The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-28
After a Bittsr Fight tt Goes
Through Jlamended Al
though It Givss Little
satisfaatioa
WAR 70 PROCEED NEXT YEAR
a8oposAEs TO ABOLISH TINE
FnANcEssE TAX ATTACKED
BIZ SENATOR MINTURN AS CON
TRARY TO U. S. coT'sT DEoIs-
ION
ss7oe;al to '.rhe Jersey city News.'o

sspoe:al TO rThe Jersey City sNews.'9
TRENTON, March 2s, 1906 There
is general rejoicing among the State otii-
Gals and those who have followed the
equal taxation fight since its Inception
that the Senate yesterday afternoon
adopted the Perkins railroad tax bill, as
passed by the House, without compli-
eating matters by amending it. This
was more than the foremost advocates
of equal taxation had hoped for.
There were four amendments proposed
to the Perkins bill when it was taken up
for second reading and it was generally
believed that at least one of them would
be adopted. This would have necessftat-
ed the return of the bill to the House for
concurrence and what the result would
have been not even the most enthusiastic
advocates of taxation was willing to pre-
dict.
For this reason the tax advocates
hoped against hope that the Senate would
not tack on an amendment to the Per
kins bill but approve it as adopted by the
House.
The Perkins bill was not adopted, how
ever. by the Senate without undergo
ing one Of the greatest gruellings ever
given 10 a measure in that branch Of the
Legislature. Foi three hours the Sena-
tors fought like tigers Those who fought
to have il amended lacked strength by
reason of the fact that they were unable
to concentrate their efforts upon any par
ticular amendment proposed.
Whenever one Senator proposed an
amendment, the majority as opposed to
his views until finally amendment after
amendment was voted down. leaving only
the Perkins bill to be discussed.
This being the only hope for equal tax
alton, the Senators unanimously voted to
adopt it rather battle for more salts
factory measure when they realized that
further fight was hopeless.
The Perkins bill was finally passed by
the vote OF every member of the Senate.
While it is not entirely satisfactory to
all the Senators and does not express
their views Of equal taxation they de-
cided to vote for it rather than allow
the equal taxation question to remain un-
settled until the next Legislature. That
not all the Senators who voted for it are
satisfied with the bill is unquestioned.
Many of them have decided to bury their
views until next year when they will
make an onslaught on the measure and
seek to have it amended so as to provide
genuine equal taxation which, they
aaim, tho Perkins bill does not now pro-
yide.
The amendments were proposed by
Senators Ackerman, Bradley. Colby and
Minturn. "A warm debate followed the
Introduction of each. and it was voted
down as quickly as presented
Senator Minturn attracted considerable
attention when he declared that the pop
osition to abolish franchise on railroads
as proposed by Senator Alderman. of
Union, was contrary to the decisions Of
the Supreme Court of the United States
that franchises were properly taxed by
the State. The question. it seemed to
him, was how much franchises should be
taxed, and not whether they should be
taxed at AL He denied that there was
any distinction between what was called
trolley franchise and railway fran
rfsise.
He ssad from Blackstone to show that
his astinction Of franchise had been
adopted by all the States in the Union.
The privilege Of operating railroad
sr any higsswsy was scsorsra BY TIE
stata. and the State has the right to cor
loci Hanchise tar both as q matter Of
economy and ss constitutional right.
Wren gsnetor Ackerinan's amendment
proposing she elimina sion of a franchise
tax Srazn <Ae Perkins bill vas defea ted. /;
was conesdad tnat Seaaros MinsuvSis
bitser attack sn the proposition had won
tbe asaior;ty % hts way Of thinking and