The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-28
JOHN ". GR|GGS.
Landmarks in the Career
Of an Arch Enemy of
the People.
EQUAL TAXATION KILLED
Labor Trampled on and Rid
ieuled by the Brilliant"
Passaie Senator.
A CORPORATION LOBBYIST
How He Fought Popular Measures
Session After Session As a
Paid Attorney.
A CORPORATION LOBBYIST


THE career of John w. Griggs, the Re-
oublican candidate for Governor, is not
at all an enviahle one. The record which
he made while in the Legislature as a
man iniroical to the best interests of the
neonle has earned for him the censure of
Az host citizens of the State and a
,anu+ati tion which few men would care
r. oar-x, NFr Gripss was born at New
r,+@ ~. IN 1910 when he
ton, sussex county, 1uiy ~, A0a''
received his early education. He en-
touoa Tofa1o++a f1olrege at Easton, from
toteo --eAS'' - 14z :; 1eee r,en
which he was graouateu ~ i0Oo ,1--.;l
he entered the law office OF Robert 1aiiA-
ton and after completing the course re-
.z - r7,,i++ad - tho bar of this
quileu, was ~ ,.4o,. ,,a 7ces
State in 1871. Ihree years ldter nc "''9
admitted as a counsellor at law, and
roo7, ,f+ar,Tord ha hecama a partner of
sooii 'h'el " az NJ 1,o e,,on+
part of his time as a law student.
He was not long in practice before he
,,.z ,o,o,o1 ao,,oro+ions among his
NUMBERED seEe1ai oopoi eo7'
clients. and he was soon known as one VI
the corporation lawyers of the State. lie
formed a sort of an alliance with Garret
a HOBART Who was eiieA ".. 80 ~
POLITICAL in Paterson. and IN 1910 MI.
Hobart wishing some favorable leglsla-
tion secnrad his election to the AS
-, .,or.to,.,c 1,o,l, so
semniy. lie uld ms nlaslei
well that he was given another term the
- -: - -, 3,a 80 s,i+ bis con-
suiteu AiS ooss' nc otO ~ -
stituents, Tor the next year Wheh ne
tried for a third term he was defeated
rI+to,,,1, t,i- ,5;.+,iot wae ono of the
- .,,s =. 49,, oo,,,+v
hepuoicah seroneAoAuS III 'ne , ooi.'
His boss did not desert him. however,
and still being a power in Republican
politics. had him appointed counsel to the
ioassaic Board of Freeholders He held
this position until the same power Sc
cured for him the lucrative position of
city counsel of Paterson, the enrolments
of which he enjoyed for three years.
forgotten his career in the Assembly and
Hobart tried him again for the Legisla-
ture, this time running him for Senator
of Passaic County. This was in 1882, and
Mr.. Griggs was elected For six years he
misrepresented the people of his county.
Inimical to all measures for the amelior-
the bills which sought to decrease the
peoples burdens and favoring laws
which gave water companies and other
corporations all they asked for. When
he left the Senate he was recognized
throughout the State as the able ally OF
corporate monopoly.
A FOE OF EQUAL TAXATuON.
At the time Mr.. Griggs was in the Sen
ate railroad and canal property was. as
sessed one half of one per cent. for the
State government and nothing Tor the
school tax, nothing for county tax and
nothing for any form of municipal tax
To the expenses of the State government
contribute the sum of $495, 9.22 in 1883
Governor Ludlow insisted that relief
should be given by forcing the railroads
to pay their share of the public burdens,
and his message was supplemented by
the voice of the people from the Dela-
ware to the Hudson. A bill for equal
taxation was passed by the House OF AS
sembly, and it looked as though justice
would be done.
Mr.. Griggs claim that he was in favor
ord. Instead of taking up the Assembly
bill and amending it, if amendments We're
necessary, or urging it's passage, if it
equal taxation, Senator Griggs insisted
upon introducing a bill of his own. 1t
did not even have the merit of originality,
ern State but its introduction served the
purpose of preventing the consideration
of the House bill. No one has ever ques-
toned the Senator's legal ability, and as
lawyer he knew that a bill for taxation
could not originate in the Senate.
He knew that under the State consti,
tuition the taxation of corporations could
be accomplished only through bill ori-
ginating in the House of Assembly. lie
introduced his bill on the 9th of FEBRUARY,
1888, and it became known as "Senate
bill No. 200" 1t was entitled An act to
impose a uniform tax upon the property
of railroad companies If the title had
been amended to express the real object
of introducing that bill, it would have read
"a bill introduced to side-track the ques-
ton of equal taxation for the year 1883
weeks. reporting it on the 18th Of March .le
had agreed to adjourn sine die on the
23d of March.
LETS HIS BILL DIE.
Now, let it be remembered that the
Senate of 1888 was Republican and there
fore in political sympathy with Senator
Griggs He could at any time have
forced a report on his BILL He could at
any tina have corrected fhe mistake
made n,ss in introdncing Il as SenaIe hill
by Incorporating its provisions in amend
Assem- Assembly. He il was 7 not a a new hand at
ieglsdaeio, ta or1n,ittee ,ava NO rea sons N MAX
me i,. c4,iiae..ee e sasS rbe he sanote II ioinaJ
ing thelr report Ins nenate ssr,,, al,aa
shows that report as ioLlows: Inc c9il- S,l-
mittee on REVISION asa OF laMs reporls Is o, gho
ate bill NO. 29O adversely Ihose VINO
listen to Mr. Grigss, candidate for Coy y..
ernor. as he tells now @ ne Eta iaoqfed 3h Tor %
sprang to his feet and called for a state
ment of the reasons why Senate pln NO.