The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-10-22


tangled up. Wen refer it to FIVE great
men,"
: Then he told how Mr.. Black, differing
from his colleagues of the various Com
missions fled minority report, arguing
that all property in the State shall be
taxed at local rates. He said the same
old trick was practiced by the Republi-
can party, which was owned and con-
trolled by the railroad interests.
Mr.. Condiet reviewed the fights made
recently for Equal Taxation by Assem-
blymeN Fielder and Hamill, and of the
old story of Republican legislature hav-
ing commission appointed He said
that the least informed citizen of the
State had been informed through the dis
tribution of literature as to the exact sit7l
uation of affairs and though not forcible
speaker, but what is far more valuable,
eloquent with figures of fact, Mr.. Con
dict prophesied that Mr.. Black would be
elected Governor of New Jersey as sure
as there is a God in Heaven. He told
his audience that prior to the present
campaign the people outside of Hudson
County had not been so we'll informed
on this subject. Now, he said, the whole
State realizes that it has been fooled.
Mr.. Coondict showed clearly the eff
forts of several of the railroad COM
panies to convert even the second class
property, taxed at S15 per 81 1000 valua-
tion into So State tax by laying spurs
OF useless track. He explained to his
audience clearly that the railroads rap
idly acquired property for future uses.
and the manner which they resorted TO
to escape local taxation. He said the
State did not need the little tax that
the railroads paid. but that the localities
in which their yards and terminii were
located did. He explained to his audi
ence how the individuals were being
thus robbed by the wealthy railroad cor
porations
Mr. Condict's speech. it must be said,
solidifed the big audience of voters for
Charles G. Black.
Assemblyman James B. Fielder. in a.
most eloquent and plain manner, review
ed theS Democratic history for the fight
Oh equal taxation. He talked as a man
who was not seeking denomination, but
as man who had thoroughly studied
the subject Spf equal taxation and who
introduced bill in the Legislature in
eral Democratic predecessors had done
the same. Mr.. Fielders plain talk is
his forte. His review of the fight first
led by Leon Albeit to make the wealthy
corporations pay their just share of local
taxation on their properties was, like
that of Mr.. Condict's speech, more elo-
quent with facts and figures than with
oratory. And Mr.. Fielder is grace
ful orator at that He pointed out the
$43.000,000 of second class railroad
property which Mr.. Stokes and his plat
form have been forced by the demands
of the people to tax at local rates. He
showed the big audience of workingmen
and property owners where, if even that
was accomplished, this city in which
was located little less than half the
S43,O00,o0o of second class property,
would be S275,000 better off next year
than this. but if Mr.. Black was elected
and Legislature permitted it, it would
be over half a million dollars better off.
In later speech the splendid old cam
paign orator and successful lawyer,
Judge Thomas f. Noonan. created
furor by remarking that he would pre-
sent the people Of Jersey City that
dliUuul- pAOtluSu tiity NOuiu fute l0T
Charles G. Black. He meant that by
so doing they would vote to give them
selves that amount. and that amount
they would only be taking from corpora
tions that robbed them.
Mr.. Fielder called attention to the fact
that Mr.. Stokes, the Republican Guber-
natorial candidate, was director of one
of the big railroads of the State as GER
titled to by Col. Sam Dickinson, as Sec
retary of State, and he asked the ques-
ton how could equal taxation be expect
ed of him. IF you elect him on a plat
form of equal taxation said Mr.. Field
er. you're going to get it right here"
and Mr.. Fielder inserted his fingers I'M
der the collar about his neck. That was
the principal gesture that Mr. Fielder
made throughout his interesting speech.
John J Treacy made most eloquent
speech-on the subject of equal taxation
1t must be said that he was more YOGI
ferously applauded than any speaker on