Evening journal., 1922-05-02
"AUTOCRACY'
SPLITS ARDEN
Rosensweet Blames Steph-
ems for Discord in Single
Tax Colony
NO FREEDOM,
FOE DECLARES

Nathan Rosensweet. OF Phila-
delphia, member Of the "griev-
ance committee" named at the
April meeting of the townspeople
OF Arden. the Single Tax colony,
TO ascertain the cause OF strife at the
colony. caused a near-riot at the
town meeting in the colony last night
when he branded Frank Stephens,
founder OF the colony. an autocrat.
Not content with his charge Rosen-
sweet offered his holdings in the
colony, the Arden floral gardens, to
the highest bidder, saying he was
Hrsick and tired OF the kind OF free
dom offered there"
Rosensweet presented a minority
report Of the grievance committee
in which he attacked stephens and
stated that anybody in the place who
did not obey the will OF certain
clique which had entrenched itself
in power in Arden. his existence in
the community was made very un-
comfortable.
The confusion became so great I
that Rosensweet was unable to pro- /
ceed with the reading OF his com
plants. Rosensweet's protest against
the interruptions were drowned out,
and he was ordered to leave the
meeting He refused, but quiet was
restored
Fred Whiteside, another member
OF the committee also charged that
the colony was ruled by a clique
and that any one who voted against
the CLIQUE could not exist in the
free atmosphere" Of Arden.
Frank stephens, the only surviv-
Ing founder and member OF the
original board Of trustees, in sup
port OF the contention that too
rigid enforcement OF the single tax
theories OF Henry George, pointed
out the danger 10 the colony's ex-
istence as a single tax experiment
n some wealthy person or persons
should come along whose income
tax should exceed the revenue now
derived from rentals. Such hypo-
thetical situation he said, under the
present deed Of trust which requires
ali direct taxes on leaseholders to
]
the village without a dollar.
A. E. Sweeting. a men Der of the
appointed to devise a
OF making the colony's deed
of trust smendable 50 as TO pro-
vide a vehicle by which the original
intent of the founders may be safe
against the encroachments
OF modern civilization. precipitated {
a heated controversy when he sub
mitted an amendment to the present
deed of trust providing a gateway"
under which that document may DE
amended by a majority or two
thirds vote of a town meeting.
> The suggested amendment 10 the
deed OF trust. which wos approved
by the town meeting last night, au-
thorizes the employment OF counsel
TO draft legitimate form OF amend
ment; that written notice. signed by
at least ten registered voters OF Ar {
Zen, with reasons for the proposed :
change. shall be given at a town / 4
meeting one month prior TO the
meeting at which II is 20 be actej o
ipon The town clerk must then c
end written notice TO all lease D
folders. and any amendment must e
ave the approval Of all the three g
rustees. Ia
Frank Harrison charged that such :
n amendment would give voters
-ho were not leaseholders. or par
es TO the deed Of trust the righ:
vote a change, and A T. Bosss
ointed out the possibility OF n town
Getting being controlled by more
,n-leaseholders than leaseholders.
Another act Of the meeting which
ought forth a minority protest
Is the passage OF a motion Of
red by stephens that the towns
en- clean up some brush on the
/ OF Frank Brinkle and send the
tier bill, and in the event OF non
lymsnt cancel his lease.