New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-12
FIRST-EQUAL TAXATION.
CONGRESSMAN M'EWAN THINKS ruAa
TAX REFORM IS 4 Pressing. NEED
THE PRESENT LAW Is NOT REFLEX OF tn,
feelings OF THE PECPLE-IT PROVIDES A
VAST Fund FOR CORRUPT PURPOSES
THE FEDERAL COURTS SHOULD
PASS on IT.

PASS Oh IT.
Congressman Taplnls Mci:wnn was tie y.
publican leader IN the New-Jersey House or
! Assembly two years ag,. n rts) ne To- a Com.
munication asking whi'. in his opinion. IN.
State Legislature should d.. be sends tie FOL.
! lowing:
| To tho Editor OF The Tribune
| SIR: Promptly with the opening 81 the New.Ier,.v
Legisa the people Of Hudson and Essex coun,e,
ought 10 begin organized effort 10 have Il pass
law giving equal taxation II Is one Of those propo
sltons which. by their statement should carry
conviction. The proposition is that each dollar Of
! v.lrc should bear the rate OF tax that any
other dollar of value bears in the same taxing d..
! trct. When fui In this form there seems 10 be no
room for dissent Yet in HUDSON County the ind.
| vdual taxpayers pay 81 IS per 800 while railroads
| pay 81 per 500 for local purposes. I DO think
! that any Legislature would pass law OF such
IN unfair nature II it were lef, entirely 70 their
best judgment Orher and baser means must have
| been adopted.
Nor DO I think that he subsequen, legislatures
| tn,t refused to pass iGsi AMI equal taxation aw
reflected the feelings and views OF their constituency
no matter from what county the Legislator cane
| No New jersey constituency desires 10 have OF
TWO counties pay burdens that the whole state ought
TO bear. Their pride IL great 20 permit them 10
| live of the charity Of county that can III AFFORD
II. "
by unjust law These Jerseymea have 100 much
manhood to seck by oppression to exact from ore
section that which should ~ borne rafaoy BY ALL
1t wool be just fair for the representatives, Of
all the ,rger cities TO combine IN the Legislative
20 enact law that all seaboari. or all agricultural
or forested counties shall be taxed at per cent %
the value OF their rstablss. matter what the 10
cal Is. and that per cent Of the amount cob
lected shall he paid the State for state purposa
This would comply with the construction given By
the courts TO the clause in the constitution upon
which the railroads depend for the maintenance OF
the present Railroad Tax law. The clause that
Property shall be assessed for taxes under general
laws and by uniform rules. according 70 it, tue
value" The courts have held this to mean that 81
property OF tho same class shall BE- assessed rot
taNes under general laws etc. This construction
would OF necessity be applied by ne court. 20 ~
the seaboard land as t. Ike rahro1is' .Ou cI,s
many counties. and j. not In one Only. 80 wa
lands given up 70 agriculture or 10 tree grosmS
These are found in more than one county IN esea
case it would be OF The same class
THE FEDERAL COURTS SHOULD BE A'
PEALED To
The New-Jelsey courts have upheld the Ralross
Tax law but the United States courts have ~
been apul.ed to yet When i,e question Is submit
ted to Il. my judgment AMI hope ~ that the UhN~
States court, at least. the higher courts VIII ~
that the tax is on the value per dollar. ana not
the class u property. have not looked up tne ~
cis!ors hu, venture the assertion that decsoa
similar to that made by the Ne"-Jersey courts VIZ
be found nowhere else ir the civilized word
In all fairness to a sister county. the people
other counties should ask their representatives
put an end 70 this Law. that bears with great or
preston on one or two counties ana not al III '"
/, would have been adjusted long ago. had %;
the same political managers. both 81 nstuess s ar
OF coraoracns found that me present ms r, ara
ablod them 70 collect large lund oy %. M ss,rsys.
ton which fund paid on; In eNcesslys sAm w re
gances in Stlte matters. mat were arr 49, recent
State House frauds. Had the state been 81 s On.
by direct tax coming rom ne ~ psy heir right:
full share in each taxing district ne a'J innSressed
hy each taxpayer would no' nav no",d show row
much OF the amount TO be used for s s.Hf and
poses II IN ore year ihe amo1 IN, State purposes
the taxpayers. having the anounI az IN px-
their tax bills. before ,heir esss "Sulr sTnmsn was
ton to Judge whether TIC State GoS sr would e
economically administered. II 50 'meS ri, larger
kcIy TO eoniinne the psa l" ,bs" would demand
the reason ard n not given 10 m'" no br,gsnda
they would SO at the polls Ihs ,ss Sic
who make their forays on one or me o."yii in ne
| the political mountain. hut divide me SPINS
| same rendezvous NJ the top 90 MOI WAN"
THE BURDEN WOULD NOT RE CREATE"
The amount I'm the aggregate collected ,o% a
| railroads and the people OF counties 0a'' ..nA
| Hudson and Ess,x counties, would ho' - ~
| greater than now paid by them. but It ~o'%
| distributed differently. More would ne "'' o
remain In the counties where the taNaU' 1000
IL bur less would be given the state tor psss az
OF corruption. ana for excessive anu
preparation. ,,, ,,. q, 7s per ~
of vaIIation from individual taxpayers asa,e1tn-
cent per 500 OF valuation from ralifoa,ss and
everythlny else that enters into the tax ie' slrcsa
interest is OF necessity, given TO ,leer,ionstsy
nruperty than to tina; Of individuals prope' ~ each
IN the value Of the respective holnins "a lntAn'
without considering the amount spent W With
,ny arm ,ries and militia. and the HequeSnn' sher&
witch they demand the protection OF INV
and his posse. h.,suse OF Do
p,i,h in me Justice OF her claim, that ~ ~ ned
men will come TO her support IN her '' u, 'stdnSu
broupht on by this grossly unfair law. !"
have passed an Equal Taxation i.aWwrvAN H.