The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-18
Thnt Taxation BombsheIl.

Today we give Chapter Two OF the
protest OF Matthiessen and Wiechers
against the taxes levied on their plant
The facts and arguments presente
seem to lead irresistibly to the conclu-
sion that unjust discrimination has
been made against the concern.
Still, there are two sides to every
story, and we also give today SO much
of the Tax Commissioner construc-
ton OF the case as we could induce
them to conide to the public. Our
columns are always open for free dis
cussion of matters Of public in
ferest, and we have just the
same satisfaction in printing Mr..
Michael j. O'Donnell's explanation
that we had in giving Mr.. Allan L.
McDermott's brief. 1t is perhaps just
as well to remark right here that per-
sonally we care nothing about the
case. and that, for the city's sake, we
should be glad to find the Tax Com
m~issioners had the right of it. But If
a serious injustice has been done a
great manufacturing interest, we are
most heartily on it's side, not only as
a matter of abstract right, but be-
cause such unfair treatment tends to
drive capital away and to retard the
growth OF the municipality.
Well, when they read Mr.. O'Don-
nells interview on our front page the
people will have both versions of the
story-down to date, and they can
make up their own minds as to which
they will believe. Mr.. O'Donnell
argues rather beside the question
when he speaks of the politicians who
came to intercede for Matthiessen &
Wiechers. 1t is at once the wrong
time and the wrong place to bring
this element into the discussion. 1t
is in the nature OF the You're an
other" argument and is not exactly
convincing.
The Sugar House people come up
with a collection of facts and figures,
presumably accurate. They draw
certain deductions therefrom which,
on the surface at least are logical and
just. If they are so, then the firm is
wholly in the right and city wholly in
the wrong. If the statements of fact
are untrue, il the deductions are not
just or reasonable, then let the city
officials show wherein the fallacy lies.
That is tine way 10 conduct the dis
cussion.
: Mr.. O'Donnell goes about the mat
ter the right way when he contends
that no comparison can be set up be-
tween waterfront property and that
in the neighborhood of the City Hall.
He raises a fair issue when he says
that the value of waterfront property
in one spot cannot be calculated from
that of waterfront property in an
other place. Here is fair ground for
contest. We may not agree with
him, but we admit he is fairly de-
Tending his side of the case.
But here are a couple of points we
could have wished Mr.. O'Donnell to
throw some official light on:--
The Sugar House counsel claims
that the concern pays one-eighth of
all the personal tax levied in the
First district, being assessed upon
$3.50, 900 out of a total valuation of
So. 443, 600. Is this right? Perhaps it
is. We wish Mr.. O'Donnell had ex-
planned the figures. Or, AGAIN.
All the real estate in Block No. 33
is assessed at $143. 900 for thirty-two
full lots. The Sugar people pay on
So, 200 for eight of these. In other
words, it pays almost one-half the
taxes for one-fourth the property.
We would have liked to have Mr..
O'Donnell's specific explanation on
this point. Or of this one:-
In Block 81, the petitioners pay
$110, 900 on 10 lots, while other people
pay $50, 500 on 20 lots.
These seem TO us to be pretty diff
cult nuts to crack. In Mr.. McDer-
motifs brief they are accompanied
with a vast mass of detail showing
the comparative value of the build
ings and other valuables on the lots.
The assertions made therein may be
all wrong. but they are at least
plausible, and if they are wrong it il
in order for Mr.. O'Donnell to point
out the errors. The columns of this
paper are entirely at his disposal fol
that purpose to any extent.
This revolt OF the Sugar firm makes
a crisis in the history of the New
Charter regime. Many sins OF the tal
Board were overlooked last year OIL
account of the circumstances of the
case. There is no excuse for false
valuation this year. Conceding the
absolute absence Of prejudice from the
minds Of the Commissioners, seriou:
error remains inexcusabie for there