The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-07
THE TIMES DISPATCH: RICHMOND SUNDAY, JUNE7 1914

munity OF Its numbers Not every
body in 1t is satisfied with all its
methods The Almighty Himself has
never succeeded in shutting the
mouths OF all the GROWERS, and His
creatures can hardly hope to break
His record"
Twenty years ago a small circle Of
young men and women in Iowa were
deeply Impressed with the doctrine OF
Henry George that the earth should
belong to the whole people. and com
munitics within agreed or recognized
boundaries, the public" as we call II,
should lease to individuals such land
as they may wish to use, collect its
full rental value and apply It to public
uses. such as protecting lessees In
their agreed rights, building roads,
bridges, schools, etc. This Is tho
heart, the vital point. Of what Is COM
monty called the Single Tax" though
to call 1t tax at all is to ,nisreprescnt
1t.
They could find no encouragement
at home. and sent out n committee OF
enthusiasts like themselves seeking a
place where they might put their
theory into practice. But they were
all poor men, who must each earn his
HNlhS, ana nehce must Keep within
reasonable reach Of the worlds mar
kets.
They, or some OF them. seem to have
indulSed hope OF getting some small
territory. not occupied. and ye, not
too far from markets. set off in their
control. whcreon to try their plan.
Truly. they were dreamers, or they
would not have INDUCED hone so "un-
practical
After much vain search. in California
in Oregon, in Texas ana elsewhere
something, perhaps the climate. per-
haps the peculiar confguration Of the
country. so nearly surrounded by
navirable waters. yet in fair touch
with tho world. perhaps other reasons
led them TO Baldwin County
PIcnscd With Locality.
ThcT were pleased with the locality
though II was practically a wilderness.
and they found the State authorities
friendly, In a way, but the place was
within an organized county. and any
ritory for their control, save by or
binary purchase. was out OF the
question.
The outcome OF much conference
with the state was. In effect, that If
they would purchase enough con-
ti"uous land on which to found their
colony. the State would enact q law
providing for the organization of cor
porations not for profit" but for be-
nevolent or industrial or other CO.
operative purposes, under which they
might administer their lands by col
Letting the rental value according 70
their plans. provided. of course. that
the State would go on assuming lug
taxes on lands and improvements as
upon all other lands and improve
ments, only looking first to the colony
for payment Of the taxes, with ultimate
colony should fail to pay, as in all
other cases Of failure To pay taxes
Til" agreement was carried out. The
state enacted the enabling law The
colonists ORGANIZED their corporations
put in the little money they had, with
some advanced TO them by friends in
sympathy with their aims. and az
The Fairhope Industrial Associations
bought about 40 acres OF pine covered
wilderness, lying so to $50 feet above
the waters of Mobile Bay. some fifteen
miles southeast and across the bay
from the city of Mobile, and laid out"
in the pine woods II village and named
il "Fairhope"
They were strangers in n strange
land without money, with no friends
within 1000 miles. in a political COM
munity. most OF which laughed 70
scorn." the theories they proposed TO
practice, but with courage and faith
that seem astonishing In this com
merci1l and mercenary generation
amid discouragements that were APP
pallng, they put their hands to the
pillow" and for twenty years they haze
never faltered or turned their look
Backward
Stree then the name of the corpora-
ton has been changed to The Fair
hope Eingle Tax Corporation" There
have been minor administrative
changes. and partly by purchase ana
largely by donation. the corporation
holdings have been increased to some
! ,oc0 acres, but the original law under
whic.i IL lives ana acts has never been