The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-20
EQUAL TAXATION
Mr. Queen Makes One More
Fight for the
People.
HIS BILL KILLED BY THE LOBBY
Henry Y. Condict's Lecture Be-
fore the Bergen Demo-
cratic Association.
Specie. to The jersey citu Nears.

cptctCs ~ tntWeIStD I1tU AefrS.
TRENTON, March 20, 1sss.-Equal
DAY in the House. The Committee on
sttallroads and Canals, after holding the
bill during the ent.re sesslcn-it WAS the
first one Observation-Disclosures two re-
ports yesterday on the bill:-one adversely
by the majority OF the committee, and the
other a minority. report BY Mr.. Alpaugh.
Mr.. Queen moved that the minority report
be accepted, and was about TO make a
speech IN favor Of his motion when Mr..
heed moved that the rule limiting speak
ers to five minutes be enforced. That
aroused Mr.. Queens wrath and indigna-
ton, and he opjected most -strenuously to
being choked OFF in any such as
that. +
The Speaker said that the rule was an
old one, and unless the speakers time was
extended by a vote OF the House. ut would
have to be enforced. Mr.. Queen de-
the members of the House treated that
most important subject. He said they
did not even think enough Of It to read
a little pamphlet which he had prepared
showing how unjustiy the present system
worked against Jersey City. EIe had
been called everything. he said, from a
long haired crank to a highway robber
because of his advocacy OF that bill.
He bored the arguments of the conse-
quental j. Frank Fort full of holes, and
quoted law aud preeedents to show that
his bill was constitutional
son objected to Mr.. Queens further speak
son objected 10 Mr.. Queens further speak
ing, as his time was up. They. both dis
claimed any intention of being dis
courteous to the gentleman from Hudson,
but they really thought too much time
was being wasted in debate, and If ii was
allowed to continue the session would
never end.
The House rebuked these tools of the
corporations by then extending Mr..
Queens time. The Hudson member de-
the railroad lawyers argument to the
effect that the railroads were assessed to
their full value while the individuals were
showed how the Pennsylvania office build
ing was assessed at $64, 900, while the We'll
don Building was assessed at $l00, 900. He
they We're going. to make to their constitu-
ents at the polls next fall for opposing
this bill, and he warned the men from
Mercer. Middlesex and the other rural
just as Hudson was asking for it now.
Mr.. Hicks. of New Brunswick, was the
only man who undertook to reply to Mr..
Queen: He delivered a speech which
showed careful preparations, and demon
strated that young Mr.. Hicks is one of the
ever, based on the fake premises that the
rest of the State would suffer while Jer-
sey City was benefited; that the rural
Jersey City might pay its debts incurred
through corruption and extravaganza.
The speech highly tickled the railroad
loDDy, ana one OF them was SO Delighted
that he could not restrain himself, but as
soon as he caught Hicks in one of the side
rooms he congratulated him warmly.
Gee" remarked one of the third
house. "Hicks wont nave TO do much
walking this summer"
Mr.. Queens motion was, of course, de-
feated. and adverse report accepted. This,
however. does not kill Equal Taxation, as
Mr.. Hewitt's two bills are still in the com
mittee.
Mr.. Skinner, of. Essex. opposed the bill
providing for the merging of the Green
wood a Railroad Company with the
Erie Railroad Company, when it came up,
on the ground that there was not a
sufficient guarantee before the House that
double tracking and other improvements
promised. would be made on the Green
not before the House, and he thought it
an unwise thing to repeal the law Of 1885
for the benefit of this particular road.
Mr.. Robertson said that it would be a
breach of faith with the Senate for the
House not to pass this bill. 1t was well
understood that if the track elevation bill
passed this one was to be passed too.
Mr.. Skinner said that he could not un-
derstand where any breach of faith was
intended. For his part. he would vote
on the bill on its merits. as he wanted to
do h was right.
The bill was passed by a vote of AZ to f.
those in the negative being Messrs. Allen.
Cagney, Parslow and Skinner.