The Jersey City news., 1906-01-11
Wave of Reform in the State
Threatens He Thinks, to
Engulf the Republican
Party
TIDE MUST Sc sTEMMED
SO IT is LIKELY THERE WILL BE
ENOUGH EQUAL TAX AND
FRANCHISE LEGISLATION TO
PLACATE THE REFoRMERs
WITHOUT TOO MUCH OFFEND
ING CORPORATIONS.

&c
special to .'The Jersey City News.")
TRENTON, Jan. II. 1906 Since
Governor Stokes in his first annual mes
sage to the Legislature took such a de-
cided stand in favor of legislation which
would increase taxes on railroadi main
stem property, there seems to be reason
for assuming that the policy of the State
House ring will be to provide railroad
tax law that will be compromise be-
tween the present laws and the demands
OF the Record-Fagan and Colby forces
and the Democrats.
Governor Stokes is one of the shrewd-
est politicians in the State and never
loses an opportunity to promote the in
terests of the Republican party, Ever,
since Senator Colby smashed the Repub-
lican machine in Essex County, last No
vember, the Governor has had his ear
to the ground and he now realizes that.
some concessions must be made to meet
the demand of the men who are fight
ing for genuine equal taxation legisla-
ton. To ignore these demands as past
Legislatures have would only mean
continuance of the fight and possible
defeat for the Republican party in the
Gubernatorial campaign two years hence.
BY making concessions the question of.
equal taxation can possibly be settled to
the satisfaction of all forces and the
Republican party can claim all the cred
it. That IS why, it is stated on good
authority, the Governor devoted twelve
printed pages of his message to dis
cussion of equal taxation and advocated
the taxation of main stem railroad prop
erty at the average rate of the taxing
districts
The equal taxation problem does not
begin and end with the taxation OF main
stem railroad property, as some would
think. There is, for instance, the ques-
lion Of the taxation at local rates of the
franchises of public utility corporations,
which is demanded by the Record Pagan
and Colby forces. This phase of the
taxation question will undoubtedly be
covered in the report that is to be made
to the Legislature by the special commits
sion provided for last year to consider
the limitation of franchises and the tax
ing of the same. This commission is
headed by Ex-Governor Foster H. Voor-
hees and what it will report is not known
but it is generally thought that the COM
mission will favor time limit in the
granting of franchises and provision for
publicity in their granting, both with re-
gard to the proper advertising of appli-
cations and the prevention Of undue haste
IN the passage of ordinances. This rec
ernor In his message, and it is probable
that il any limited franchise legislation
be enacted this year such provision will
be embodied in the law.
Governor Stokes fayors the taxation
of public utility franchises and in his
message charged the Legislature to give
the subject careful study and considera-
tion. He recommended that commits
sion be appointed to investigate the ques-
tion and report thereon. Such action will
probably be taken as the State House
ring, which is in control of both Houses,
will not allow any bill having for its OBJ
ject the taxation of public utility fran
chises to become law until the subject
has been carefully investigated by a COM
mission.