Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-05-14
Socialist Speaker Says it Causes
Most of the Troubles in the
United States.
GEORGES SINGLE-TAX THEORY.
Workings of Syndicates in this Coun-
Try Excoriated in Report to Ma
tional Convention.

Indianapolis, May Ii" Landlord
ism that eclipsss the we'll known Irish
methods that are fostered by the Brit
ish government is the cause Of most
of the trouble in the United States"
declared Thomas A. Hickney, of Halls
vile, Texas, to the National Socialist
convention today, and prccipitated an
argument that lasted for several hours
Hickney was delegated by the Nation
al committee Of the organization to in
veStigate the single tax theory pro-
mulgated in America by Henry Geor-
ge, and his report denounced land
ownership not only in the United
States but everywhere where the ques
tion of rentor and lessee is potent
problem. Hickney in his report said:
"A revolution has occrrued in land
ownership within the past fifty years,
which we have no parallel in the world
and which today presents to the peo-
pie of the United States a problem
that demands an Immediate solution.
In 1860 land renting was unknown
in the great State of Texas. In those
days il was not uncommon to buy a
section of land for 80 cents per acre;
after the war public lands were grab
bed wholesale by trickcry spectators
who were ably assisted by corrupt
legislature. the railroads received an
enormous part of the public domain;
they were given land at the rate oflG
sections for each mile they built; the
total amount nj which was thirty-tivc
and onc-half million acres. y Chica-
20 syndicate received three million
acres. now worth 6O,000,000 for
building Il State capitol, which was a
"scab" job; the stone for it being quar-
ricd by negro convicts and put in place
by imported English "Scabs.' Cattle
companies fenced in millions Of acres
and as a resule we find that renting
commenced in the latter portion of the
'G0's-with the result that in 1870.
five per cent Of the land of Texas in
cultivation was operated by rent
ors.
IN 1900 the twelfth census showed
fifty per cent of the cultivated land
operated by rentors. Since 1900
steady continuous of renting increase
has been going on Il over the State.
so that the tenth census shows us
that ~ per cent of the cultivated land
is operated by exploited tenants, who
are suffering from landlordiSm as Sc
vercly as the Irish tenants in the Gal
tee Mountains, in Irelcnd, or as the
miserables who tend the land in South
ern Europe.
DESPITE the fact that the Industrial
unionists, headed by William D. Hay
wood, were defeated in their attempt
to get control of the committees Of
the party it was stated by Big Bill
and his chief lieutenants that they
had no "ill feelings" and that they
would work hand in glove for tho par
ty. Already the "impoSsiblIltIsts,
as the induStrialistS are characterized
by the intellectual element that Is
in control Of the convention, have ag-
reed to abide by the rulings Of the con
ventinn "for the present. They all
mitted today that they could not eH-
pcct to amend the party platform and
that it would be rcplaca of that OF
four years ago.
The comittees on the commission
form of government for cities APPROX
ed the dominant principle, although 1t
objected to many Of the Innovations
introduced in the various munlclpaIl-
tic, which have adopted the plan.