The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-10-16
A Great work for the People.

The effort to make out that John w.
Griggs is corporation man" makes
singularly opporlune presentation OF
the facts of his official record in relation
to corporations. This is done most ef-
fectively by the Jersey City journal,
which gives history of the great fight
in the Legislature in 1883 and 1884 to
compel the railroad corporations of the
State to bear their just share OF taxa
ton. In that fight John W. Griggs
was the leader on the part OF the private
Taxpayers of New Jersey, and he gave
the people of every city in the State
traversed by a railroad cause to rem ember
him with gratitude. In the year 1882
the assessed valuation of the State was
$685., ACT, 600, and the actual value OF THE
railroad property in the State approxima-
ted $3.50, 900, 000 Allowing for low valu-
alton of individual property, it was evident
that at least one fourth Of the property i'll
the State was exempt, and the whole but
den of taxation was falling upon
the other three quarters. Every
year the railroad companies added
TO their possessions, and left smaller
proportion to bear the tax. Various bills
were introduced. in the Legislature to re-
NEEDY the evil, but they were crude aud
unsatisfactory. Finally Senator Griggs
drew up u bill which he introduced on
Feb. 20, 1883, which provided for the
state board OF assessors practically as II is
now constituted. There was a bitter
fight over 1t, and II was defeated. The
fight made by Senator Griggs attracted
public attention to the injustice OF the
railroad exemptions, and showed the way
to reach the companies aud make them
bear their share of the common burden.
The State conventions of both parties that
fall took up the issue and adopted planks
favoring equitable taxation. The Demo
Gratis tried to steal the Republican thunder,
and so much noise did they make about
it that some of them still profess to be-
lieve that railroad taxation was brought
about by Democrats. But the facts are
agains, them. Before the next Senate
opened Senator Griggs began to prepare
for another fight with the railroad corpora
tions. The sequel is thus related by the
Jersey City Journal:
s'He decided to have the matter referred
to a special joint committee, with in
structions to report bill, or bills to reach
the desired end. The concurrent resolu-.
ton providing for the committee went
through, and the Senate Committee was
John w. Griggs, A. V. Schenck and
William Brirkerhoff. The House mem.
bers were r. s. Savage, j. II. Neigh.
bour and L. A. Armstrong. The part
taken by each is history, and need not be
repeated. John w. Griggs was the mo-
tive power in the committee. His bill,
No. 200, Of 1883, was the main bill re-
ported by the committee.
at was not without long and severe
struggle that Senator Griggs secured the
passage of the bill. During the delay
caused by railroad influences, Governor
Albeit, who had been elected 10 Novem
Der, 1883, drew up bill and had it intro.
duced in the House. II was almost as
crude and fully as useless as the one pre-
pared by Gator. 1t was passed in the
House, but was lost in the shuttle In the
Senate and the bill prepared by Senator
Griggs became law.
"During the sessions or 1888 and 1884
the most interesting subject OF con-
troversy and legislation was the attack
on corporations, and the vigorous defence
made by the railroad companies. The
leader and central figure in that contest was
John w. Griggs. Others aided and fol- |
lowed his lead, but TO him more than any
other man, was due the victory for the |
people, and without his aid there would |
have been no success. The results of his |
bill have been beneficial, not only to the |
State at large, but to every municipality |
crossed by railroad. The State Board |
Of Assessors was created by the Griggs
bill and the railroad companies have paid |
taxes ever since. The main revenue of
The State is now derived from this tax and
The municipalities receive taxes on rail-
way property which they did not get be-
fore the Griggs bill was placed on the
statute books. Jersey City has received
millions of dollars under the operation OF
that law, and the taxpayers of this city
and county are under obligations to Sena-
tor Griggs for the relief this income affords
hem. The city has drawn over 5000, 900
3 year ever since he achieved his mem.
orable success.
''Not only did he devise the machinery
or taxing railroads, but he provided the
plan by which ell other corporations were
axed and the revenue under the opera
ion OF his measures which the State re-
'eives from miscellaneous corporations
las reached as high as million dollars Ia
single year. He secured all that was
possible at that time, and the years that
AVE gone by since then have produced
% improvement on his scheme. II has
TODD all attacks and is still high water
mark 10 legislation for the people against
The people of this county
ave never had an opportunity OF reward