The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-02-20
NEW JERSEY
LEGISLATURE
TooNrINUED FROM FIRST PAeE.l


Middlesex authorizes towns and Dor
oughs owning water, sewer and light
ing systems to appoint a board Of
works; Mr. Martin authorizes frs
class cities to purchase lands and erect
houses for the use and accommodation
of fire and police departments; Mr.. Ar
rowsmith places schoolteachers on pen
sions who have served forty years; Mr.
Barber of Mercer makes the road com
missioner's salary $4,000 and that Of
the supervisor of roads $500; Mr.. Hill
4 dreth repeats act Of 1896 regulating
| fishing by steam and other vessels with
shurred or purse seines and requiring Q
license; Mr. Berg provides for sum
| mary review by justice Of supreme
court of proceedings and Judgment rem
.dered by any fire board or commission.
er in connection with the supervision
| dismissal, retirement or reduction In
rank of members; Mr. Morgan requires
all commissions, boards and state Off
GERS to report to the governor unless
otherwise directed ten days previous ia
meeting Of legislature, and If the re-
| ports are to be printed these must be
delivered on opening day; Mr.. Burk ex.
tends term of offices of persons chosen
or appointed by municipal boards or
bodies to Jan. / next succeeding the
day at which their term of office would
otherwise expire; Mr.. Heck requires all
ferryboats plying a distance of two
miles or more between points to have
toilet rooms.
Hearing on Morris Canal Bills.
Two important hearings were held
yesterday wednesday,. One of these
was public hearing on the two Morris
canal bills. The first of the canal bills,
| introduced by Mr.. Mills, is almost an
exact duplicate of the measure intro
duced last winter and passed In the
house. but stopped in the senate by
bribery charges. The second canal bill
was presented by Assemblyman Prince
and provides that the canal company
must operate the canal or surrender
| its charter.
The second important hearing which
occupied considerable time was on Sen
utOl OdNhGVh . I'LL yA4NlAA9 SOoAtJ OAI-
GERS in second class counties on a sal
airy basis instead of fees. There is
great interest manifested in this meas
ure, and it is likely to be passed with
out much difficulty.
Senator Hillery's substitute for his
maximum tax act presented last week,
is causing considerable discussion. 1t
is intended to let municipalities hav-
ing high tax rate down by easy
stages to the $1.75 rate, which is made
the maximum under the proposed law.
1t gives these communities time to adj
Just their finances and advance prop
erty assessments so as. to produce the
necessary amount for the financial
budget under the lower tax rate. Sen
ator Hillery's bill is essentially com
promise measure and as such is likely
to be adopted aud become law.
Limited Franchise Measures.
Senator Minturn of Hudson was be-
fore the senate municipal corporations
committee this afternoon to speak on
the senate limited franchise measures.
He argued for his own bill Senate, No.
TO-, saying the time was fast approach
ing when the municipalities would own
for the people of the state all public
utility corporations, and therefore he
believed that five years were enough to
give a corporation. He was the only
speaker and his remarks were in the
nature Of a good natured talk with the
committee.
The house committee on municipal
corporations and the judiciary commit
tee gave hearing Tuesday afternoon
on house bills Nos. "a and H. which are
meant to tax railroads and trolley
roads per cent per annum for fran
chise values. Senator Colby commenc-
ed the hearing by the declaration that
it was time the franchise values Of
great railroads and trolley roads were
taxed. He introduced the next speaker
/ Harrison Van Duyn of Newark.
Mr.. Van Duyn argued that the state
board Of assessors should assess fran
! chise values and certify to the taxing
district the amount of moneys coming
as a matter of tax to the local districts
He threatened that If the legislators did
| not make a move to assess franchises
Of these great corporations other mer
would iii the legislators chairs mex
winter.
George L. Record Of Jersey City in
dorsed the remarks Of Mr.. Van Duyr
and instanced the sale of the franchise
value Of Jersey City trolley lines which
were bought by the Public Service cor
4 poration for $4,00O0O0, although th,
property was all run down and only
valuable because of this franchise val
ue
He contended that franchise value
was capable Of ascertainment anC
should be taxed as a house Is taxed, OF
its tangible value He asserted tina
this class Of property was the castles
of ascertainment Of any property.
Mr.. Record said this great franchise
value had entirely escaped taxation
and he said that these values wer,
daily growing enormously in value.
THE fight in Congress over railroa'
rate legislation is still going on and !
, getting more confusing and uncertain
every day. The President has no
surrendered, despite the fact that tn
speech Of Senator Lodge on Monday
in which he made an urgent appea
for a court review provision in th
Hepburn bill, was said to be inspires