The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-18
KELLY ON EQUAL TAX
How His Bill 10 Assess All
Property Alike Died
in Committee.
sHAKY RECORD TO STAND ON
Taxpayers Hopes Di>pelled by the
Assemblyman's. Deliberate In
action-How He Prospers.

Mr.. Hugh A. Kelly Is seeking re-
nomination for Assembly in the Fourth
district Of tn is county. In Offering him
self to the const ltuents of that dIstrIcr
Mr. Kelly points with real or assumed
pride to the record he made while repre-
ssnttn0 that constituency in last years
Bad Legislature. Mr.. Kelly somehow
or'other has little II anything to say re.
gardipR his record upon the race track
measures; or his base actions in deserttna
Ex-Governor Abbett, the choice Of Hud-
son County for United States Senator, or
the bills he introduced and his votes ON
the Davis measures to cripple Mayor
Wanser, and to let loosea horde of reckless
vandals upon the City Treasury; or his
action and votes on the question of
passing over the Governors veto meas
ures which were intended to defeat the
will of the people 80 forci bly, expressed
at the polls in the spring. aud block the
movement for g ood clean and honest
municipal govern meut.
EQUAL TAXATION TOM TOM.
On all these subjects Mr.. Kelly and his
lieutepants are dumb. AMI they ar con-
Quoting Mr.. Kelly's campaign very much
ou thC SHLkco9 PldH u0y are 0uU0HVOE-s
Ing to distract public attention from these
unsavory acts of Mr.. Kelly with great
clamor produced by beating huge tom
tom. upon which these gentlemen have
bestowed the title of equal taxation, and
they loudly call attention to Mr.. Kelly's
record upon that question last winter.
Let as take a look at that record. Mr..
Kelly did introduce bill into the Assem-
bly, last year. which provided that there's
after all property Of railroads and canals,
whether used tor railroad and canal
purposes or not. should be assessed upon
the same plan, and pay the same rate of
taxes into the treasury OF the municipal
ity In which they are located, as other
property In the locality does.
When Mr.. Kelly introduced this bill
he spoke very glowingly and enthusi-
nsttoaily for the taclturn man he fs gene
rally supposed to be upon the subject. He
called attention TO the present law, whieh
provides that all the property used for
railroad and canal purposes throughout
the State shall be assessed by the State
Board Of Assessors aud paid az the rate
OF ons>half of one per cent. upon that
valuation into the State Treasury, and
that part of such tax only came to the
municipality in which the property was
located,
Mr.. KELLY's GOOD INTENTIONS.
Then he showed how the railroad and
canal companies. by varions devices,
managed, 30 convince the Assessors that
most all Of their property was used for
railroad purposes within the meaning of
the act. leaving brt a small portion OF the
millions of dollars worth Of real estate
which they owned free from taxation.
to the immense benefits which his
bill, IL it became law,
would be to Jersey City. Theirs
was the vast amount Of property which
the companies owned from the Commun-
fpaw shore to the Hoooksn Cityline, Now
IL pays 10 taxes i've mills on the dollar il
Mr. kelly's bill should bscome law, it
would pay twenty-seveu mills on the
dollar. over i've times as much. Think of
the vast amount of money which would
thus pour into the treasury OF Jersey
City, if MIR. Kelly's bill should become a
law; think of the public improvements:
elegantly paved streets. magnificent
public buildings, large and roomy aud
commodious schools. aud the many other
much-nesded improvements, which
would be made in Jersey City if Mr..
Mr.. kelly's bill should become a law.
In fact, AS one contemplated the scope
OF Mr.. Kelly's bill. he could n OF help but
cordially grasp Mr.. Kelly's hand and
most heartily thank nina for the great
upon Jersey City II his bill should be-
come law.
DEATH OF THE GOOD BILL.
Hut Mr.. Kslly's bill did not become a
law. 1t was referred to u COMMITTEES, as
all bills are. good, bad and indifferent,
and that was the end OF 1t. 1t was not
TO be supposed that bill which was Of
80 much interest to the largest and
wealthiest cerporations IN the State,
would be permitted to become q law
without great struggle, and the frieuds
OF equal taxation were getting rscdy to
give MIR. Kelly lift WHEN the measure
e emerged from the committee. The days
OF The session glided swiftly by aud
nothing was heard of Mr.. Kelly's great
measure for the relief of Jersey City.
The bill as evidently sleeping the
sleep that knows no waking In that
quiet and unpicturesQue legislative
cemetery Known as 1.-The Committee"
Reports csne and reports went. but
nothing as heard OF this great equal
taxation measure.
MR.. KELLY's WORK FOR HIS BILL.
W hat Gid MIR. Kelly 40 Ill this cri sis?
Did he take the floor and indignan tly
demand that the com mittee should re-
port his bill? Did he, ike Hutchinson of
Mercer and Lane of Union. when their
measures OF pl bile Importance were be-
Ing smot hered in COMMITTEES, move tn ut
the Com mittee be directed to report the
bill, and exhaust every known parlla-
mentary tactic to accomplish that end?
Not to any alarming clamor was his voice
aroused for y report on his measure, and
Jersey City. Camden and other cities in |
which large areas of railroad property
are located are still groauing under the
evils of unequal taxation. Inc Legisla-
ture adjourned March 10.
And. yet, Mr.. Kelly is. at least indi-
rectly. a taxpayer; that is to say. he has
become one since the session..
On page 1888. in LiDer 572, of deeds In
the Hudson County's Registers office. is
recorded deed in which Car oline G.
Jordan and Charles B. Joraau, her
husband, now deceased, transferred to
Margaret Kelly. wife OF Assemblyman
Hugh Kelly. u piece of property for and
in consideration of the SUN of $1,000 The
records show that this transaction took
place March II. The property
purchased by Mrs. Kelly was the brick
house at No. $50 Grove street aud was
formerly occupied by Charles T. Jordan.
The property Ia described as being the
second mouse from YORK on the north-
easterly side of Grove street.