The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-12

and is independent in its uieUs on all locai
4uestioss.
The Railway Taxation Hearing.
The equal taxation hearing at Tren-
ton. yesterday, differed in one important
respect from the average performance
of the kind, in which Jersey City is rep
resented. The case of the city was not
presented by a miscellaneous gathering
or purpose or adequate information. 1t
has not been an spectacle to
see Representatives of our Board of
Trade. Goo-Goo clubs. and talking ele-
ment In general go before a Legislative
committee and contradict each other and
fangle UP the issues until they became
unintelligible. The effect of such a pro-
ceeding has always been to impede lesis-
iation. If the Legislators wished to do
anything, they were not encouraged by
the ~wrangling takers who appeared be-
fore them. If they did not wish to act,
t1Sy WciS P1oN1dSd with HI XIX CASoSN
they could desire for i~nertness.
Yesterdays presentation of the city's
case had at least the merit of being
clear. consistent. systematic and CO.
herent. It was a professional perform
ance. 1t was conducted with an eye to
the result to be attained and nothing else.
It achieved that result to this extent,
that if the committee desires to relieve
the people and wanted light to that end,
it now has that light. If it does not pro-
pose to help the people, the same light
viii serve TO show it up before the voters
in its true colors.
Jersey City in this taxation fight has
wisely provided itself with regular coun-
tanned and paid, to investigate the facts
and principles involved in the tax ques-
ton, to present them to the Legislature,
and make the fight for the city's demands.
The gentlemen thus retained have ex-
haustively examined the subject and
have laid it before the committee and
the people in their remarkable brief,
which has been published in full in TT
News" and,in many public speeches and
arguments. They have formulated the
needs of the city into two alternative
propositions, either of which will give the
ns4-x e-,ro4o-+sa1 -o1sof IT. -~-as5o5
al demagoguism, ali a~nti-monopoly shout
ing, all forms of attack upon the rail-
roads. But they nave armed themselves
with proofs of the outrageousness of the
present system, which have brought even
such railway tools as General Rushing to
offer important concessions to private
taxpayers.
The argument presented yesterday to
the committee was conducted in the same
strain Of moderation as all their previous
efforts. There was no raving or raging,
no humbug or high falutin of any kind.
and figures, from which the committee
and the Legislators in general cannot get
away.
This does not mean hat there is no
room for an appeal to the temper of the
people in this fight. It means tina this
is not the time nor are the retained coun-
sci of the city the people to make such
an appeal
This is not the time for anyone to make
II. We are willing at this stage of the
struggle to assume that every committee
man, every Senator, every Assemblyman
is an impartial judge on this question.
we are willing to assume that they will
weigh the facts, the principles of justice,
the public expediencies with scrupulous
care and with entire impartiality. We
are willing to think that their anatomies
are pervious to the x rays of truth. and
that the result will be what the people
desire.
On the basis of these assumptions, it
would be unjust and improper to comment
III Liz QtCoCil COlultlOn III tl4ll1SS Will
any sort of passion. 1t is enough to say
thai If the popular will is defeated now,
the fight will enter upon a new and very
bitter phase. 1t will not stop, because 1t
cannot stop. The people of this city, at
least. are at bay. Their necessities will
not permit them to drop the struggle. 1t
will be renewed in the next election and
In the next Legislature, and the temper
of the fight then will not be cool or de-
liberate. The people will then be ex-
asperated by their wrongs and the ac-
fion they will take may make the rail-
roads sorry that they did not come to
terms when they might have done so on
a basis of friendly compromise.
COLUMBIA CLUBS COSY QUARTERS
Columbia Club, Greenville, is now fully
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