The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-10-31

pay only about hfty-seven per cent Of theiI
fair share OF our taxes.
In 1855 the total assessed value Of all
the taxable property in the State was $7s5.-
o7s, o4S OF this the railroads and canals
owned $Ioo.437.o93 worth, and the value
of the rest was S565, 537,o55. 1t will thus
be seen that these corporations owned al
that time 2oH per cent. of all the properly
in the State Now they own more. The
total taxes paid by ali properly in the
State in 1885 was $4,000 900 in round
numbers. OF this tax the railroads and
canals paid only $3.50, 6o3. and ALL other
property paid So, T63 .3o7, whereas If these
companies had paid their share, they
would have paid $4,000, 900. instead OF
only $3.50. 6o3. or, in other words. would
have relieved the people of a burden OF
ST.. SI3,3o7, which enormous sum OF money
was virtually extorted or stolen from the
people by these cormorant corporations,
and that, too, in the face of the fact that
pfoportionately there are more miles OF
railroad in New Jersey than ia any other
State, that railroads earn more per miie in
New Jersey than in any Other STATE. and
double the average earnings per mile in
the United States. that they have always
been a favored class in New Jersey. that
the States power of eminent domain to
condemn any lands in the Siaie-our
homes, our temples Of worship or our
cemeteries ana. above al, receive far
more OF that for which taxes are levied and
! paid than private citizens receive. viz,
governmental protection. and are further
more entitled 10 damages from our cities
for any injury that may beiall them during
a riot, even though the authorities should
do all in their power 10 prevent that dam
age, and the riot itself should be provoked
| by the greed aud oppression of these
monster establishments. Now, then, 10 a
word, Mr.. Noonan's bill PROVIDED for the
adjustment of these outrageous Unequal
ties. by requiring that every railroad and
canal company in the State should pay
annually to the Siaie, for the nses OF the
| State, tax at the rate of oRehali of one
per cent. upon the entire assessed valua-
ton of all the property in the Stale OF every
such company and in addition TO the
said tax. every such company should also
pay annually for the uses of the cities and
counties. upon the entire assessed valua-
lion of all the property therein, of every
such company, a tax OF one-hsif of one per
| cent less than the full local rate in each
taxing district. That is 10 say, tax of
one-half of one per cent, added TO tax
one-half of one per cent. less than the full
local rate, would give as result tax
identically equal to the full local rate, with
the only difference that one-Ealf OF one per
cent OF il would go TO the State as now.
This bill was retained in the Republican
| Committee 10 which it was referred in the
last House, and the Committee refused to
report the bill on the ground that to pass
il would be useless legislation inasmuch as
the Supreme Court had decided the act 10
which il was supplement to be uncon-
stitutional, and they would not accept the
argument presented by Mr.. Noonan for the
! report and passage of the bill-to wit =
Although the contention of the Republican
| Committee, backed up by Republican
| House, might be right, yet, if the Court Of
Errors. which had the tax act in review, on
appeal from the Supreme Court, would re,
verse the decision of that court, then, and
in that case. the bill would forthwith be-
come effective, and therefore should be
passed. The argument. Of course, like
most of Mr.. Noonan's arguments, was moi
only logical and sound, but also very ap'
olicable and prophetic. because subse.
quently the Court of Appeals did hold the
tax act to be constitutional. Therefore, il
Mr.. Noonan's bill had passed, we would
under the decision Of the highest court in
the State, now ndVe-Onc OUT anu out, CIedu-
cut equal taxation law.
At the June session of the Legislature
after the Court of Error had handed down
its decision, Mr.. Noonan introduced a res
olution to compel consideration of his
bill. and when urging its great importance
and manifest iuslice, though needing resi-
as much as any other member. and having
occasion more. probably. than any othei
member to return home and attend to his
business for livelihood, he stated that he
was willing to stick TO his post all sum.
mer 10 have that bill become law. He
was greatly interested in the matter, DO;
only because of It's importance to the
whole State, but also for the reason that
there Is probably more railroad property ia
, his district than in any other RI the State.
!, His resolution was ably advocated by such
Democrats as Hudspeth and Wolverron
| but was violently opposed by such Repub.
licans as r. w. Parker. w. H. Corbin and
u A. F. r. Martin and others, and the Houss
, being Republican, the resolution was de-
. feated after determined fight and eloquen,
appeal for its adoption by Mr.. Noonan
/ Mr.. Noonan felt that he was there TO dc
his duty, and to his honor, and to the
honor Of those who supported him, be il
said that they had greater regard for the
) rights of the people than for their owr
. convenience, or for the corporations.
Another bill introduced by Mr.. Noonar
was bill No. 36I-an act TO reduce the tolls
! on the turnpike road, between Jersey City
and Newark. This bill, il ii had become
a law, would reduce the tolls on that road
, about 90 per cent. Mr.. Noonan was very
, anxious to pass this bill, because the road
referred to runs through his district. The
object was TO afford to the many extensive
!, factories and industries generally, and the
people at large in the west end of his dis.
irict, easy and cheap access TO the markets
CT Jersey CITY and New York and the
East. The bill was referred to the Com.
mirtee on Corporations. The committee
would not report the bill, giving as an
| excuse that the lawyers on the other side