The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-27
spite Versus Greed in the Taxation
Question.

The s.True American" IS responsible for
further iteration OF the story hat
loerousse and Rol. and the special rail-
road gam in the Assembly are looking
for revenge for their defeat on wednes-
day by Mr.. Klink and the Hudson menu
pers apropos Of the railway taxation bills.
1t is stated that the threats of these gen.
tlemen are not uttered in the heat of pas
sion, but are cool and deliberate and
very dangerous. The story goes that
during the week Mr.. Roll and Mr.. De-
rousse were whispering about that they
had heard that the .hoggish onduct'' of
Hudson had Disguised many of the mem
bers who were inclined to help them, Sc
that now they would punish them for
their extreme s~elfshness and defeat all
the bills, even including No. 1s4, the
naeasure recommended by the Equal Tax
alton Commission.
The shoggish conduct of the Hudson
members consisted in refusing to let this
great subject be settled off-hand, on the
mere say-so of the committee. They
actually insisted on a full debate on the
three taxation bills before the House, and
a thorough ventilation of the entire sub
ject before the railroad programme was
dragooned through. This was, of course,
very hoggish. It will be very hard to
vote against the Klink bills when the
truth is laid before the Assemblymen in
debate. and when the report of the ar
guments and the statement of the vote
goes out, more than one honorable gen
tleman will feel that he is standing in
the Dillory. an object of contempt to all
honest men.
But. however ~"hoggish' the conduct Of
the Hudson men in thus insisting that
the light shall shine, we still hardly
think the Roll-Derousse gang will sue
coed in their scheme of revenge. 1t is
true, as the True American points out,
that the member from the rural districts
are really opposed to Bill No. 1874, in the
bottom of their hearts. The railroads
have educated them up to the idea
that any part of the railroad tax money
which is diverted from the State Treas
ury and turned into the Golfers of .Jer-
sey City or any other municipality from
which that money is derived is a rapid
stride toward a State tax, and thrifty
agriculturists violently oppose any such
attempt If the railroads were giving up
anything. as well, the injustice would
not seem so glaring to them. In other
words, if either Of the Klink bills were
On the tapis, however much it might
run counter to their prejudices, it would
still appeal to their sense of right. But
in No. 1874, they feel that they are being
sacrificed to railroad greed.
This measure. however, has the sane
ton of the railroads and really was in
stigated by them. No better proof of that
Is needed than the fact that it was intro
duced by the Speaker and was SO quick
" reported favorably by the Committee
on Railroads and Canals. The railroads
are most anxious to force it through,
because they hope. by doing SO. to take
the taxation issue out of the next cam
paign and to stop the entire agitation for
several years. They, therefore, will not
allow Derousse and Roll to vent their
spite. They will not allow the rural
members to suceumb to their p~rejudices.
They will dragon the bill through. and
beyond all doubt it will become law this
session.