The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-03-03
.JR. GU. A. N STILL
IN FIGHT AGAINST
FORTS TAX PLAN
Statement Issued by Order
Promises a Battle to the
Finish.
NO COMPROMISE AND
NO SURRENDER FIAT
eve Are Standing for a Prin-
ciple," Declare Junior
Mechanics.
Especial to the Evening start

~
TRENTON, March 3.-The Junior
Order of United American Mechanics
today issued another statement against
Governor Forts plan to divert the
school money received from main sem
taxes to the use of the State. Grafton
e. Day, of Collingswood, and William
H. Miers, of Trenton, State council Sec
rotary, are responsible for the state
ments contained. They declare:
I'VE are fighting for a principle and
car neither compromise or surrender
The letter say that the writer's are
still firm in the opinion that the di-
version of the school funds Is u~nneces-
sary, and that some other means OF
raising money for the State uses car
be found without forcing a direct State
tax.
The entire contents of the commune
cation are as follows:
ITO the officers and members of sub
ordinate councils, Jr. o. U. A. NJ. OF
New Jersey:
Dear sSirs and Brothers-On January
23d 1 addressed you a letter, calling
your attention to attempts on the part
of the Governor to destroy our system
of State aid to the public schools. Your
response was such that a storm of pro-
test arose throughout the State, and
the Governor attempted to defend him
self by saying that he had been mis-
understood, and the attack vas due to
ignorance, etc.
"PIan Unreasonable.-
THE Governor sent a special messen-
ger to your board of managers asking
them to meet him. We accepted his
invitation and had a conference with
him, in which we told him frankly our
position, which has not changed one
iota since the letter of January 23d,
which letter today states u position
and the facts as they exist.
I'm his special message of January
10Th, 1909, the Governor says, concern
ing the law of 1906, known as the rail
road tax law:
"'No cause seems to have existed FOR
the passage of this act that is founded
either on reason or sound public policy,
The act of 1906 has answered no use
full purpose. Nothing has been done
under it that would not have been done
without it,
1--WE are advised that the Governor
continues his opposition TO the law of
1906, which he says was vicious legisla-
ton
THE Governor, it is apparent, will
spare no efforts to in some manner
carry his plan, whatever other solution
of the difficulty may be presented.
would Cripple schools.
"Other solutions of the financial diff
Guilty have been, or will be, presented,
which will solve the problem and not
change the law of 1906 or not cause a
State tax. Therefore, we call upon you
to renew your work of agitation, to
again see or write your senator and
assemblymen, protesting against any
repeal or change of the law of 1906, and
to arouse the people of the state that
there shall be an end to this effort to
cripple the schools of the State.
Use every effort to arouse your com
munity and to keep it aroused. Deny
at one any statement that the board
of managers is to make any conf
promise whatever. We are fighting for
a principle, and can neither compromise
nor surrender.
Quick Action Necessary.
Our present duty is to make sure
of the retention of the law as it now
exists and demands our best efforts.
/ confidently count on and urge your
council and legislative committee to do
its best, and do it at once. Next week
will be too late. What is done must
be done at once.
Get busy, everybody.
Send your protests at once. Get
every friend Of the public schools to do
the same. If all help in this matter we
will gain the victory"