The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-19
The Democrats DoWned the
Infamous Railway Grab.
REPUBLICANS WERE FOR IT.
A Lively Debate and a Vote Which
Will Have Its Effect Next Elec-
tiOn.
Especial to the Jersey city Netcs.I

HOAeNSAOAAkV5 49,
railroad corporations on the Republican
party were both shown in the dearest way
in the House today. A great drive
was made to put through Sena
tor Gardner's third Railroad Grab bill.
The republicans voted for the iniquitous
measure solidly, with only two exceptions
The vote on the amendments intended to
limit the scope of the act slightly was
equally significant. On one amendment
not single republican voted in the
affirmative. On another, one solitary
republican was recorded on the side of the
people.
The bold attempt to give over to the
railroads power to condemn lands in five
acre lots in any city in the State was de-
feated by the efforts of the democrats.
But it was only temporarily defeated
There is only too much chance that it may
be called up tomorrow when General
Sewell, boss of the railroads and boss of
the republicans, gets all his forces on the
field
When O'Neill offered the first amend
ment, which was to exempt from the
Grab counties of the first class, Goble ire
publican) flung all pretence aside and said
that it would be just as well to kill the
bill at once as to add such a proviso. The
Grabbers have heretofore been shouting
in public that the bill was intended to ap-
ply only to Atlantic City.
O'Neill showed in his speech that five
acres meant seventy-five city lots, or a
block in Jersey City or Newark, and that
land could consequently be grabbed by
the block in either city at the whim OF the
directors of o railroad company. Mer-
chants on Newark avenue, for example,
would be in danger of ruin by the confis-
cation of their property.
Judge Ulrich republican, defended the
bill. He also made the assertion that all
Jersey City has ever had, has now, or
might hope to have, came from the rail
road companies. Colonel Heppenheimer
made the most vigorous kind Of speech
in refutation of such nonsence.
"The railroads have kept Jersey City in
stead of helping her, he said. They
have gobbled up one street after another,
gridironing the city and driving our best
citizens to New York for peace and quiet
to 1884, they came here year after year,
getting extraordinary privileges from
the Legislature. They have the
protection of the police, the
fire department and all other municipal
privileges; in case their depots should be
to put their hands in their pockets and re-
place the buildings. What did they do in
return for the city? They did not pay 81
of municipal taxes. Jersey City received
no benefit from them.
'"They held $65 000, 600 of property and
did not pay 81 taxes.
Sin 1888, the Democratic party elected
as Governor man who pledged himself
to see to it that in Hudson county railroads
pay an equal tax with individuals. What
was the result? The first year the House
was Democratic and the Senate Repubh-
can. Leon Abbett's Equal Tax bill was
passed by the Democratic House and was
locked up by the Republican Senate,
week after week and month after month";
until the Senators were finally forced by
Governor Abbett's messages to act. And
what did they do? They gave a tax of
one per cent. on railroad property for mu-
nicipal purposes.
'IIast year paid $3.50 on the hundred
in taxes on my property in Jersey City,
What did the railroads pay on their $685.
600, 900 of property? One per cent. to the
city and one-half of one per cent. to the
State. How can anyone say, that Jersey
City owes anything to the railroads.?
"Why is it that these gigantic corpora
tions are able to come here and get what
they want to the detrilnent of the tax
payers? When they pay the same taxes as
individuals / will be willing, to grant
reasonable privileges, but until they do |
will oppose all such requests"
Goble, republican, made another speech
in favor of the bill.
O'Neill also spoke on the subject of
what Jersey City owed to the railroads
The railroads had grabbed twenty one
miles of water front. He contrasted Jersey
Citys condition with Brooklyn, which has
not been "helpedn by railroads
Eighteen democrats voted for the
amendment. The republicans voted
solidly against it, and it was lost.
McDermit moved to strike out the enact
ing clause. Among other things he said:
''Talk about the lobby here last winter to
pass the. water grab. 1t has all been
here during the. past forty-e1ght hours
with additional forces. Why are General
Sewell, Edward Bettle, John Hood, Il. A.
Gaddis and Richard Reading herepn
These gentlemen are republican lead
ers, except Mr.. Hood. They are pushing
this bill through.
"Last year the railroads stole the water
This year they want to steal the land"
Mr.. McDermit read the editorial from
THE JERSEY CITY NEWS on Senator Ed
wards speech to show the sentiment of
the people on the subject
Then the shining member from Newark
attempted what looked like bit of bluff
ing. Pulling out check list from his
vest pocket, he declared it was O copy of
the check list of the lobby of members
whose votes had been secured for the bill.
1t contained the names of twenty-six
republicans, he declared. He named
some democrats, some of whom sub
sequently voted for and some against the
bill,
Farrell asked for the reading OF the
check list, but McDermit declined.
Speaker Hudspeth put Marsh in the
chair and went on the floor, FIRST to oppose
the bill and, second, to reply to certain
insinuations which had been made
against his official conduct. He denied
that he or any of the officials under him
had done anything which would not bear
the closest scrutiny. He denied the
charges generally in regard to lobbyists.
Gopel, republican, made another speech
for the bill. He made use of Senator
Wert's famous remark in his speech on the
Excise law, "This bill explains itself.n
AS nobody, judge or layman, is able to
say exactly what the Werts law is, the
remark was peculiarly appropriate to the
Gardner Rrailroad Grab.
Mr.. Voorhees,, republican leader, made
a speechssfor the bill. He told Mr.. O'Neill
| that the amendment exempting counties
| of the first class would make the bill un-
constitutional.
.Do you know of any decision of the
Court of Errors and Appeals sustaining
such views" asked Colonel Heppen-
Mr. voorhees, admitted that he did not.