The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-09
rBxL<rsLx0x ABBEfT.
Sketch Of tho Noted HAiIrsad-Taxing
Gov.raor Of New Jerssy.


Leon Albeit, Ex-Governor OF New Jer,
seq and Democratic CHAMPION, WHY N.Y.
in Jersey Gay TUESDAY afternoon Was
born IN Philadelphia, on Octoper o. aovo
HIS law studies were pursued III the oihve
OK DIstrict-Attorney Ashheau, VI ~
adeiphia, and he was aoniltted "
bar In 1857. In the same year ne remover
10 New York and began the prhcuce VI
law there. Eight years after ne was au
mItted TO the New Jersey Dar' anu nao
appointed corporation counsel LOT nvpo
ken. which position he mas also helo III
jersey City. he was the speaker OF the
State Assembly in lsbS-os, "A member OF
the State senate In 1874 ana its president
In 1871, and finally Governor OF the state.
II was IN the state Senate tnat Mr.. Ar
belts political career really began. he
had merely felt mis- way ana laid the
foundations during his service In the AS,
sembly. In the Senate ne was confronted
by great questions of state. that he MADE
even greater than they were by the skill
with which he discussed them: ~ was
then that he forced the topic OF raiiroau
taxation into a commanding prominence
that enabled HIM to catch the popular eye
by his subsequent treatment OF IL. Ihat
the Senate was made up or men scarceiy
less able than himself nerved MN 10 ms
best endeavors and made his trinmphs
all the more notable.
Posing as a champion of the people
and of the laborlng man, he became
distinctive figure in State politics. Henry
c. Kelsey, Theodore r. Randolph ana
Henry Stafford Little were the cnlefs In
the direction of party affairs at me titne.
He did not belong TO their set: they
wouldn't let him belong to IT, and he
saw that II he would achieve higner
honors, he must first break their power.
They became known in the end as kid
gloves" he as q short hair and before
long he and they were engaged in fierce
battle for the supremacy In the STATE.
A year or two later a new governor was
no es b snd sb AsSe State House
managers deemed 1t wise to go into the
battle without a can>Sdate. Their
strength was at the\ service OF any man
who could defeat the Hudson champion.
They played the field against him.
He had secured enough delegates In the
convention to win, but Orestes CLEVELAND,
who owed him grudge, sprung General
George b. Mcclellan on the convention,
and Albeit was beaten. The next time
Gle, Gland had the convention well In
hand, but Albeit had himself elected
chan man, and succeeded III turning the
tables with a vengeance by having him
self nominated, instead, and tnen by the
hardest kind of campaigning In being
elected.
TIE railroads at that time were defy
ing the taxing power of the State. They
claimed exemption from taxation by VIZ
tue of irrepeaable charters that had been
granted to them away back in the forues
as a part Of the States policy TO en-
courage the building of railroads and 81
help the development OF her resources.
They paid fees into the State treasury
that were nowhere commensurate with
their earnings, in lieu of taxes; great
areas OF property, worth millions, covered
by the depots and railroad shops and car
yards, were withdrawn from the taxables
Of many cities; the individual taxpayers
paid the taxes on these in their own In
creased tax bills.
Governor Albeit proposed 10 put an
end to this, and I'm spite of railroad con-
troll of the Legislature, forced through
fa,, ~afl 70 ri
The passage of that act was the most
notable piece Of tax legislation that had
been written upon the statute BOOKS IN
half a century. The railroads, which
used to pay about 800 900 toward The sup
port of the Commonwealth and OF the
municipalities where they have property
now pay close TO 2,0CCOO, ana since Ap-
bett began his first administration no
tax has been imposed upon the people
for the maintenance OF the State Govern
ment. To his greater credit. even, ne pur-
sued the railroad companies with such
relentless vigor that they all bought their
peace with him by giving up their ire
pealable contracts, exemptions and all
and made themselves amenable to the
control of the State. The earned reward
of these services in the popular behalf
was the United States Senatorshlp, winch
lay at the end of his gubernatorial term.
But a little cabal of politicians, some
corrupt and some vindctiVe, cheated MN
out of IL and threw the mantle or honor
around the shoulders of surprised rall-
road superintendent, who had little
office way down among the pines some
whore.
A popular canvass for the senatorshp
having thus been crowned with disap-
pointment, the Governor lost faith In
the people and determined to seize the
office in spite of them. 1t was with this
purpose in view that he sought the Gov
ernorship three years ago. He had no
sooner taken possession of the executive
department than he began TO seize one
popular function after the other with the
deliberate purpose of putting tie people
under his heel and walking over their
necks to the prize he proposed TO take
from them The history of his move
ments toward the accomplishment of
this end has been too recently made to
make it necessary that 1t should be re-
counted here. The result everybody
knows-the people rose in their might,
threw their oppressor from them and
conferred the honor of the second sena-
torship he sought upon another.
His spirit was then broken, and he an
nounced his retirement from active polit-
ical life. With that object in view, he
asked for and obtained the appointment
of a Supreme Court Judgeshp, which po-
cft ha ha11