The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-11-04
STOKES URGED
TAX REFORMS
Pioneer In Bringing About Log,
lsIation Providing For
Equal Taxation.
HIS PRACTICAL METHODS.

HIS PRACTICAL METHODS.
Newark. Oct 27.-The man who does
things is always the target for abuse
however much he may be deserving o.
admiration. The only man who ne
ce1ves no attention. either from hi
friends or from his enemies, is the maj
who sneaks into a corner and hides.
Edward Casper Stokes is a man who
does things. He can talk, but he cal
also coin talk into performance. Hsnc,
he has left behind him a record which
furnishes vast amount Of varied ma
terial for review. 1t is a part, and al
important part, Of the history of New
Jersey.
Having failed utterly in their efforts
to besmirch this long and remarkable
record of service to the state and it
citizens, some of his opponents ar,
now attempting to minimize the i'm
portance of it by depriving him of the
credit for what he has DONE Having
neither facts nor arguments 10 use
they are resorting to falsehood anG
abuse.
They are even trying to claim credit
themselves for what they are fully
., xuora ha d41 C+ooIs~-. n .,.o-,s. ..<<,,,.
tatton, the most valuable thing he has
Is the most despicable kind Of thievery
but they cannot steal the reputation OF
Edward Casper Stokes II is writer
In bold and ineffaceable letters on the
records Of the commonwealth which
he has served so. loyalty and SO long
and it cannot be altered by their mis-
representations any more than known
facts of history can be altered by ly.
ing historian
1t is admitted by every one who is
familiar with the recent history OF
New Jersey that 1t was Governor
Stokes who formulated and submitted
to the legislature the first practical
plan that has ever been presented tc
that body for equalization of tax valu-
atfons and compliance with the con.
stitutional mandate that property shall
be assessed and taxed at its true value
It IL also known that Mr.. Stokes work
ed with his customary vigor, sincerity
and persistence for the consummation
Of that plan.
The result Of his efforts in behalf of
equal taxation is now securely part
Of his record as one Of the most pro-
gressive governors New Jersey ever
had. 1t is not necessary here to detail
those results. They are too well
known, but IN passing it may be noted
that hundreds Of millions Of wealth
which had escaped taxation was made
to pay its just share toward the sup
port of government, that the increased
tax revenue for counties and munich
palities by reason of this legislation
amounted to approximately $25.OOO,-
600 and that one of the most impor-
tant results of this remarkable achieve
ment of constructive craftsmanship
was the payment of millions of dollars
annually from the railrad taxes to the
counties for the support of the public
schools.
These are results which speak for
themselves. They cannot be gainsaid
or made to look Insignificant. But
there are those who would deny Mr.
Stokes the Credit for his large share
in initiating these equal taxation laws
The first official utterance of new
governor is his inaugural address. II
usually outlines I'm a broad way TIT
policy of his official career. Let us see
what Mr. Stokes had to say regardine
equal taxation in his first public ut
terance as governor. 1t is not neces
sary to quote it all, although it might
be interesting to recall the careful
plans which he then laid down for the
practical application of the equal taxa
ton idea. Suffice 1t to quote a few
sentences of that inaugural, just tC
show the sincerity and breadth of spir
it in which he approached the great
task of establishing an equal taxation
system which would be practically, eff
fective and just.
Equality Of taxation in our state
is the mandate of our constitution" de
clared Governor Stokes, "and if al
property was assessed for taxes by
uniform rules according to its true val
ne, all property, personal, real anC
corporate, would share equally in the
expense of the government
"When revaluation of second class
railroad property has by proper tri
bunal of review been adjusted to the
standard of the value adopted by the
local assessors in each taxing distric-
there is no reason why it and the prop
erty of individuals should be taxed fca
the same purposes at different rates
Let the railroad tax law be amended 81
that second class property be assessed
a
Is made and can be properly made oliiJ
In the interests of the taxpayer. l,
should be carried out with an eye sin
gle to his benefit. l suggest, therefore
that in framing the statute, at the dis
erection Of the legislature, 1t be pro
vided that the value of this propert
be certified by the state board of 80
SCISSORS In the various taxing districts
In which the property lies, that this
be added to the municipal ratables al
ready ascertained and that upon this
aggregate valuation the local tax rate
be struck. In this way and not other
wise will the taxpayer receive the ben
eft Of a reduced tax rate and find re
lief to this extent from the increasing
burden of his annual tax bill
Equality of taxation is favored by
all, both as matter of Justice and as
constitutional requirement. Upon
this subject the report Of the commits
sion to ascertain the facts will prob
ably soon be placed before our leglsla-
ture.
with these facts in possession II
will be easy to determine what in
CAPABILITIES exist and to remedy the
same with business and fairness to all
concerned If there was one thing de
cided by the last election it was that
this matter be thoroughly investigated
and that this innrortanf Suhfact should