The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-19
TAXES And EXEMPTIONS
Hudson Democratic Soci-
ETY. Debates the
Matter.
HOW TO. PREVENT EVAsIONs'
Various Schemes Suggested, In
cluding Official Checks on Sc
curities, Mortgages and
Profits.
HOW TO. PREVENT EVAsIoNs.

The regular monthly meeting of the
Hudson Democratic Society was held last
evening in the secety's building on Bar
row street. There was large number
of clubmen present, among them being
ex-JudRe A. @. Garretson who. as presi-
dent Of the club, presided; Judge Albert
Hoffman, State Tax Commissioner
Charles G. Black. Assem- blyman George
A. Heaney, Assistant City Treasurer
Miles McCarten, DR.. Benjamin Edge. Dr.
l.. J. Gordon. w. j. TAFT, Lawyer John
Griffin. DR.. John D. McGill. John Nc
Master. John Kelar. Rynier J. Worten-
dyke, Riparian Commissioner Willard
Fisk and George Record.
A business meeting was held at which
. unImportant routine matters were con-
sidered. The proposed amendments to
Z the constitution were submitted ana
under the rules were laid over until the
next meeting. The most important
changes proposed by the amendments
make the third Tuesday Of the month the
regular meeting night instead of the third
Wednesday and the regular meeting In
October the time for the annual election
of officers instead of tie regular Novem-
ber meeting.
club proceeded to discuss the question of
exemptions from taxation and The debate
proved to be one of the most entertaining
and instructive the club has yet held.
HOW THE LAW WORKS.
Mr.. Black. who is chairman of the State
Board OF Taxation. and who has given
the matter considerable intelligent study.
opened the discussion by recitiDg the
chief features of the law ON exempt prop
erty, including the exemptions under the
general act, such as State, national and
municipal colleges. seminaries. public
bull dings, churches and graveyards and
cemeteries. In addition to these there is
q large class Of special exemptions in
charters granted by the Legislature, such
as the Ocean Grove Association. which,
by the peculiar wording of the charter
granted it by the Legislature in 1870, es-
capes taxation.
Mr. Black said, by way of parenthesis.
that there was considerable dissatisfac-
tion over the exemption of the famous
seaside religious resort, and his Board
was investigating the matter. Con-
tinuing. Mr.. Black said that among the
other special exemptions were the
Burlington County Agricultural Society
and the Society for the Establishment OF
Useful Manufactures. and the exemp
tions of veterans. militia men and IRE
men to the amount OF $500 each. The
amount of exempt property under the
under the various other classes TO $5.200,-
900. making total of S5S, ,200,0 900, and
5hat, Mr.. Black declared, Was an under
rather than an over valuation,
The total assessed value of the State,
other thau railroad and canal property in
round numbers amounts to y $700,000 900.
There IS personal property to the amount
OF 10000 600 in this state which escapes
taxation. Mr.. Black proposed to remedy
this evil by compelling the assessors TO do
their duty, aud this he would accomplish
by making them liable to heavy fues and
even to imprisonment IL they failed to
assess property as they are required to by
GENERAL DISCUSSION.
Mr. Blacks remarks drew out general
discussion in which almost every one
present took part, and many valuable
suggestions and practical theories for
doing away with the evil were put for
ward.
Judge Hoffman thought that all obli-
cations or evidences of debt, to be negoti-
able or collectable 1T law. should have
upon them the stamp of a Tax Collector
showing that the taxes had all been paid
to date. In this manner he tn ught tnat
all attempts to evade taxation by conceal
ing property would be defeated, as a man
could not sell his bonds or effect the col
lection of his notes and mortgages unless
they bore the evidence OF having paid
taxes. f1o dlbO uttu u LucOIy LUZ ICuCuluk
bank stock which contemplates law
compelling every corporation to file with
some authority, to be designated by law,
a list of the names and residences OF its
stockholders.
DR.. Gordon supplemented this with the
suggestion that an officer should be ap-
pointed In every State with power to ex-
change his list with the officers of other
States. In this manner the owners of the
stock could be traced into whatever State
they might locate In.
Mr.. Fisk had valuable suggestion in
the thought that there should be no ex-
emptions except such as the State would
and that every applicant should show that
he was entitled to such bounty, Tuat
method, Mr.. Fisk thought, would Go
away with the abuses which have cTept
in under the system of granting liremen,
militiamen aud veterans $500 exemp-
tion.
HENRY GEORGES PANACEA.
A pAnacea for Ii the ills OF the modern
systems of taxation WAS what Mr. George
Record enthusiastically designated the
Henry George theory of single tax,
which he advocated with all his we'll
that taxes should be abolished on all per-
sonal property and levied upon land
only.
DR.. McGill thought that this would not
work in the agricultural regions, but Mr..
Record was sure il would. Judge Hoffman
assailed Mr.. Records position and al
most every one present fired a shct or two
at him. But he maintained himself
against all comers and triumphantIv held
his position until after midnight. when
the meeting adjourned.
These monthly discussions are an ex-
cellent thing aud will do much to
strengthen the society and Increase its
naafnluaQa