New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-07
REPUBLICANS CONFIDENT.
ONLY SHOUTING Is LEFT.
Overwhelming Majorities Looked
For an Nesc-Jersey.


eTs and they will go bed tonight satisfied that
the conditions could not be much more promising
than they
Truth 10 say. Mr.. Blacks campaign has been
somewhat of the skyrocket order. 1t began with
much noise and display. but after the first two or
three weeks had passed it began to decline. and
with few sporadic exceptions has continued to do
so. This is explained by the facts that Mr.. Black
had only one leg to stand on. equal taxation;
that the specious way in which he first advanced
his argument made impression the people
which it seemed might be lasting, and that the
Republicans little tardy In taking care of
their end Of the situation. But Mr.. Black shot
all his ammunition at once. He has added moth
ing to the strength of his position since he made
his first speech and in the mean time the people
have become pretty well enlightened to what
equal taxation really means.
On its face, the Democratic candidates original
and only plea had very taking appearance. espe-
cally to the unthnking voter. YOU said Mr.
Black to his audiences ARE taxed your real
estate at such and such high rate. The railroads
are taxed on their real estate at much lower
rate, and the proceeds go to the State Now if the
railroads were taxed at the full local rate. for
local purposes, how much better off you would
be-, He then argued that with the railroads pay
ing so much the local taxing districts the
taxes OF individuals would necessarily be reduced
This sounded fine and friendly and John Smith
nudged his neighbor. Billy Brown and said: Il
don't see how the Republicans going to get
away from this argument"
+
But John Smith and Billy Brown had become
suclently interested to give the question further
investigation. They soon learned that the rail-
roads were taxed with few exceptions by the State
at full valuations, while the real estate OF ind-
vldual owners taxed at from 40 to 50 per cent
OF its true value. They also learned that while the
state was collecting the taxes from the rail-
ROADS 1t was paying back yearly a larger
amount amour than 1t collected to the local municipal
MI: Biacks plan OF taxation Went into effect the
State. ana would in ali probability nave to pay a
STATE tax. Continuing their investigation, it be-
real estate Of the railroads was divided up into
eoen ID different taT k districts the entity
t tEoyed and the imposition of franchise tax by
smallest result Of their INQUIRIES. BY airy means,
%a5 the &c sec that II the M progeny
holdings to the same extent the railroads their
1t came to pass that Mr., Black began to realize
a. couple OF weeks ago that his single leg was
10 give way entirely from under him. Thereupoa
attcks upon h Rpubean IN o %
1t is something of coincidence that NJ. Black
adopted this style of campaign about the
time that Judge Parker forgot his fine dignity and
RSEs9 to abuse President Roosevelt tool OF the
Il bis @ at on i tS 5s s1a
1Sd q q T49per5 a hrusf TeVson OF the
Evidently some warned him that he max
ing mistake, and he never repeated the assertion
Of accsptance Mr. Back auhched Wh n he
f S IA 9 be 5os Sa M
owned three shares of stock in one OF the con;
system and Infatuated that Mr.. Stokes was. there
or two t later Nj Black was Very bsy eXplsnin
how it was thu. he himself OWED ten shares y
| these shares as the guardian Of his nephew. but
Tnsee under the laws Of the state could not e
| gally invest the money of his wards in such Sc
he am 4 of and ref sed furthe
aiiow himself to be n8eaced By the fact that
| either one Of the candidates held a few tTifing
shares of railroad stock. but the way in which Mr.;
| Black made use of his information is pretty good
| evidence of the generally untenable ground upon
| which he has made his canvass for votes.
| DISGRACEFUL DAYS RECALLED.
1t is remarkable too how quick the people OF
the State have been to recall the disgra ceful days
| when the Democrats last ii control and to
see the very influences behind Mr.. Black az
| those which brought about Democratic defeat in
| 1897 Robert Davis. the Hudson County Democrats
| leader has not been able to conceal eagerness
| to have Mr. Black elected. Far better would it
| have been for Mr. Davis to work under cover TO
| keep thoroughly behind the mask of Black and
| effort to remain in the background He has even
! tenants from Hudson County. men who unmistak-
ably bore the trademark OF the Davis machine, to
| Ex-senator Smiths recent activity for the Demo
Of the respectable citizens Of the State TO wha:
Tribune printed the interview with Senator Smith,
| in which he SAID that dear Old Charlie Black
sent Mr. Black has been losing votes. There is
pretty strong feeling throughout the STATE that Mr.
dsinterestsd statesman SO that i ne too had KEEP
be SO desperate as they are to-day
| Essex and Hudson counties have been the prir.
these come the m3st cheering reports to the Repuh-
Senator sof he Tenq get ySry soGy s9 large
is no dscounting the intelligence OF the people in
this part Of the state and It they have MOI for
| of tax the railroads." They have reasoned the
| thing out for themselves and satisfied that
| under ex-senator Stokes and the Republican plat
| equal taxation than under Mr.. Black and the dis
In hudson County the situation is very similar
to that in Essex. Even the most enthusiastic Dem.
peter out as the campaign has drawn Ia close
and have cut down their original estimates of
ures in the neghborhood Of 1900 or 1900 Indeed
if Black gets more than 5000 in Hudson he viii
fully studied the political situation in that COUNT
were inclined TO figure that Stokes's plurality in
Essex would just about offset Blacks plurality in
Hudson. Now, however. they believe that the re-
s qf Sl Sh0" several thousand votes in favor of
of the state but in none Of these win the srP Pr55
vote for Mr.. Stokes be affected The Democrats
discredt the Republican candidate but in each
case their attack has reacted against themselves
it did in the attempt to bring Mr. stokes into
disfavor With The labor men of the State. AS The
labor record devised and ENGINEERED nv . ~,
little Democratic politicians in Trenton. who, nv
means unnecessary to mention found willing tooIs
in a local labor union to carry out their ends
There is probably not a labor man in the state
ne is really voting for or against who does not
Stokes and who does feel more friendly toward
the, Republican candidate in consequence
this Mr.. stokes, through dozen years of service
N pm9nG IRE, mas not eoinltted single blunder
task The people feel that he is acquainted with