The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-10-16
SENATOR GRIGGs EXPOSES LEON
ABBETTS PRETENSI0NS AS A
TAX REFORMER.
The General Taxation Bill, for which the
Democratic Leader Claims Credit,
Republican Bill-The Leg
isIature's Action.

Leon Albeit has, of his own accord,
made the question of railroad and corpo-
ration taxation the paramount issue Of
this campaign. He did so because 1t is
popular with the people in so much that
1t has relieved the state of a direct tax and
has placed the burden Of the major part
of the states support upon railroad and
other corporations.
That the people might be diverted from
the discussion Of those things political in
his career which will not stand the light
OF investigation, Albeit designedly de-
clares himself to be the master mind that
not only conceived, but planned and per-
petuated, this particular bit OF wise legis.
lation. This claim is easily proved false.
ABBRIr's BOLD CLAIMS.
A few nights ago, in speech delivered
In Jersey City, Leon Albeit made this as
sertion: 'And when, in 1883, the people
OF this State elected me Governor, on
taking my office, in 1884, l presented in
my inaugural this question 10 the Legisla-
ture, and demanded that they pass law
on this subject. / waited for some mem
Der of the Legislature to draft law.
The House was Democratic, the Senate
Republican. No law was formed, no law
was introduced, and l personally drafted
a law and sent it to the Legislature.
at was passed by the Democratic
House, and that law said in effect that all
property of corporations should pay the
same tax as the property OF individuals.
And when that bill went to the Republi-
can Senate they framed substitute for
it. IN which they limited the operation so
that it should not be law for equal tax
alton.
In this speech Mr.. Albeit put on rec
ord batch of misstatements, which are
proved so by the records of the executive
department of the State aud journals OF
the Legislature. Albeit is shrewd, aud
he fails to mention the steps taken in the
same direction by his predecessor, Cover
nor Ludlow.
In the official documents OF 1885, in
the message of Governor Ludlow, on
page IL, are found these pertinent obscr-
vations
"The amount derived from the tax on
corporations can be very materially in.
creased by such legislative definition OF
the words 'true value as will compel il
w OC cotihhhtCt at thC NOttu vi INC tpui-
pany using it.
Turning over page is another signii.
cant recommendation III addition to
the above, the State should receive rev.
enue from corporations other than rail.
roads, which now pay, and banks which
owe their existence to the National Gov
eminent. We have large number OF
corporations which, under our present
system of assessing and collecting, escape
much OF local taxation.
This same Democratic Governor de-
votes page and half to this same ques-
ton in his last message 10 1884.
NOT NEW MOVEMENT.
The question on which Leon Albeit
urged, or rather demanded, some legisla-
ton in 1884 had already been before the
Legislators OF the State. On February 10,
1882, there was before the House a
concurrent resolution offered by John
O'Rourke, of Hudson County.
The resolution was to the effect that,
as the complaint against excessive taxa
ton was due TO the fact that the great
corporations were exempt, committee
shoald be appointed to inquire into the
question of taxing corporations. The
resolution was especially directed at rail-
roads and canals.
This committee did not report until the