From the edition of the San Francisco Chronicle comes this short bit that demonstrates some of the creative tactics of nonconformist tax resisters in Great Britain a century and change ago:
The passive resistance of the nonconformists to the tax levied under the new education law is growing throughout England and Wales, where it applies. Those refusing to pay the tax are allowing their property to be seized by the taxgatherers and sold at auction to the highest bidder. In some districts the cases are reported to be multiplying by the hundreds. In Lincolnshire, the sitting magistrate recently refused to try cases of resistance, and left the bench. Difficulty is experienced everywhere in getting auctioneers to sell the property confiscated. In Leominster, a ram and some ewe lambs, the property of a resistant named Charles Grundy, were seized and put up at auction, as follows: Ram, Joe Chamberlain; ewes, Lady Balfour, Mrs. Bishop, Lady Cecil, Mrs. Canterbury and so on through the list of those who made themselves conspicuous in forcing the bill through Parliament. The auctioneer was entitled to a fee under the law of 10 shillings and 6 pence, which he promptly turned over to Mr. Grundy, having during the sale expressed the strongest sympathy for the tax-resisters. Most of the auction sales are converted into political meetings in which the tax and those responsible for it are roundly denounced. The upshot of the opposition to the obnoxious sectarian law will be an assault on Parliament at the next session to repeal it, which will probably be done.
