The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-19
But Just Which Of Those
introduced Will Be Selec-
ted by the Judiciary Com
mittee Causes Much Spec
lation
FRANCHISE HEARING TO GO ON
MARTIN BILL RECEIVED MUCH
SUPPORT LAST WEEx-ADyO-
GATES OF THE CALVIN MEAS
URE WILL BE AT THE CAPITAL
TO-DAY.

TRENTON. Feb. 20, 1906.--The sixth
week of the Legislature has closed with
$50 bills and joint resolutions introduced,
and but three of them passed BY both
Houses. Thus far there is not a single
bill of State importance that has come
out of Committee This does not mean,
however that bills are being held up,
for the reason that all Of the important
measures are being made the subject Of
hearings.
It is more than likely that the Judic-
iary Committee of the House will present
a report on the half dozen or more bills
that have been introduced for the taxa
ton of railroad property some day this
week. Whether it win be the Perkins
bill, which has the support of Governor
Stokes and the Administration, or the
Arrowsmith, Calvin or one of the other
bills that will be reported, is stlll unset
tied, but the consensus of opinion IS
that it will be the Perkins bill, which will
be presented as a substitute measure.
containing the best features of all the
other bills
The railroads are sedulously refrain
ing from expressing any opinion as to
what kind of bill they would like to
have. They appear to fear that such an
expression would result in antagonism
toward the measure to which they give
their approval.
In many quarters the opinion prevails
that the railroads were responsible for
the introduction of the three alleged
equal tax bills presented by. Assembly
man Harry Scovel, of Camden, in the
Assembly last Wednesday, notwithstand-
ing that the railroad representatives deny
all knowledge of them If the Scovel
bills had been labelled Taxation Relief
Measures for Railroads" they could not
have answered their purpose any better.
They are framed to give the railroads all
the advantage of the taxation question.
Tkat these bills will go no further than
the committee to which they were re-
ferred is upquestionable, unless power
full lobby succeeds in moving them and
then their passage through both Houses
would be accompanied by public scan
dal.
This weeks work will begin at A
o'clock this afternoon, when the Municl-
pal Corporations Committee viii continue
the hearings which were begun last Tues
day on the franchise taxation bills. There
are two of these bills before the Assem-
bly,. One, introduced by Mr.. Martin, Of
Essex, which provides for franchise
tax upon all corporations except muni.
cipal and railroads and canals 1t re-
quires the State Board of Assessors To
annually find and assess the value of the
rights, title, privilege or franchise owned
by any person, partnership, association
or corporation (other than municipal, rail-
roads and eanals) and certify the same
to the local assessors in each taxing dis
trict, who shall tax the same at the. local
tax rate thereon FOR the benefit of such
district.
The Martin bill had many supporters
at last Tuesdays hearing, including the
Newark Board of Trade, Sheriff Frank
H. Somneas. Of Essex County, IA large
delegation Of representative citizens Of
that county.
The other franchise bill was lntroduc-
ed by Assemblyman Calvin, of Hudson,
and amends the Voorhees, Franchise Act
of 1900, by providing for an annual tax
Of five per centum upon the annual gross
receipts to be assessed upon all persons.
co-partnersanps, associations Or corpora
tions other than railroads and canals.
The Voorhees, Act only provided for q
two per cent, tax.
Prosecutor William. H. speer, Howard
b. Cruise, John G. cudiipp and other
representative Hudson County citizens,
/ viii aa9near before thn COMMITTEES tIbis