The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-28

The. state convention in Jefferson
City was largely attended, creating
the Missouri AHi-Single Tax League
sional. district and every county. fOl
holding public meetings and distribut
ing literature. Funds We're raised fOi
state and county purposes, and state
headquarters opened in Kansas City, d
vigorous and successful campaign con
Quoted therefrom. .
Being in charge of the publicity
committee, recall the details Of that
battle of several months. with keen in
terest. Missouri has never been stir
red to such depths and heights by an
economic or non-partisan issue.
q Farmers Take Stump.
Farmers who had never made a
speech took the stump--and many d
firery orator was created over night.
Sentiment and passion ran high. sim
nanced by the Fels fund, and in many
instances the socialistic speakers
aroused public opposition to the dan
ger point
Single tax was studied in every
home. Single tax books were bought
and read Many lecturers against sim
gle tax toured the state. Many news
papers gave more space to fighting the
propaganda than they used in political
effort.
All Burden on Land.
''The state was aroused to fever
heat at the thought OF placing al the
burdens of taxation on Land. fhe few
farmers who has held to that sOcialis-
tic faith awakened to the seriousness
of the situation and turned against
the single tax From the country life
point of view, single tax was almost
pronounc I'd anarchy.
"Conriscation' was used rs the syn
onym of single tax.
Interests" for It.
Some of the corporations and GER
tain big interests started out very
very favora Bile to the Single Tax. Ger
tain public men who had contributed
TO THE Fels Fund Fellers" hurried &c
cover. Candidates for pubic office,
who had previously gone on record in
favor of single tax. rushed to either
lenounce it or withdraw from their
races.
"Poll-workers. without pay, were Or
ganiZed at every country polling
place in Missouri. Armed with sam.
pies of the style of the ballot, with
Amendment No. Six
marked "NO", practically every Mis-
sourian was advised and counsellea
before entering his,polling place
Heresy Shown Up.
"The damnable heresy was shown
up in it's true light. Single Tax is OPP
posed to every legitimate interest OF
a agriculture. 1T. is purely socialistic.
and founded in the interest OF the in
lustrial and corporate wealth and free
trade. There never has been rec
reason offered why the farmer should
pay all the taxes Of the banlie. the
railroad, the merchant. the manutac-
turer. the mechanic, the doctor, the
lawyer, and the millionaire.
AT the polls. in November. 1872,
he vote for single tax was S6.G47. The
vote against single tax was 30S,131. All
the constitutional amendments were
defeated, going down in general mo
vote.
Single tax was buried in Missouri,
and when presented under any form
Or guise will be voted down as sure
as the Missouri farmer sees he forked
tail of 'confiscation' hidden behind
the frocks and Prince Alberts of the
city socialists who farm on concrete
and who pillow behind office desks, and
who look upon the country nan as lg'
norant and opposed to nrLgress. As
sure as the real farmer understands
single tax he is just that certainly
that surely. against it."