The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-04-09
[ Trenton State Gazette. ]
THE SOURCE OF THE oUTCRy

THE SOURCE OF THE OUTCRy,
The True American declares that rail.
road taxation should be based upon the
constitutional requirements that proper.
ty shall be assessed for taxes under gen
eral laws and NTH uniform rules accord
ing to its true value.' 1t adds: This
requirement of uniform rule means one
rule for all. That's equal taxation. 1t
ia only impracticable in a Senate that
legislates on the subservient principle
that 1t must shape its laws in conformity
to the demands of those who are to be
taxed. Legislation on such principle Is
cowardly surrender of legislative inde-
pendence, and shameless confession Of
servility to corporate influence
The truth is that it is the House Of AS
sembly, and the special howlers for rail.
road taxation, who are most elamorous
for the violation of these broad principles
of constitutional equity. They propose to
impose an invidious State tax upon the
property of the railroad while exemp:ing
it from all other species of property,
If the railroad companies were not dis
posed, in spirit of of generous concession
to the public necessities, 10 ignore and
forego their constitutional right, there is
scarcely any doubt that they could sue
cessfully resist such impositions by plant
ing themselves upon the rights which
the american quotes. II is the House of
Assembly, dominated by spirit of reck-
less aemagogism, that has sought to sub
ject the railroads TO lnyidious, unconsti-
tutional burdens.
But the most outrageous discrimina-
tions against the railroads are urged with
loud-mouthed clamor, by the representa-
tives of Jersey City. This municipality
has been run into enormous indebtedness
by the corrupt and extravagant schemes
OF plandering ring government. That
ring was brought into being, and clothed
with power to rob, largely through the
instrumentality of the very men who are
now clamoring the most yebemently
for railroad taxation. Having, by
gross disagreement and lavish waste Of
the helpless tax payers, burdened the city
with crushing load of debt, they now
seek to divert attention from their own
responsibility by inaugurating fierce
crusade against the railroads aud by nm
loading upon these nnoffending corpora
tions, that had no part whatever in the
creation of the debts, the burdens which
they have placed upon the shoulders of
the people. All the clamor that has been
heard on this subject has derived its in
SEPARATION from this sonfce. II Is the out
cry of ruined spcndthrift trying to i'm
pose the consequence Of his dcbauchery
upon innocent shoulders. 1t has been
cunningly .fostered and encouraged by
large classes Of people, claiming to be re-
spectacle citizens, who hope to profit by
this organized raid upon the railroads.
The scheme is deep and farreaohing For
several years past the knowing ones
politicians, lawyers, Gubernatorial can
ohNntVcp Nuu OtbCib Wituiu tHt bcCItL-
have madc no pretensc Of pay ing their
full share of taxes. They evade these
obligations TO the public by a system of
gross undervaluations by the assessors
The lattcr are in tho ring, and arc kept
there by powerful influences that profit
from their retention. AS we showed the
other day, the personal property of Jer-
sey City is assessed at only $500, 800,
while that OF Somerset is assessed at ST..
064,Se4 And Jersey City is vast aggre-
CATION Of the most valuable personal
property, while Somerset is rural agiicul-
tural county, with comparatively very lit.
tie personal property. A fair valuation
in Jersey City would undoubtedly show
$20,000,000 or $25, 600 of personal
ratables. But, as we have said, the peo-
pie escape taxation on their personal es.
tate through deliberate system of I'M
dervaluations, and we could name from
the list of rich and prominent men in that
city large numbers who pay tax on only
triaing amounts. All, without exception,
Of the loud shriekers for railroad taxation
are among these shirkers. Not only this,
but they shirk the payment of the COM
paratively small amounts which they are
assessed. We could give the names of
several conspicuous anti monopoly agita-
tors who owe thousands and even tens Of
thousands Of past-due taxes to Jersey
City. They put off paying in the hope
finally of shifting the burden upon the
railroads.
This is one part Of their scheme for
plundering the railroads. Their next is,
10 establish high rate Of taxation 50 .25
and to impose this upon the property Of
the railroads, assessed at its full value.
They can well afford to establish this
exorbitant rate oftaxation under a scheme
Is