The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-05-18

had delivered an address on the ma
ture Of monopoly and it's abolition;
and. as Henry George had always
been accustomed to do, johnson at
the end announced himself as ready
to answer revelant questions.
A man arose from the body Of the
audience and asked if he might put
a personal question. Johnson as
sented. The man said: will you
please tell this audience what your
business is?"
In his sententious way, Johnson
answered: "Monopolist.'
The man then said: Twill you now
please tell this audience how you
reconcile your business as monopol-
is with your lecture this evening
against monopoly"
To which came the quick response:
II don't reconcile them. live under
q majority government. The major
ity DEGREES that monopolies shall be
permitted. Since monopolies exsist in
spite Of me, 1 am going to get in the
front line and grab all I can, and
then out of my riches I propose to
try to teach you fools how to destroy
monopolies and establish equal
rights!"
And later, when he was in con-
gress, Tom Johnson did the daring
thing. Although steel rail manu-
facturer, he moved, during tariff leg
islation, to put steel rails on the free
list. This brought Mr.. Dalzell of
Pennsylvania, chief defender Of the
high duties on steel, to his feet. The
Compression Record shows this col
loquy:
Mr.. Dalzell: els the gentleman a
party to the steel trust?'
Mr.. Johnson Of Ohio: II am not;
but whether I am or not would make
no difference. Outside Of this hall,
as a steel manufacturer, might be
perfectly willing to enter a trust, but
I will not defend trusts here. (Ap-
plause.) Now would like to ask
the gentleman a question. Does Ne
deny the existence Of the steel rail
pool?"
Mr.. Dalzell: II do deny the ex-
istence Of a steel rail trust"
Mr.. johnson Of Ohio: "Well. you
make no bubble on the word trust
or pool"
Mr.. Dalzell: There was a combi-
nation between the steel rail manu-
facturers." (Applause on the Demo-
cratic side.)
Mr.. Johnson of Ohio: go on, I
will wait for you"
Mr.. Dalzell: There was g. combi-
nation between certain steel rail
men, which was broken up by the
refusal Of large number of firms to
80 into it, and it fell of it's own
weight. There was no condition in
it for keeping up prices, and as q
matter Of fact the prices continued
to fall from the time of the forma-
ton of the trust until its termination.
The prices of rails steadily fell all
the time; and in addition to that
Mr.. johnson of Ohio: go on"
Mr.. Dalzell: "A large portion of
the steel mills today are in the hands
Of receivers. The gentleman knows
that to be a fact
Mr.. johnson Of Ohio: "But you
deny that there is a pool?"
Mr.. Dalzell: Eyes, SIR
Mr.. johnson of Ohio: well, here
is a copy Of contract with the
Maryland Steel Company. which
proves a steel rail pools existence
daughter and applause on the
Democratic side.)
But it was when he became mayor
Of Cleveland, after two terms in Con-
gress, that Tom L. Johnson began
the supreme struggle Of his life-a
struggle that exceeded in resource
fulness, bitterness and duration any
municipal conflict ever waged in this
country, and which cost him his for
tune, his political prestige and his
life itself. Yet from this seeming
utter failure will come the glory for
his name. For in it he Established
with his life blood the foundation OF
the true democratic city.
His original purpose in running
for the office of mayor was, as he an
nounced during his campaign, to ad-
vance toward the single tax-to shift
taxation from buildings and other
improvements upon land to ground
VdAueS-tuo value OIL lana AFTER eX-
Guiding all improvements.
He had, while a member of con-
! gress, served as chairman Of a spec
ial committee to investigate taxation
matters In the District of Columbia
| There he had uncovered scandalous
| Inequalities in assessment and taxa.
ton. Burdens he found heaped
upon those who built and improved
The heaviest burdens were on the
| small storekeepers and the small
ome-owners. The wealthy land
owners, and particularly the great
spectators, went with small bur-
| dens; some practically free. This
stimulated speculation in what all
who lived in the national capital had
to use-land, while it penalized the
things that labor produced. John
| sons time in congress was too short
! to effect any change in this regard
In Washington, but as mayor OF
! Cleveland he proposed first to obtain
a just assessment Of the land, and
| then to concentrate all local taxa
ton upon that assessment.
This was the application of the