The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-30
Assemblyman Barber Of
Mercer Objected to REQ
ord Making Stump
Speeches In Season and
Out
WHERE THE LAUGH CAME IN
SENATOR HILLERY PROVED THE
AsTUTE CORPORATION CoUN-
Sell ASSUMED HIS FACTS AND
ARGUED AFTER-No DECISION
REACHED
Especial to ''The Jersey CITY News.'')

Especial to The Jersey City News.'O
TRENTON, Jan. 30, 19O5.-C Corpora
tion Counsel George L. Record, of Jersey
City, was called down good and hard be-
fore the Judiciary Committee of the
House yesterday afternoon when he in
sisted upon char~lng that the Hillery
maximum tax rate law was put through
last years Legislature at the instigation
of railroad officials to reduce the moneys
they would have to pay under the Duff
field act
Assemblyman Barber, of Mercer,
strenuously objected to Mr.. Records re-
marks, which he termed political stump
speech, and insisted that he be compelled
to confne himself to discussion of the
lHillery tax law, which was then under
discussion.
The Judiciary Committee had granted
public hearing on Assemblyman Heck's
bill for the repeal of the Hillery tax rate
law and ameng those who advocated it's
repeal was MIR Record. He charged the
Hillery law with being ''the most unjust
legislation enacted during the past ten
years" He declared that the law was
drawn for the purpose of drawing back
from the municipalities the effect of the
workings of the Duffield act increasing
municipal revenues because of railroad
domination.
Mr.. Record then launched into bitter
attack upon the motives of the Republi-
can party in passing the Hillery law dur
ing the closing of the last Legislature.
He declared that it was put through by
the crack of the Republican whip.
At this point Assemblyman Barber, Of
Mercer, member of the committee,
arose and objected to hearing Mr. Rec
ord misconstrue the motives of the MEM
bers of the Legislature who voted for the
Hillery bill.
Il voted for the Hillery bill in good
faith,' he exclaimed, "and am prepared
to vote for its repeal this year if Mr..
Record can show any good reason for my
doing so. But / object to sitting here
and allowing him to castigate the mem
bers of the former House Of Assembly,
I being among its members
Chairman Perkins poured oil on the
troubled waters by saying that the com
mittee assumed that the Hillery bill was
an honest measure and advised Mr.. Rec
ord to confne himself to discussion of
its repeal.
Mr. Record then subsidized and made no
further effort to attack along this line
He said the only sentiment behind the
Hfllery bill was the popular narrow
understanding that there was widespread
municipal extravaganza and some law
like the Hillery bill was necessary to
check it.
Il thought so myself, he said, "until I
became connected with the Jersey City
government. Then / found out how mis-
taken was. l now believe that muni-
cipal extravaganza is growing less and
less.
'sIn Jersey City when we make up the
budget, we almost sweat blood to keep
down expenses. We do not have parks
enough, nor police, nor fire protection,
nor any public thing accordlng to the
peoples IDEAS"
Mr.. Record attacked the referendum
attached to the Hillery law, saying there
should be no referendum except to admit
or change principle. He said that the
workings of the law would be to decrease
the taxes of railroads; that when the
Jersey City tax board certified to the
State Board of Assessors that the rate
would be $1.7O per 500 valuation, the
State Board would at once apply that
rate to railroad property.
Senator Hillery interrupted Mr.. Rec
ord at this point and got him to admit
that he favored valuation Of 100 per
cent. for all property alike.
"Then would not the property of rail-
roads be less?" asked Senator Hillery.
No; because the State Board Of AS
SCISSORS would NOT raise the assessment
- z=.s=y=s ' ss,
Record
"Then you know what the State Board
Of Assessors would do with assess
ments?" queried the Norris Senator
No, do not. assume that re-
piled Mr.. Record.
That is all I want to know CON