The Penn's Grove record., 1905-04-07
Especial Correspondence

ed-New Equalization Board.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, April 5.-The n hundred
and twenty-ninth session of the New
Jersey legislature is now a matter OF
history. 1t 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 at the last moment, just when
those most interested were confident
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 in
connection with the passage of the
measure through the house. Only in a
general way were 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
for some syndicate or other that would
buy up the canal and convert the
'.ditch'' into other uses. The interest
of the state lay in the fact that the
canal and all it's property would revert
to the state in 1874, when the existing
charter would expire by limitation. So
far as it concerned the state the prop
osition embodied in the abandonment
measure was that the state should re-
ceive one-sixteenth of the net proceeds
from the sale of the canal property.
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
equal taxation has resulted in the pas
sage of the bill of Leader Duffield Of
Essex for the taxation of second class
railroad property at local rates. This
bill 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 a fixed tax rate,
which has also a connection with the
subject of equal taxation" has also
been signed by the governor. The max
imum tax rate measure does not go
into effect until the first of the year.
Just what the law will do beyond in
creasing ratables while lowering the
tax rate remains to be seen. 1t 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 it's duties. Major
Carl Lentz of Newark is president and
Assemblyman Frederick r. 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.
monson II year. The board will meet
next week to begin it's work. One Of
the powers of the new board in addi-
ton to that exercised by the old state
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.