The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-10
QUEENS GREAT BATTLE
Hudson's Democratic Leader
Fights in vain%r Equal
Taxation-Fake
Inquiry.
Snecsal to The .lerscn CTR Nrars

TRENTON. March 10, 1S9s.-It was
also exciting in the Assembly last
ntgnt. There were both denseiy crowd
ed galleries and ienbies and lively
scenes upon the floor of both Houses to
make the night one long to be remem-
nered. Hudson was the cause of most of
the stirring times. and equal taxation
was the means taken to wake up things
IN the Assembly chamber.
The manner in which Mr.. Queen de-
nounced Mr.. Lower and the committee
Ter again postponing the hearing after its
solemn promise to close the hearings
and report the bill. convinced the railroad
lobbyists that friends of the bill were in
earnest and would no longer brook de-
lay. They also remembered that last
week Mr.. Queen gave notice that he
Woul move to have the committee re-
iieyed from further consideration of the
bill. This would secure a vote which
would tell how great was the control
which the corporations had over the pres
eft Legislature and how deep was the
degraded servitude Of the members TO
the railroad lobby, which was just what
the leaders did not propose to have lone
il they could possibly prevent it.
so as soon as the session opened Mr..
Reed Of Somerset, who it is currently
reported is or was in the employ of the
New Jersey Central Railroad
introduced these resolutions
Whereas. The method by which the
practical and permanent solution of the
question of the taxation of railroads can
be accomplished with Justice to ali parties
and all localities is a subject of great
Importance, upon which there exists wide
diversities of opinion and a great con-
nict of evidence; and
.WhsYsas, It is 0 tspossible for this Lee
slslature without a more thorough ex-
aTnanatlon OF the subject to arrive at a
aslr tb ast Tisla e an, ct The matter except
law passed in 1884, on which the State
has been able TO dispense with a direct
tax on the property;
the Governor be and is hereby empowered
to appoint a commission to consist of five
persons as to O. be BY him selected to %inyesti,
taxation CT property in the State, and re-
port to the next session of the Legisla-
ture the result Of such Investigation,
with recommendation of such legislation
as such commission shall deem proper.
Such commission, when appointed, shall
nave fun power to use any process of the
courts OF this State to compel the attend
apee of witnesses and the production Of
books, papers and documents.
Mr.. Reed at once gave what he called
strong reasons why the resolution should
pass. He referred to the fact that some
twelve years ago, the present Governor.
John W. Griggs, was instrumental in
having passed the railroads taxation bill,
which was considered perfect In its way.
1t had passed the test of the. courts and
had been a source of considerable rev
enue to the State, so much SO that the
two leading parties of the State claimed
the distinction of conceiving and enact
ing the same. Hudson County, continued
changed and ~singulariy enough no other
county does. Somerset did not ask for II.
and he thought it would be unwise to
wipe out a system without investigating
the one that was to be submitted. ii view
of the fact that there was such a wide
diversity CT opinion on the subject there
the conditions. The Committee on Rail
roads had been listening to a number of
people ever since the opening of the ses-
duced were widely conflicting. 1t was
doubtful If the railroad committee which
had been sitting 50 long and could not
House could reach a speedy conclusion
on the merits of the bill, and therefore
q commission should be appointed by the.
present them to the Legislature for con-
sideration.
MI. Reed said the railroad law has been
open to attack for the past twelve years.
and the Democrats have been in charge
the better part Of that period and have
been assisted by Democratic Governors,
and on that account he said he felt a lifile
bit suspicious because OF the source from
which. the bill came. He said 1t might Be
tax as they ought to pay and he did not
wish to see the railroads escape one dol
lar OF taxation more than the poor man
particulars win require diiigenf inauSr
on the part Of some one especially%as-