New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-17
TOPICS IN NEW-JERSEY.
PROSPECTS OF PARTISAN LEGISLATION. .

puAsEs OF THE TAX oUEsTIoN-vAsr IMPROVE
MENTs on THE RAILROADS.&C.
LITERARY PORTRAIT.
rrentou n j., Nov. ls.-The expectation that the
r,.mocrats will attempt by partisan legislation at
/ Az. approaching session TO confirm them IN posses
son will not be disappointed. To get however,
cha, which the leaders want and to refuse 10 loe"
rolitica uagnates the desires OF their hcar'' Is
orch,eu that viii a struggle In the soiVms'
:, q fortunate for the managers and for the public
ALSO perhaps. that the party majority III oos', Az
70 a large one. A couple of years ago, when 'ne
T,.mocrsts had both houses. the majority was so
,srrow that a bolter two was able 10 piooA
LEGISLATION IL his wishes were not conceoea' anu MS
,scasure usually consisted In something "hGh w"
The caucus had declined to approve ihere VIII oo
a certain degree of safety in the responsloh'S Win
The large majority will throw upon the BOSSES INC
nsomise is made that the Democrats Will ~ S'o".
Just how conservative the policy may DC w"e'''
IN he seem Two partisan measures OF vast lmpoi-
tancc will surely be enacted, the Assembly anu .o''
cressional reapportonment bills ana 'hese WIN o
serious enough in their effects TO satisfy amosV "s
Democratic partisan, and rank enough Ill 'hcr POI
sanship to disgust any fair-mindcd cuSen' io
additional step that is most commonly predlcteo y
ths creation of new counties. The state Senators
ara now chosen by counties and the system can ons
be changed by q constitutional convention. ~ nv"
such a convention would be 10 sacrinoe' y, Nv
least risk the fruits of this partys victory 's N'ii
and I'm view Of the vote for United states sena'or
in 1894 the party and Governor AbDett III par
,rr,Sr womb be willing TO venture little or nothing
at present. The creation of new counties is, now
ever a feasible scheme politically, and DIVISION
of the Democratic majority in Hudson so as 10
give the party there two State senators ihs'eau Vi
one is among the strong probabilities.
The Legislature will have the tax quesuoh oeiore
,-atl,c form
pointed last winter which has been holding regular
sessions through the summer and fall, VIII nave an
important report to make and still more important
testimony 10 give. Governor Albeit VIII De inc ar
bitter of the commissions destinies when the work
is submitted the Legislature, and there is vast
deal of curiosity as to what he will do about IT,
There was more or less talk last winter about the
desirabty Of increasing the States revenues There
IL no such need. The State gets more money now
from corporation taxes than it requires for It's cX-
pensiye and often extravagant appropriations, ana
10 put more money into the hands of State officials
and legislators who have responsibility TO the
people In the matter of taxation would be an en-
enlargement to every species Of reckless appropria-
ton grabbing Where larger revenues are needed Is
i'm the cities, and any change in corporation TAXA
ton should be to give the municipalities OF the state
fairer share of the tax-revenue from corporation
property within their limits-a revenue which the
now takes for its own use. The prime OBJECT
OF tax legislation, however. should be to equalize
the assessments. There is endless trouble from this
source The tax OH bank stock has been the subject
Of some examination lately and affords striking
instance. The holder of bank stock in city where
the bank is located will pay, perhaps, full tax
on the market value of the stock which IS In nearly
every case much beyond the par value In another
place the taxpayer will pay on the par value only,
while there are almost innumerable cases where the
than the location Of the bank pay no tax whatever
upon the stock This is the custom, In fact. In
The vast extent Of the railroad improvements made
in state during the last two is scarcely APP
ae ew The aim Of the Companies
Their business has increased enormously. and 1t has
been curious study for men inside the organizations
the limit Of facilities which been with the
10 e nt they e se f0 e
in the immediate vicinity of NewYork. The four
stance. may be Kept hot with traffic but there the
trains are moving. and there is slight danger OF anv
s saS Ths freight in
enormously, and from its sOuthery limits to Jersey
s ssse M sssn No a nd 81
The Pennsy vsna finally took radical measures Vast
paw. new lines branch across the salt meadows from
Newark, great freight yard has been established
there, branch lines building. the road has been
relieved Of the Lehigh Valley traffic and an entirely
new ina Of has ss been a1Spsq for
than quadrupled in Jersey City and for ten miles
out.
Meanwhile the complaint of insufficient accommoda-
lions for passengers from places within twenty miles
of New York or Philadelphia grows louder. The fact
that the Jerseyman is admittedly much better off than
the man in upper York Long Island. in trans
s GSss n9s he e not getting
he might have under different management. Trains
are crowded and there is pretty constant complaint
that the interests of local traffic sacrificed for
through business.
The Tribune made pleasant allusion the other day
to the illustrated article in "Scribner's Magazine
called A Day with Country Doctor The authOr
and artist did reveal the doctors name but thou
would have instantly recognized the doctors
portrait rs that Whitfield COursen. of Oak Ridge
Passaic County this State. and the other licensees
and sketches brought vivdly to mind the charming
whsnce Newark is to draw its water supply. and
the lovely combination of rugged hills OF pretty lakes
and rich meadows has become familiar to the news
paper reader in its more practical aspects.