New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-22
TO EQUALIZE TAXATION.
NEw-JERsEY BUSINESS MEN MEET AND
DISCUSS THE SUBJECT.
AN EFFORT TO BE MADE TO OBTAIN REMEDIAL
LEG1s1.ATIoN-Bo OF TRADE OF THE
PRINCIPAL CITIES AT THE HEAD

or THE MOVEMENT
r,o,,on Sent q (speciaD.-The representatives. OF
the Boards OF Trade Of the leading cities OF me oa
met to-day il the rooms Of the Trenton BOARD OF
Trade to discuss the inequality OF the present system
Of taxation and to devise. II possible. sutaoe RENE
dos "a he secured through the enactment OF legisa
ton al It's coming session. The State Board OF ASrl
culture was also represented. and the tax queeson
received full and free discussion Henry - So'ie
president OF the Trenton Board Of Trade called the
meeting 10 order and read the call for the meeuns
He was made permanent chairman. and George w
Jessup Of the Camden Board OF Trade acted as sec
rotary.
The meeting was called by circular issued by the
Camden Board OF Trade The Boards OF Trace OF
Newark jersey City Camden. Trenton. Elizabeth
Paterson Freehold Bavonne Plainheld. New-Egypi
Hammonton Bridgeton and Bound Brook accepted
the invitation and sent delegates 10 o-days meeting
The New-Jersey Fruit Exchange Of Lock'own. the
State Grange and the State Board OF Agriculture
were also represented.
chairman Moore read the circular and asked for
suggestions as scope the discussion should take
al this meeting Joseph A. Dear. OF Jersey cry de-
cared that the organization should con1ne iiset
to "one thing al a time" The question OF taNauoh
was a large one. and only single phase OF H. suc"
for instance as the system OF taxing ralroans anu
other corpora lions should first receive attention lie
could show that there hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars within the reach OF each county II equal tax
alton is secured lie would prove this by official re-
pors These showed the totai value OF taxable prop
erty in the State 20 be ssls 1858 and Of this sum
s6 SGD ss L. owned BY individuals and the remainder
nv corporatlons The total Of taxes collected
in the State ne said is SO 100000 and Of this all ex-
cent 81 300 600 is paid by the individual although the
corporatons own fully onethird Of the property ana
the most valuable third TOO. This is gross Inequality
Mr. Dear declared In limits OF Jersey CRY there Is
$50 worth Of railroad property which is assessed
by the State and pays annually only 100000 in taxes
nc Cd al 2.
net the city the sum OF $eS20C0. This sum would
greatly relieve the overburdened business man ana
the small property and is but just. ne ADDED
Mr. Dear closed his argument by advocating local
taxation = all corporate property at local raes re
was willing 10 give the State the same amount IL no"
collected from the railroads but ne wanted the rail-
roads to pay their just share Of the burdens OF the
Govern ment.
George Jessup of Camden. said that the rates
fixed by the State Board OF Railroad Assessors
were practically local He did not believe. with
many others that the railroad companies were the
only people sinking II the cities would collect the
poll tax it would give greater immediate relief than
the suggested taxation Of railroads at local rates
The city Of Newark If she collected her poll taxes
in full would receive fully 100000 annually. and
Camden and Trenton would receive $4,000 each
Camden has suffered much from taxation. In the
last twenty years taxes have increased 100 per cent
while property values have deprecated from % TO
"
OF Taxation be urged TO insist upon the local as
SCISSOR doing his full duty The assessment OF prop
ertv should be equal but instead the assessors OF
single county vary from 90 to % per cent in fixing
valuations. -. 49,.
Francis g. Lee who called. said that me
tax laws needed a thorough revision. 1hey were
so complicated that 1t difficult. even Tor law
yers 10 understand them
Hugh n Hamill Of the Trenton Board or trade
offered a resolution that "A committee OF seven, win
President Moore and Secretary Jessup as eX-ohlcio
L.. rf.It Vifh O
whole subject. obtain data and report at meet
Ing 10 be held on October s. The following com
mittee was appointed Hugh II. Hamill; Trenton;
Joseph A Dear Jersey city. Harry F. Baker
Bound Brook. John T. Cox, Iocktown; waiter
Wood Camden: Edgar II Cook Atlantic High
lands and Franklin Dye. State Board OF Agricui-
ture.
At the meeting on October 5. the following sub
iects will be discussed. Railroad Taxation. Jo-
seph A Dear Jersey city: Pol Taxes by Mr.
Cook: Exemptions by Mr.. Baker; Farm Taxa
ton" by Mr. Dye. Taxation Of Manufacturing
Essif'ablishments by Mr. Wood A bill will also
nrobah lv he drawn for presentation At the open
ing of the Legislature. l. will be largely copied
after the Queen equal taxation bill which failed
OF passage last session. The subject ot equal tax
alton will also brought TO the attention or the
various boards Of trade throughout the state
and thoroughly discussed beween now and Election
Day.