Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-04-13
JERSEY LEGISLATURE.
Hundred and T wenty-ninth Ses-
sion Now a Matter of History.
NO PARTISAN LAWS ENACTED.

Abandonment Bill Probably Due 10
Newspaper Charges of Bribery.
DufEield Equal Taxation Bill Sign
ed-NeW Equalization Board.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, April 5.-The one hundred
and twenty session of the New
Jersey legislature is now matter of
history. Ii is difficult at this time to
size up the full results of the session
1t may be stated, however, without
bias that in the term just closed there
was a total absence of offensive par
tisanship in the legislation enacted,
and, whatever of good there was left
undone, there was no really vicious
law passed.
One of the most bitterly criticised
bills Of the term was the Morris canal
abandonment measure. 1t failed of pas
sage ut the last moment, just when
those most Interested We're confident
4 Of success. It is not at all improbable
+ that the bill would have passed the
senate were it not for the newspaper
charges that there had been bribery i'll
connection with the passage of the
measure through the house. Only in Il
general way We're the provisions of the
bill understood by most people. The
activity of the corporate interests in
the measure heightened the suspicion
that there were millions in the project
I for some syndicate or other that would
buy up the canal and convert the
/ ditch" into other uses. The interest
4 of the state lay i'll the fact that the
canal and all its property would revert
to the state in 1874. when the existing
/ charter would expire by limitation. So
4 far as ii concerned the state the prop
osition embodied in the abandonment
measure was that the state should re-
1 ceive one-sixteenth of the net proceeds
I from the sale Of the canal property.
4 The deferring of the whole matter to
| another session has met with general
approval.
Equal Taxation Bill Signed.
Last falls agitation on the subject of
4 equal taxation has resulted in the pas
sage of the bill of Leader Duffield of
I Essex for the taxation of second class
/ railroad property at local rates. This
bin has just been signed by the gov
ernor. The new law will cost the rail-
roads probably not less than 100000 a
! year. The bill for fixed tax rate,
which has also Il connection with the
subject of equal taxation" has also
been signed by the governor. The max
/ imum tax rate measure does not so
4 into effect until the first of the year.
! Just what the law will do beyond in
/ creasing ratables while lowering the
4 tax rate remains TO be seen. Lit will no
/ doubt reduce municipal expenditures,
/ but it will also very likely force a con-
\ dition that will lead to the raising of
more money for municipal purposes by
! indirect taxation.
The new equalization board has al
ready entered upon its duties. Major
Carl Lentz Of Newark is president and
I Assemblyman Frederick K. Lehlbach
has been chosen secretary, with Miss
agnes Provost, clerk in the former
state board. of taxation. as assistant
secretary. OF the commissioners of the
new board Major Lentz is to serve the
/ full five year term, Judge Armstrong
four years. Mr. Black, the late Demo-
cratic gubernatorial candidate. three
years, Mr. Trick two years and Mr.. ST
monsoon one year. The board will meet
next week to begin its work. One of
! the powers of the new board in addi-
/ ton to that exercised by the old state
4 tax board is that it will not only have
power to decrease, but it will also have
/ the right to increase, the taxable valu-
alton of the property of individuals and
corporations.
Wild Rumors AfIoat-
Ever since the close of the legislative
session last Friday morning there have
4 been wild rumors about the Hillery
maximum tax rate bill becoming law
without haying been passed by the SEN
ate and the consequent necessity of an
4 aytra SacSinn nf fha ipoiSlat fire tn f.nI.-