The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1877-02-14
REDUCE THE TAxES!
THE PEOPLE AROUSED

According te call, meeting of citizens of
Hunterdon was held at Pennington on We'd
nesday of last week. The Court House was
packed with tax payers from all sections of
the county the most substantial nien OF
both political parties, who showed by their
interest that tie question of the reduction of
taxation Gould hot much longer be showed
aside by men in power without damage to
their political prospects
The meeting was called to order by Judge
F. S. Holcombe, and upon motion of Tunis
V. M. Cox, Col Andrew Van Syckel was
elected Chairman. Upon taking the chair
Mr. Van Syckel thanked the meeting for the
honor conferred upon him, and stated that as
there were persons present who were there
for the express purpose of addressing the
meeting, he would make no remarks, but pro-
coed at once to business, and called for nomi-
nations for Secretary. Hlwss voted that there
be two Secretaries; and William G. Calls and
j.. r. Runkle were nominated and elected.
On motion Of Tunis " M. Cox it was resolved
President elected for each. The following
gentlemen were elected for their respective
Townships
Alexandria-George W. Bonnell
Bethlehem--Sylveste II Smith.
Clinton Borough--Eli Bosenbury.
Clinton Township--Jarnes N. Ramsey.
Delaware--Joseph Haines.
& East Amwell- -Nathan Stout. f".f
West Amwell-Caleb F. Fisher.
Franklin-Reuben Pierson.
FreuchtOwn-,fobn M Voorhees,
( High Bridge--Lewis III. Taylor.
Holland-Henry Cole.
Kiugwood--Jobn w. Laquear.
Lambertville- Martin Coryell.
Lebanon--T. Edgar Hunt.
Raritan-Hiram Beats
ReadingtUn--Jacob Newell.
Tewksbdly--R Robert Craig. a.
Union-George Lunger.
Judge Holcombe on behalf of the Commit
tee, stated that several gentlemen bad been.
invited to speak, and they would arrange
among themselves tie order in. which they
would address the meeting.
Judge Van Fleet was the first speaker. He
said the meeting had been called for the pur-
pose of devising some way in which to de-
crease the taxes Of our county. The people
had become extrayagant in private and public
ship, County and State affairs. From 1868 to
1860 the average County tax was about
5000; in 1861 $4,000, and in 1875 and
1876 $4,000. In twenty years the expend-
lures for all purposes in the county had in
creased from about $4,000 to sos, 900, the
school fund accounting for a part of the in
crease. In 1865 there was paid for Freehold
ers services $1,391.51 in 1865, $2,506.05, and
in 1875 81, 449.21. The expenses for building
l. a. ..
twenty years ago. In 1875 the Township tax
of Raritan was three fourths as much as the
entire county tax in 1856 In 1855 there was
paid to the Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas of the county $44g SO in 1865, 1915. 90
and ID. 1875 $685. 90. The salary of the
Chief Justice and his fees amounted to at
least $i2,00O.00 The speaker thought the
people should and Could reduce the taxes one
half by electing officers pledged to reduce the
expenditures to that extent
The next speaker was Col. J. r. Freese, of
Trenton. He said he was present to talk up
ON the subject of tax reform, and would con-
fine himself to the subject of State taxation.
Hunterdon was not the only county which was
Suffering from sexorbitant taxation in its af-
fairs, every county was in the same situation
1t was impossible to put ones finger upon a
single expenditure III the State that had not
been increased from 200 to 800 per cent. This
Was tHdtttF III WfilCu ali Hcfc i1tcitSbtuss Ii
$2.00 of taxes were paid when 81 90 only was
necessary, the rich and poor were proportion
ately burdened. The farmers bear the
heaviest burden, because the assessor could
always find real estate. He would only at
tempt to discuss the question with reference
to three abuses list, Increase of Salaries I'd,
The School Question and 3D., The Militia
Question. He would give facts. In 1865
Wheat was worth from $2.40 to $2.45, Rye
from 81 go to S1.65, Corn from 81 IS to $l.95,
Oats from $1.00 to $l.05and other products in
proportion. Gold was then S2.1z4. If there
was ever time when officers needed and the
people could afford to pay high salaries, it
was then. The present prices of these ar
ticles were only little over half as large, ard
gold Sl.06 Reasoning from these facts one
would say man could now live on one-half
what he could then. What were the facts?
In 1865 the ofice of Comptroller was estab-
lshed, and the salary fixed at SO 10000. Last
year the State paid for this Office $40. 230. IS,
and over 100000 additional for incidentals.
The office of State Treasurer used to cost
81, 100000. In 1866 the salary wos only So
100000 Last year that Office cost 50, l75t4.