The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-01-19
FIGHT BEGINS
NEXT WEEK
Democratic Minority Will
Oppose All Corporation
Measures Introduced
in the Legislature.
EQUAL TAX WAR 10 GO ON
Any Bill Giving Relief From
Oppression Will Get Sup
port Hamill Ready
With Measure.
EQUAL TAX WAR 10 GO ON
tspeolal q the ..Jersey clty News.,,l

Special to the Jersey city News.')
TRENTON, Jan 10, 1905.-For the
first time in twenty-five years the Hudson
County representatives in the Legislature
have failed 10 introduce bills during the
first two weeks Of the session. In former
years or when the Democrats were in
control the Hudson men could scarcely
wait for the session to open before they
began to lombard the clerks with their
bills. In those days they felt that the
earlier they presented measures the bet
ter were the chances of having them be-
come laws. Since the Republicans have
al overwhelming working majority in
both Houses everything has changed.
The Democrats consider themselves back
numbers and are reluctant to introduce
any bills until they consider it absolutely
necessary. That is why the Hudson
members have thus far failed to intro
duee any bills.
Next week things will be changed
While the Hudson men will not swell the
calendar with the Introduction of bills
which they know the Republicans will
never allow 10 pass, they will neverthe-
less buekle on their armor and begin TO
iight the majority with relentless energy.
The Democrats in caucus last Monday
reising decided to unite and combat all
Republican measures as a unit. In other
sgf:is. filsy III nd svisiiiaffy aid coflsc
tiTely strive to defeat any measure that
the Republicans may introduce in the in
serests Of corporations and against the in
serests Of the people. While they are
hopelessly in the minority and have ab-
solutely no chance Of defeating the Re
publicans they are willing to put up such
fight as viii make the weakened or
rural legislators hesitate to think before
iaeir votes are recorded. Such action has
been tried on former occasions with
marked success, and it was only when
The party lash was applied by the die
tates of a caucus that these tirnid Repub-
icans could be prevented from voting
gith the Democrats.
IF we only had few more votes in
he House." said a Hudson Assembly
nan this morning, we could make ali
Kinds of trouble for the Republicans but
with only fourteen votes against forty
six we are hopelessly in the minority.
All We can possibly do is to bark and
give the Republicans as much trouble as
possible when they attempt to push
:ltrongh their pet party measures. While
: We understand that We cannot stop them
still if we can get them fighting among
themselves We viii have accomplished
pur purpose.
Equal taxation the issue upon which
III the Hudson men were elected and
pledged seems to be the only measure
shout which the Democrats are con-
cerned. If the Republicans will intro
suce an equal taxation measure that is
not wholly in the interests Of the corpor-
ations, the Democrats will support ii
If not. the Democrats viii fight to the
last ditch and put it up to Republicans
10 make good with the people, 50 to
speak
The Dufield bill is regarded by the
Democrats as joker. They do not be-
Iieye that the Republicans are sincere
about this bill. In other words they do
moi believe that the Republicans are will
ing that this bill should become law.
but It was introduced merely to hood
wink the people and carry out the
pledges made in the Republican plat
form last fall.
If the Dufiedl bill is a Republican
measure and was intended to become
law why do the party leaders deny
my knowledge Of It previous to its in
fFefnetion,1 asked prominent Demo
efai this morning. sThe fact is that the
pnfiield bin is only feeeler and the
Republicans viii never vote for It. The
heIfsegata viii vote for Il realizing that
half loaf IS better than none st all.
While the DafieId bill does nor exactly
eatfy oElt the idea Of he Democrats re-
FafsIng equal taxation nevertheless it