The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-09-29
ALBEIT SPEAKS.
\ The Democratic Standard
! Bearers Ringing
Letter.
He Makes His Owl at
form and It Is Bro
and Staunch.
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ENDORSED.
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ENDORSED.
Equal Taxes, Honest Elections, ant
the Elevation of Industry
Strongly Advocated.
CONFIDENT APPEAL TO HISTORY

CVNrluENI AfIEAA ~ uloIVhl
To Messrs. George r. Werts, Be,jami,s B. Quick
sell, Henry Herring, Isaac Fennimore Henry
Eredericks, Jessie DigertD, j. L. Ya't Sgcke!,
Hs S@ E. A Msass 1h R'sssr n F Ea e.
w, Troonl, Hc,sdrick e. Brorcn, Charles
Hatght. George ". Forsyth, Epllrainl 2.
Enpson, Manson Force, William Ne,Uel,
james j. Bergen, Ardreto J. Bale, a. B.
Carlton and James E. Noon, members OF the
committee appointed by the GuberaotoridI
Coasveatton held at Trenton, September 10,
1885, s
GENTLEMEN-zI am profoundly grateful
for the honor conferred upon me by the
unanimous nomination of the convention.
The Democratic party has spoken as
unit through its delegates, and all per-
sonal feelings and considerations have
been set aside in the interest of the great
principles embodied in their platform.
The nomination thus rendered appeals
to strong sense of duty and gratitude,
and recognizing the unanimity of the con-
vention, l SHALL ii its action is ratified by
the people, know of no faction, but strive
only for the best interests of the State
and of the great party which we repre-
sent. / accept the nomination and shall
seek to secure not only my own election,
but that Of a Democratic Legislature. to
uphold and maintain by proper and neces-
sary laws the pledges made insthe plat
form of the party and in this letter of ac-
ceptance.
This election, it is true, involves directly
only Stat issues, but the defeat of the
Democracy OF New Jersey at this time
would be heralded as Republication of the
great principles advocated by the party
in the late Presidential election. The
Democracy of the Union, in their plat
form of 1888, reaffirming that of 1884,
made a declaration of principles which
Ill tfoI TInrr
will be the battle cry of 1892 am en-
tirely in accord with my party upon all
National questions.
Upon State issues am in accord with
the declaration of principles made by the
recent Democratic Convention, as well as
those declared by the State Conventions
of 1883 and 1886.
1t seems to me proper to emphasize
some of the declarations made by the
party. 1 shall speak with plainness and
directness, and the views which express
will control my official conduct.
TAXATION.
am in favor of equal taxation. All
property, whether owned by corporations
or individuals, should bear equally the
burdens of the State and of the local
governments whose protection 1T receives.
My views upon this great question are
fully stated In my inaugural address de-
livered to the Legislature of 1884, and
were previously declared in proposed
amendments to the Constitution of the
State, offered by me May II, 1881, as
member of the Constitutional Commits.
sion. They will be found in the official
proceedings printed under the authority
of the State, and are as follows:
/. That the real and personal estate of every
corporation foreign and domestic, except those
of municipal corporations of the State shall be
taxed the same as the real and personal estate of
an individual, and all laws that establish a diff
ferent rule are hereby repealed.
That law Shall be DaSSe1
made by or on behalf OF the State or any muni-
cipal corporation by which the power of taxation
shall, in any way, be impaired or abridged.
The principles embodied in these pro-
posed amendments l caused to be formu-
lated in a bill, which was presented in
the Democratic House of Assembly of
1854, and passed by that body. The Re-
publican Senate refused to adopt this
legislation, and insisted upon certain ex-
elnptions of corporate property from tax
alton and certain limitations of tax rates,
which will be found in the act of 1854.
The points of difference between the two
houses were submitted to committee of
conference, but the Senate refused to re-
eede from its position. 1t insisted upon
the exemption from municipal taxation
of the road-bedS, water ways, depot
buildings, and all personal property of
The railroad and canal companies OF the
State, and also the limitation OF the
municipal tax rate on the remainder OF
the corporate property to one per cent.
The question was then presented
whether or not this great measure OF re-
form should be defeated because those
who advocated it were unable to secure
from a Republican Senate assent to a
law which would tax the property of cor
poratfons and of individuals alike.
Friends of equal taxation chose between
the alternatives of no relief and the linn
tied relief the Republican Senate was
willing to give, and accepted the Senate
nsrfl han. hnx oil af inn in
the direction of equal taxation. The
committee of conference on the part OF
the House, however, entered a protest
against the action of the Senate, which
was embodied in the following resolu-
TONS
Resolved That this House views with regret
the action of the Senate in limiting the operation
of the Assembly Bill 313 as passed by the Assem-
bly,, and that it accepts and votes for the Senate
amendments thereto made because the State of
New jersey is in actual need of the revenue
therein provided to prevent the imposition of
Resolved. That this House protests most
strFpuously against the principle of any bill for
81 Passing of revenue which fails to recognize
tie principle of equal taxation and meet the just
demands OF the people.
In this great struggle for equal taxa
ton some Republican members of the
House Of Assembly fought side by side
with the Democratic majority in that
body; but their efforts joined with those
of the Democrats were unavailing with
the Republican Senate.
When the Act of 1884 was brought be-
fore the Supreme Court for review, and
that body pronounced 1t unconstitutional,
those Republican newspapers of the
State which were controlled by corporate
influence denounced me for Forcing the
act upon the Legislature" and for ire
fusing to let well enough alone" and for
overturning q system of taxation which,
as they declared, was keeping the State
treasury well supplied with revenue.
These journals denounced me for "un-
warrantable urgency in rushing through
this railroad tax act" This was in Feb
ruary, 1886 AT that time they vehe-
muuently ma intain ed TINT II,Vas the author