The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-28

IN excess Of fhat we Gid receive for the
state 70 dtsbufse 70 the public schools.
Under our Constitution and the deci-
sfoDs OF our highest court neither the
valuation Of prlyate property nor the tax
rate Upon II has any bearing upon the
assessment 81 qaasi public property set
for taxation. y by. Just taxation Of rail-
way properly. legally classified, the State
eogld secure sufficient revenue to run its
government ana have enough left over to
give tins municipalities sufficient for their
needs II would ge lawful TO do so, even
u PTiyats property wefs rot taxed at all.
taxation may be taxed in It's own class
without regard 70 other property in other
9 szass - long as all railway property
u all the various companies is taxed alike
H. cannot complain because the property
Of citizens in some other class vs. taxed at
all. II mat IL not good law ot t qh1sa oa ar
pTegeDt system of taxing railway property
u Illegal. AND no one claims that, for onr
ntgnsst courts nave over and over again
Then why are the comfy tax boards or
ganlzedg Do you say to equalize values
yiduais7 n 90. well. But equalization lid
g almost double rs former assessed value.
passed, does any one believe that county
boards Of taxation would have raised the
vsluation Of all the property in the State?
10 increase property values 70 get the
necessary revenue to run them.
Let Cities Fix Tax Rates.
Let ~ ger bach to the place where eacn
municipality hxeg its own rate for taxes.
Let NJ nave q Doara with power 70 equal
Dalities. but let the tax rate work anto-
matically, without any fixed law making a
rate which cannot be exceeded.
! am not saying this because / wish 10
tax the railroads at an unfair increased
rate, or In any way through the excessive
value being placed upon them. We now
il VIII do 10 duty, no doubt. Railroad ana
private property must each stand on its own
merits; the one being in no way coupled up
with the other Or being taxed with any re-
atom to the other. the Law does not re-
auire that they shall be and public policy
requires that they shail not. Let the max
rate for State purposes be adjusted at the
average rate Of taxation under normal con-
diqons for fixing the rate In each munic.-
have not been a factionaI Governor,
and 20 not intend TO be. More than that.
j nave tried not 70 be a partizan Gov
from the Regulars. s~uppiemented by the
movement. NJ election came from a
united PARTY aud quite q large number of
Democrats, Up TO his time my purpose
mas been 10 try to Civ the State a Clean,
honest. administration, and to recommend
shtH fssishatiDh ~ WOulu pfomote tue
wsIfaIs Of The whole people. irrespective
Of party, ~ has moi been easy to do this
II the face ~ some existing conditions.
IT IL not 80 easy ~ you would think to
secure measures and policies that are
solely FOR the public good. For the help
the gentlemen you honor tonight have
Eiven ne I nm thankful IT is but simple
trlth 10 say that they have been loyal to
tn People against elf special interests.
No g0yernOr nor other publio official can
succeed without absolute reliance upon tho
people, and there must he confidence be-
tween The official md the people and be-
lief IN one another. For myself. / here
7ffd noT pfedRe aaew 70 the people ~ this
State my feaity to them. irrespective Of