The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-26

- tAS 0&6
ette.' which we reprint in full in another
olumn. The Gazette is the organ Of
the Republican leaders and of the rail-
road lobby-one and the same thing, by
the way. and, as it speaks. so the Legis-
lature is sure to act.
The present article occupied the entire
space in yesterdays edition devoted to
editorial matter. In order that there
might be no doubt as to its inspiration,
1t was printed in large type, double
loaded. 1t stands the order of the Boss.
1t is just the same as if General Sewell
had spoken himself. It is the death
knell of the peoples rights for his year.
at least.
1t is almost idle TO attempt to con-
trovert the sophisms which are put for
ward in this extraordinary TRADE in
justification of the villainy which it an
nourices. 1t is idle because the subject
is for the present q closed book, and all
efforts are wasted. 1t is idle, also, be-
cause the misstatements are so glaring
and the fallacies are SO shallow that not
even a South Jersey farmer can be de-
ceived by them. But it is in order to
say a word about the detestable char
acter of the journalism which prostitutes
itself to such a cause. A paper which
makes itself. as the State Gazette does,
not the organ of its party. but the organ
of the vices of its party leaders is a dis
grace to journalism. an offence to the
State and an insult to the people. 1t is
worse than the New York World
The diabolical device of the Gazette
in this vile screed is to arouse a sectional
feeling concerning his great public ques-
ton. 1t seeks to array the rest of the
State against Jersey City, by detestably
false assertion that equal taxation is
sought by Jersey City alone and would
be beneficial to it. while injuring other
regions. Even if this were true, it would
have no real bearing on the question.
Right is right, no matter who is helped
or hurt. and Jersey City is entitled to
tax all the property within her limits at
euua rates, even if by doing so she in
creased the burdens of other quarters
of the State. But, in fact. as the editor
of the State Gazette" very well knew
when he penned these impudent lies, the
present measure can in no way increase
the burden of any part of the State.
On the contrary, almost every part there
of would profit in some degree by making
the railroads pay equal taxes with other
Queen. interferes in no way whatever
with the collection Of the State tax of
one-half of one per cent. upon all rail-
way property. There is absolutely no
change whatever in this respect-not to
the extent of a penny or a mil. OF course
the editor of the Estate Gazetteer knows
this. But what is a fact to him. when
he has an Infamous purpose to accom-
piish? Furthermore. except in a very
few small places, where the tax is less
than one per cent, the entire State
with CAPS44C-iCC Iclcl lIEOuSH making
the railroads pay the local rates: and if
Mr.. Queens bill went through in Its
original shape. subjecting the main stem
to local assessment, every county, city,
town, village and hamlet in the State
would be benefited. The editor of the
Estate Gazette knows this; but the
truth does not suit the position which his
owners require him to take.
AS for the extravaganza Of Jersey city,
the less said, the better, in a Republican
paper. Be it remembered by the "state
Gazette" that seventy-hve per cent Of
the debt of this city was piled up by
Republican commissioners sent here by
a Republican Legislature. Be ii also
remembered that for fifteen years our
annual expenses have not been over
seventy-ave per cent. Of those of New
ark, which has almost continuously been
in the hands Of Republicans. so far as
its finances were concerned.
There remains the old gag about the
value Of the railway property being E
creation Of the State, which breathed
life into it by the bestowal of a franchise,
t~~t effect. This Is. Of course
erivel to which no one would resort who
had "a rational argument to advance. The
s-o1. u =s4S $ lnali.-y 0se ~ fs
estate. City lots dn Jersey City have a
value altogether independent of any rail-
way franchise. The city was here before
the railway and was prosperous and
progressive. So far from giving addition
al value to the lots which they ewn. the
railroads detract from the value Of every
lot in Hudson county by making them
more or less undesirable for residence
purposes. Real estate in cities was valu-
able before railroads were heard of and
cities ike Brooklyn and New York which
are almost entirely free from them rule
far higher in real estate values than those
which they intersect.
The railroads bring Jersey city Moth