Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-10-04
WILLIAM C. CATTELL.

The nomination Of William @. Cattell
for second term was made by the Repub-
lioan delegates last Saturday with great
unaminity. Mr.. Cattell has served one
year in the legislature, and as he was faith
full in his attendance at the sessions, made
a record by his votes if not as an orator. a
little pamphlet, issued by the Republican
State League for Equal Taxation, with
headquarters at 73s Broad street, Newark,
is before us, and from it we gather some
Facts as how Mr.. Cattell voted on impor-
tant public questions in the legislature.
We find that on no less than eight oc-
casions Mr.. Cattell voted with the or
ganization against committees to report
bills to the House.
The first important reform measure
which Mr.. Cattell aided in killing was an
amendments to the rules, on January 9,
that
"All standing committees Of the House
shall report oil bills, joint resolutions
and matters referred to them within
two weeks after such reference, unless
a longer time is allowed by resolu-
ton y
The enactment of this rule would have
prevented committees from smotherine
legislation, and required the legislature to
give every measure fair hearing before
the House. Mr.. Cattell voted with the
majority to kill it.
On January %, the following resolution
was introduceds:-
"Resolued, That upon a written request,
signed by one-third the members OF
Assembly, requesting committee to
report upon bill or resolution referred
to them. such committee shall be
obliged to report on the requested bill
or resolution within one week after
such written request shall be made
upon the chairman Of such committee"
That seems like very fair proportion,
but Mr.. Cattle voted to kill it.
And this book goes on to indicate bill
after bill that was killed by the smotherine
process with the aid Of Mr.. Cattell's vote.
Among the bills so killed was Assembly
81, providing for recount of Primary
election vote.
The Colby Lobby bill that passed thu
Senate was killed in the House by the aid
Of Mr.. Cattell's vote.
House bill No. 116, prohibiting politica
conBril utlons by corporations was killed by
the aid of Mr.. Cattell's vote.
HELPED KILL EQUAL TAXATION.
After all the fight in the year 1905,
and the demand on the part of the peo-
pie that legislation should be enacted
to make she railroads pay their share
Of the taxes, what is the result SO far
gained?
In the first place, ''the machine" intro
duced Assembly Bill No. /, the Perk-
ms Bill, which provided that the main
stem, certain tangi Bile personal prop
erty and franchise should be assessed
by the State Board of Assessors and
taxed at the average State rate.
The adherents of the 'snew ideaD intro
duced Assembly Bill No. 1856 Arrow
smith BilI), providing that the real
estate of railroads and certain personal
property should be assessed and taxed
by local assessors in the same manner
and at the same rate as the other tax
able property in the same taxing dis
trict.
This bill was declared constitutional
by the Attorney General in q written
opinion submitted to the House.
On February 81 it was brought up as
substitute for the Perkins Bill and
beaten, Mr.. Cattell voting for the
corporations.
Mr.. Cattell voted for the Avis bill, Great
ing County Boards Of Equalization of Tax
alton, law that makes "a new Office hold
ers, costs the people 100000 and has no
wrought an economy in single city or
township in the State.