The Jersey City news., 1891-09-21
Tricky Dave Lawrence.

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Tricky Dave Lawrence
David seems to be synonym for
trckery in politics. We have Dave
Hill in New York and Dave Law
renee in Jersey City, and they are both
very tricky gentlemen indeed. 1t is
true they are of rather different
build. They might be called big and
little casino, if one were inclined to be
slangy, but in the matter Of thickness
we would hate to take a contract to
decide between them.
Mr.. Dave Lawrence's latest trick is
a pretty ugly one. The intend ed vic
tins, his colleagues in the Tax Board,
can afford to laugh at it; but it may,
if by any chance it succeeds in its OBJ
ject, work very grave hardship to
thousands of taxpayers in Jersey City.
To be sure the rich manufacturers,
the personal property tax shirkers, will
benefit by it; but the small real estate
owners, the poor people and those of
moderate means will have to pay
every dollar that til rich men save.
AS usual, Republican trickery favors
the millionaire and grinds the. face Of
the man struggling for foothold.
For years it has been the practice to
correct errors in the assessment books
right down to the time when the tax
rate is declared. The proceeding is
reasonable and lawful. Nobody has
ever complained of it before. Mr..
Lawrence himself has cordially as-
sented to it for the past two years.
This year he thinks he sees a chance
of injuring the Democratic party, or
else he takes pity on the
favored milionaires whose un-
dervalued property is likely
to be reassessed at nearer its true
value. We do not pretend to pass
upon his motives, the fact remains
that, the result favors the favored;
but perhaps he did not mean it that
way. Perhaps he only saw the poll
tics in it. Perhaps he only thought
that by fighting against any move
ment to increase the rateables, he
would artifcially create a high tax
rate. Then the campaign speakers of
the Republican party could go on the
roof tops and howl about Democratic
extravagance.
The scheme is transparent enough.
Will the people be imposed on by it?
We think not. We think they will
recognize, il they have to pay over
twenty-nine dollars on the thousand
this year, that it is the work of Mr..
David w. Lawrence, q Republican
political schemer Wethink they will
recognize that lninety-five out Of
a hundred of their number have
to pay this rate in order that the other
five may be spared, and they will
recognize that the favored five are the
wealthy men or corporations, who
could best afford to pay.
Perhaps Mr.. Lawrence's trick may
be counted against him when the
game is all played.
There win not be much noise or excitement in
this years political campaign in New Jersey,
but there will be great deal of earnest think
ing and quiet voting.
Speaking of THE News exposure
of Newark as the wickedest
city in the State, the New York
Times says we raked up all the little
social, political and business scandals
we could find. Now we wonder what
is the Times idea of big scandal. If
the matters we dealt with are trifles
in the eyes of a New York newspaper,
the moral atmosphere of the metropo-
lis must be worse even than we
thought it was-worse even than
Newark g.
VIII Give Woman Her Chance.
Wo1nan's chance is coming. There
is hope that she will soon have ample
opportunity to talk od libitatn1, and
in special cases an oratress may have
a chance to talk her opponent to
death. AT present the prospect is
confined to New Zealand, but it will
spread.
Sir George Grey, ex-Premier of New
Zealand, is the advance guard of the
new move. He proposes that new
Upper Chamber shall be formed, to
replace the existing body, and that it
shall be compos ed entirely of women.
At present the members of the Upper
Chamber of the New Zealand Legisla-
lature are appointed by the Crown,
but the proposed change can be made