The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-19
PLEA FOR RAILROADS
James Vredenburgh.s Ar
gument Against Equal
Taxation Before the
House Committee.
MR.. EDWARDS SHARP REPLY
The Hearing Goes Off Another
Week at the Request Of
Flavel McGee.
MIR. EDWARDS SHARP REPLY
specsa. to the Jersey CITY Ne,os.

TRENTON, Feb 10, 1S7.-The Commit
tee on Railroads and Canals of the House
continued yesterday afternoon the hear
ing on Mr.. Kinks bill, which provides
that all second-class railroad property
shall be assessed at the same rate and
in the same manner as individual prop
erty by the officers and for the use Of
the municipality in which it is located.
There was comparatively few in the
chamber when the hearing began. Mayor
Wanser Edlow w. Harrison and William
D. Edwards and Asemblyman Klink rep
resented Jersey City.
The proceedings were brief. Mr.. James
Vredenburgh, representing the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. was the principal speak
er, but as he expected every minute to
be called to the Supreme Court Chamber
to argue case he spoke only a short
time.
Mr.. Vredenburgh's argument was simk-
lar to that which he presented before tlf0
Commission appointed by Governor
Griygs to inquire into the subject Of
equal taxation. and he has delivered be-
fore, the committee every session of the
years this question has been before tho
Legislature. His main points were that
the railroads paid their full share of the
taxes because their property was assessed
at its full value, while that of individuals
was not. and that If Jersey City collected
its personal taxes there would be no trou-
Bile. He illustrated his first point by the
Evening Journal one-half OF which
was recently sold for. s1500Oo. and yet the
whole concern was assessed at only $4,000.
He read the resolution under which the
Equal Taxation Commission was appoints
ed. and said that the railroads brought
evidence before the Commissioners to
show that the owners of personal prop
erty in Jersey City were making the own Z
ers of real property bear all the burden
of taxation.
erty in Jersey City. he declared, which
did not pay taxes Large manufacturing
concerns in Jersey City, because the as
SCISSORS showed them favors in the mat
ter of taxation, and when asked why they
did that the assessors plainly stated that
they did not assess these corporations
as they should be assessed lest they
should drive them out of the State.
Moreover, the railroads paid what others
did not-a tax on their franchise. which
was a tax ON THAR capacity. to earn money.
AS the Equal Taxation Commission had
listened attentively to both sides of the
question and thoroughly studied 1t in
all its aspects, their conclusion. he de-
clared. should be final. and the committee
had nothing to- do with the subject
Every acre of land which the railroads
owned in Jersey City paid $762 tax, while
each acre owned by an individual paid
only 1886. The railroads own one forty
fifth Of the property of Jersey City and
paid one-ffteenth Of the taxes.
M. vredenburgh read an article from
''rhe Jersey City News showing the eff
forts which Jersey City was making TO
collect her taxes. A list of the delin-
quellts closed the article. but Mr.. vre-
denburgh said ne would not read it.
which caused those present from Jersey
City to smile.
Continuing in this .line he went back
to the argument that the railroads were
assessed upon every dollar of their per-
sonsLl property, while no attempt was
made to collect the personal taxes of
citizens. There were only SS0O0,00o of
personal property in Jersey City, while
Newark. a city only a little larger, paid
taxes on a much larger amount. He
dwelt upon that part of the Commission
er's report, signed by one member only,
General James F. Rushing. which said that
no fair attempt was made to collect taxes
on personal property in Jersey City.
Mr.. Vredenburgh then begged the
committee to excuse him.
Mr. Edwards asked the committee If he
could speak for five minutes, and Chair
man Roll said that the committee would
listen to him with pleasure. Mr.. Ed
wards then said:-
THE astute counsel has overlooked one
the relief of individuals, but for the equal
ization of taxes. and If he believes what
he says-that his company is paying too
much taxes-this bill will give it relief.
If any company is paying too much, the
amount will be cut down. If there is
anything unfair about the present sys-
tenn under this bill a tribunal which has
always been fair to the railroads will
make it right.
Jersey City contributes to the State in
railroad taxes s919,2o0. The railroads pay
altogether in the State $1,500e00. Thus
enc city in the smallest county terrific
rally in the State pays nine-fifteenths Of
all the railroad tax paid in the State, and
gets back only two-fifteenths. Is there
anything equal or just about that?''
Mr.. Edwards then referred to Mr. Vre-
denhurgh's complaint that the miscella-
neous corporations were not assessed as
the railroads were. In 1884. he said, the
railroads paid $685. ,0oe taxes and the other
corporations s195.oO0 In 1896, however,
the railroads paid s225.o .oeO and the cor
porations N,092,00o.
Mr.. vredenburgh complained that the
Intangible personal property Of the mis-
cellaneous corporations was not assessed.
Suppose we did assess that property"
asked Mr.. Edwards, ''how long would
those corporations remain in the State,
and if they moved away, where would
you get your revenue from to run your
State government? Mr.. vredenburgh said
that the railroads alone pay franchise
tax Why, the liquor men pay fran
chise tax, and so do the traction COM
panies in some cities. There is nothing
in the report of the Equal Taxation Com
missioners which says that the railroads
pay their full share Of taxes
This ending the speaking for the day,
Chairman Roll said he had just re-
ceived a letter from Flavel MCGEE. coun-
sci for the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western Railroad Company. saying that
1t was impossible for him to attend that
meeting of the committee,. and asking
that he be allowed to appear another
day. As the committee wished to be alb
solutely fair In the matter and give all
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