Evening journal., 1912-02-13
DISCORD
AGAIN RENDS
ARDEN COLONY
This Time Rentals and BOuIe-
ward Problems the Cause,
Andrews Says
CAN NEVER Be MODEL
SINGLE TAX COLONY


the trouble of last summer, due to the
desire for outdoor sport on Sunday,
and the right Of free speech by the
colonists, the present discord is due
to the increased rental and the con-
structing of the dupont Boulevard
through the colony at Harvey Station.
Arthur r. Andrews, one of the
colony leaseholders, who recently
wrote to General I. Coleman DUPONT
stating that the petition opposing the
Boulevard through the colony had
been misrepresented to the leasehold-
ers and who was answered through
the press by Will L. Price, one of the
ahree trustees, makes a reply today
This is in the order of letter to the
editor of THE EVENING JOURNAL
and in it it is stated that Arden as
fbread and butter proposition" is an
impossibility. II is likewise claimed
that Arden is not, nor ever was. or will
be a model Single Tax colony under
the existing laws The writer pro-
tests against assisting in paying a por-
tion of the taxes levied on the home Of
Frank b. Downs which is the hand
soonest residence there. costing in the
neighborhood of $4,000. The letter
from Mr. Andrews follows
EDITOR THE EVENING JOURNAL.
Dear Sir In reply to the published
interview with William L. Price, Trus-
tee Of Arden. ! wish to vigorously pro-
test against his statement, that Ar
Gen is a model Single Tax Colony, and
l deny that Arden ever was, or can
be, under existing laws, a Single Tax
Colony Arden is the laughing stock
Of every intelligent supporter Of the
theories of Henry George, and the sim
gle takers at large long ago renounced
their allegiance to the so called single
tax experiment
Essence of Single Tax.
The very essence Of the Single Tax
idea is the exemption of Improvements
from taxation; yet Improvements are
taxed in Arden, as Mr.. Price admits.
What essential difference is there be-
tween the payment by the Trustees OF
the county. school. and other taxes,
out of the funds raised by taxing the
.leasehoiders.- and the payment OF
these same taxes out of the jeans Of
the leaseholders themselves? Those
Ardenites who have tricS the latter
method find il to be the cheaper. An
other important feature of the single
tax is that it cannot be shifted, and
that the burden shall not fall upon
those least able TO pay. And right here
is a point, which Mr.. Price very wise
ly lodges, aud which makes Arden
impossible as a bread and butter
proposition A leaseholder Of Arden
who has either an unimproyed OF
Il shebtlv improved lot. (perhaps with 2
modest little. home) must bear share
of the taxes which the county levies
upon the improvements of those more
fortunate in the distribution Of the
worlds wealth. For instance the
writer. Is Obliged to pay portion Of
the taxes levied upon the $4,000 home
OF Mr.. DOwnes Why not admit the
truth Of these facts. and cease the at
tempt to beguile the outside world
into the belief that Arden is an eX-
qualification of Henry Georges theory
OF taxation II is enough to make
Henry George turn over in his grave
I shall make no allusion to the moral
questions that have rent the colony
hest let the dead past bury the dead.
Mr. Prices reference to what he calls
"our largest town meeting. held last
GUNNER" in which the resolution,
That Arden is as democratically ad-
ministered as is possible under the
present economic conditions. was de-
bated. is a deliberate misrepresenta-
ton of the facts, as is also his state
ment that the writer is not a lease
holder. This is the meeting in which
George Brown referred to Frank
Stephens, founder and trustee al
Arden in most uncomplimentary
terms.
Any person who was present at this
meeting, or who read the newspaper
accounts of the meeting. will remem-
ber that it was at this very meeting
that Will Price made the deliberate
statement that democracy is impos.
sible in Arden Mr.. Price, in the afore-
mentioned interview. states that the
resolution referred to was unanimous
" passed by the meeting and then
oontradicts himself by saying that the
question was vigorously debated for
more than two hours. And then tc
think that Mr.. Price has the temerity
to refer to the report Of committee
of twelve appointed TO ascertain the
rental value OF the land In Arden. Most
Ardenites. with any sense Of delicacy
refer to this with shame The honor.
able trustee states that the report Ol
this committee Of twelve did not ma.
terially affect the previous assess.
ment and then he admits that in spite
of the findings Of this committee. and
IN spite Of the fact that by a vote o
two TO one the report was accepted
and the democratically e? elected as.
SCISSORS bound by the report in making
this years assessment they increased
the assessment generally about Is pei
cent. and i'm some instances 25 pei
cent over the previous year
The Arden Idea.
This may be the Arden idea OF
democracy. but ] don't believe this
definition would be concurred i'm by
any great number of really intelli-
gent persons. And I might 60 on and
cite scores of instances of this kind
OF democracy. and the manner in
which the weapon Of social ostra.
cism is welded against those who
have the temerity to oppose the au.
tocratic methods of the trustees
which arc at the root Of all the dis
cord which has been inflicted upor
an innocent public the past year
But before closing. / wish particu.
lafly to call attention to one claus,
in the deed of trust referred to by
Mr.. Price In spite OF the fact tha
time and time again both he and Mr.
stephens have publicly stated tha
they have been amply remuneratet
for every cent they have invested il
tho original purchase price of tn,
land, and it is common knowledg,
fhTnnnk h. Il, 80