The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-23
TINKERING NO. 1S4
Railroad Men Pushing a
Measure to Give Jersey
City Taxation
Relief.
CORPORATIONS LOSE NOTHING By IT
Senate Quibbles Over a Word in
the Assembly Bills Ad-
journment in Sight?
CORPORATIONS LOSE NOTHING By IT
special to the JERSEY etts Ncsps.


TRENTON, March %, 1S97.-House bin
No. 1S4, known as the Equal Taxation
Commissioners bill, had a narrow escape
from shipwreck last evening in the Sem
ate. This is the measure introduced by
Mr.. Derousse and embodies the recon-
mendations made by the Commissioners
appointed last year to investigate the sub
5ect of railroad taxation. 1t gave to the
various taxing districts the one-half OF
one per cent. now retained by the State.
This measure. it will be remembered,
passed the House by very close shave.
Last evenings discussion was not
aimed so much at the question of taxation
as to a squabble between the lawyers of
the Senate as to the proper construction
of the word ..is" Taxation. however.
received a share of the honors. 1t was
the first time the great equal taxation
problem was talked at all in the Senate.
When the bill was placed on third read
ing Mr.. VOORHEES, urged its passage Mr.
Daily supplemented the remark of Mr..
Voorhees, Il would much rather" said
Mr.. DAILY, ''that equal taxation had been
created rather than the measure that
Is presented. I do not suppose that the
mere accepts nee of this measure by this
Legislature win stop the agitation for
equal taxation. 1t will go on until jus
tice is done the people of Jersey City.
vote for this bill because it is the best
that can be accomplished at this time.
So far as I am personally concerned
will never cease my efforts to accom-
plish equal taxation
Mr.. johnson of Bergen county said the
S11ra uras of croaf frrnporfarca ssTt
takes s2o5, ,0O0," he said, sout of the State
treasury for all time to come" He then
raised the question as to whether the
money was to be paid out of the assess
ments made for this year, or whether it
would not go into effect until next year.
Mr.. VOORHEES, thought the measure very
plain and that it provided not for tie
assessments already made, but those that
would be made hereafter. Mr.. Voorhees,
then warmed up and said: This is not
purely local fight. It is a question
whether large part of the State shall
be relieved. I feel confident that if this
bill is amended it will never see day
light on the other side"
Mr.. Voorhees, said the party was
pledged to pass this measure and he sug-
sested that supplemental bill be in
troduced and passed providing that the
money should not be paid until next year.
This could be sent to the House for ac-
ton without placing No. 1874 in Jeopardy.
Mr.. Daily said that on the property al
ready assessed the tax belonged to the
State. He held that the courts would
construe the act favorable to the State.
But, continuing. he argued that even if
the bill appropriated the sos 900 this year.
It would still be the proper thing to pass
the btll You want to bear in mind"
he said, that the locality which is most
heavily affected. has virtually maintained
your State institutions for twenty-five
years" Mr.. DAILY closed by saying that
1t was manifestly unfair on the eve of
adjournment to longer continue the in
justice against the people.
Mr. VOORHEES, suggested that the bill be
passed and left with the Committee on
could be passed.
Mr.. Reed said it seemed that the SEN
ate was tryinA to arrive at "a scheme
pie wanted equal taxation so badly the
House would not stand in the way.
Mr.. Kuhl said the Senate was getting
into wrangle over something in which
there was no reason at all. The law,
he thought, was perfect.
On motion of Mr.. Johnson the bill was
laid over until this afternoon. Before the
motion was put Mr. Williams said that
he felt safe in asserting that If the House
did not agree to Mr.. Voorhees, supple
mental bill No. 1S4 would then be passed
by the Senate. This would be done ag a
party promise.
A new bill containing clause to the
effect that the money should not go to
the municipalities until the next fiscal
year, was introduced by Mr. Voorhees,
and put on second reading at once. Be-
fore the evening was over the question
was raised whether the measure was not
a revenue producing measure and should
originate in the House. Some thought it
was and others thought it wasn't. SEN
ator Johnson, Mr.. Edwards and Mayor
Wanser went into the Governors room
and after a consultation with Mr. Griggs
concluded that in order to allay any aues-
ton which might arise 1t would be better
to introduce the bill in the House, The
Assembly was kept waiting until nearly
midnight, when the gentlemen sailed into
the House with the measure. Mr. De-
rousse introduced it and 1t was rushed to
second reading. The bill will go through
both Houses with rush.
IN