The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-03

FOR HONEST MEASURE
Aldermen Pass the New
Ordinance Taxing
Merchants.
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION PROTEST
They Will Now Try to Per-
suade the Mayor to
Veto the Act.
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION PROTEST

BY a vote of 10 to 2 the Aldermen last
night at their meeting passed the ordi-
nance imposing upon merchants a tax OF
two cents on every scale, weight, meas
ure. measuring stick or other contrivance
used by them in the prosecution of their
business.
Mayor Hoos will be appealed to to veto
the ordinance by certain business men,
but ever should His Honor pursue that
course it is more thar likely that the or
dinance would be repassed over u veto
The principal object of the ordinance Is
to make the department of the Inspector
of Scales. Weights and Measures self-sus-
tanning. The proposition to impose a tax
upon merchants was submitted to Mayor
Hoos two months ago. For more h a
month the Mayor opposed the movement,
insisting that merchants were already
taxed pretty well for every privilege they
enjoy. While the subject was under dis
cussion certain reputable business men
waited on the Mayor and expressed it as
their belief that the movement would be
a popular one among the leading mer-
chants. They declared that such an or
dinanee as was proposed would put an
end to short measure and short weight
being given consumers. Similar ordinances
are in operation in other large cities and
work to the interest of merchants. Bust
ness men who have studied the ordinance
insist that the new tax could not exceed
SIP in any one year.
Monday evening the Merchants Protec-
tive Association of the Heights met and
denounced the ordinance, declaring hat
"a -~1-11 - ;os,A+;oAa ~ +horo Tho
| argument that the ordinance vas intend
ed to benefit the public generally was an
swered by the contention that it was
unfair to benefit the public at the ex-
pense of a few struggling merchants.
Last night a committee from the Mer-
chants Protective Association attended
the meeting of the Aldermen. There
were in the committee Messrs. j. w.
Beach. James E. Banks, D. Crlchton,
Henry Lane, A. A. Smith, J. Schellen-
berger, Robert Anderson. Henry Hoersch,
A. A. Sweezey. Richard Lahey, u. G.
| Meyer, J. w. Black, G. A. Kaufman and
S. Newton. The committee presented a
! communication from the association they
represented asking that final action on
| the ordinance be deferred and a hearing
granted to a committee of the associa-
tion. The communication, upon the rec
o~mmendation of Alderman Howeth, was
referred to the Committee on Laws and
Ordinances, with the understanding that
the hearing asked Tor be granted. Inc
Democratic Aldermen went INTO caucus
shortly after the merchants eomtnahiea-
ton nad oeen reaa ana man pehiHu
| closed doors until midnight. The com
| mittee of merchants, with the single ex-
cepeion q Seeietais -NeMto,' ! ~ :
d noui ., = aio )
1919
- ,r.
a. a~a 49, a. ,ronahan+e pro,
taatsa assooia4saa ~ $500
49,. ~
- - SSl4. -
7INets ~. 49,
S'Hie : - -
seeiaeioh on oda ato 'i'l !" mn
.es iao zen ~ my q : oiee - isduest -
1AloeIineh 70 iAahe SOME ehanses ~ lns
ofaiiahcs' what cAanses "ere inoSl ue'
slred ne was nc prepared 70 state
"o1 course said Alderman Steli' aa-
dressing the Democratic Aldermen, you
have the votes and Will pass this ordln-
ance. 1t ihouid not pc passed IN lis pres
emit form. The very first section is SUI
Eremely ridiculous, as it gives the Inspec-
tor authority to enter a mans store as
often as he pleases and subjects him to
the inconvenience and expense of an ex-
mination of his scales, weights and
measures. Tie ordinance, in my opinion,
rather than working benefit. will drive
business from the citv. The fees the In
spector will GET under his ordinance will
roach five mr. nerhans six thousand dol
lars a year
The Alderman finally moved that con
.. a1-
slaelaeion y me ofuihaice pe inoeiiihteis
postponed. The motion was not seconded
"Everv word in that ordinance said
= VIC 90
Alderman Cainon' ieaaer OF the majority
SIS for protection against fraud, and for
the beneft of the moor. to whom it will
- -. -.
thew purchase. / do not charge that any