The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-29
PUBLICAN HUMBUG
The Party's Claims on the
Equal Taxation Question
the Most Shameless
False Pretenses.
TRUE STORY OF HOUSE BILL 1874
1t Robs Peter 10 Pay Paul and
Does Not Increase Railroad
or Lower Individ-
ual Taxes.
Robert Davis Predicts Certain VIC
tory for the Democrats -Rous-
ing Meetings Last Evening
Political News.

AVEAtANNA A'S 49,,
That grand old humbug. the Republican
party. is just now fulfilling its annual role
of the Publican in the well known farce
Il am holier than thou" 1t stands at an
the most public places in the State, drawn
to It's fullest height, and beating its breast
like tom tom, while in the loudest voice
it commands it thanks the Almighty
that 1t is not as wicked as the Demo-
Gratis. This year 1t goes, a little furtner
than usual and prays the Almighty to
kindly observe that 1t is really rlghLeous
the welfare OF the people OF Tucson
county. The particular item which 1t
wants placed to its credit just now is the
matter of equal taxation. In the plat
form adopted at the late county conven-
tion occurs this bit of hypocrisy
Last faM the people of Hudson county
elected eleven Republican Assemblymen,
and they succeeded In passing law
whereby this county will receive from the
State treasury the sum OF wa, ,000 more
per year in cash, and Jersey City will be
benefited TO the extent of $ll4, 00U per an
mum.
More pecuniary benefit will accrue to
Hudson county from passing this law
than has resulted from any one law passed
in the last fifty years. We favor just
and equal tax to every property owner,
whether a corporation or an Individual
1t seems incredible that any body OF
men clothed In their right mind should
give utterance to any such bare faced
mendacity as this, in the light of all the
circumstances surrounding the passage or
bill No. 1874. 1t is insult to the intelli-
gence of the voters of Hudson and is put
forth for the simple purpose OF attempt
ing to deceive them into parting with their
votes just as the bunco man and green
goods swindler inveiges the ignorant and
unsophisticated agriculturist to part with
his money. But the voters OF Hudson
county are not farmers and are not to be
deceived by gold brick yarns as the Re-
publicans will discover next Tuesday
evening. How did the eleven Republicans
elected from Hudson succeed in passing a
law whereby s2o4, 900 will come to Hudson
sey City will receive A14Oo0 each year? :,
untiring agitation of the question OF equal
taxation in Hudson County, worked up
such a sentiment In favor OF the abol-
ishment of the great abuse that the Re
publican leaders saw something would
have to be done, or the lease of power
which they had just attained would be
have the opportunity to. satiate them
selves with the spoils of office. How to
do this without injuring the interests of
their masters, the corporations, was the
problem that perplexed them. After
many secret meetings between Governor
Griggs. Vice President Hobart and Cen
eral Sewell I'VE what was IS, known sgrl as the
concocted. This, it will be remembered,
provided for commission which was
sent with great flourish of trumpets to
investigate the matter and make a re-
port. 1t was understood beforehand that
this report was not to antagonize the
railroads. but the investigation was to be
conducted in manner which would make
the people believe that it was bona fide
and genuine But the people were not de-
ceived AS soon as the Commission was
named, it was apparent at once that with
one exception the commissioners were all
railroad men. So patent was this that the
affair became a matter of ridicule, and
to to- deceive eeeRae them So m ridiculous did the
Commission become that one of the COM
missioners, ex-Collector Large, one of the
original S ~ app@ointees. @ declined to serve. serve.
City and began to inquire into the mat
ter, even they, biased Republican slaves
of corporations that the majority of them
were, saw the great injustice done Jer-
Sey City, and that some relief should be
accorded. Then, again. came up the prob
lem of how to afford that relief without
costing their masters. the railroad corpor-
ations, a cent. After the commissioners
had labored over the problem No. 1874 was
born. This, as every one knows, did not
gle cent, nor in anywise affect the ques-
ton Of equal taxation. The citizen is still
taxed $3.50 on his lot, and the railroad
company just $15O on his, though they
may be of equal value. The bill
provides that the money collected for the
one-half of one per cent. tax shall be ap
Dl1GQ to the use OF lQ6 state dccOfQ1QR 10
law, except that which is assessed upon
real estate used for railroad purposes in
each taxing district in this State; all of
the tax SO assessed upon such property
being appropriated and allotted to the
various taxing districts through which
such railroads or canals run, giving to
each district the total amount of tax that
may be so derived from the property of
each railroad or canal company therein.
Thus it will be seen that rather than
do anything to interfere with the greed
-; ,f.at.y tho
tions, the great Republican party has
robbed the State of New Jersey, and is
now trying to make capital out of it's
thieving.
But even in this the Republicans were
not sincere, and they juggled the bill in
such a way that It will be some time
yet before Hudson County or Jersey City
its provisions. When the measure passed
the Republicans sang its pharisajcal
praises SO loudly. and talked of the great
Jersey City that the authorities of this
municipality placed it In its estimate of
receipts for city purposes for the year,
and leaned upon a broken reed-Republi-
can promises that it would be paid. But
what was the result? William S. Han
cock, the Republican State Treasurer and
a Republican candidate for Governor,
calmly construes the law to mean that
no money can be had under the great
Equal Taxation measure until about Feb
ruary, 1899. So much for the great benefit
the Republican party has done Jersey
City in the way of equal taxation.
This sop did not deceive the people of
Hudson County, and they took up the
fight for genuine equal taxation with re-
newed vigor The bill was introduced by
MIR. Klink and citizens of Jersey City
went to Trenton to advocate its passage.
was sent to the Committee on Railroads
and Canals, presided over by that prince
Of corporation men. Martin ]. Roll Of
Union Among his colleagues were De
OFfp0GiVa rci1rnadt ms