
lication be made OF their names: Il.
o. Marshall. New Salem. Mass. Thos.
o. Clarke. 5o2 Pennsylvania ave, BAL
tImore. Md; Eltwced pomeroy. East
Orange. ". j.; A. II. Parsons. 100 East
18th ST.. N. T.: II. r. Ford, III Prescott
pl.. Lynn. Mass, j. Franklin brown.
williamsburg. Mass: G. III. Hope, Mt.
Pleasant, o.: q. w. Crane. pataskala.
o.; n. J. McCumscy. placeryllle. Cal;
NJ. J. G. Main. Evanston, Ill.. ]. &.
Hogan, SEQ Cedar ave, baltimore.
Nd: A. q. Elehelhcrger. SCOT Falls