Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-19
EXPLAINS
CAMPAIGN SLOGAN
Crossing Elimination and Tax
Reforms Urged in Final
Statement of Candidate.

CRAWFORD. Sept. Ex-senator
Pierce issued his final gubernatorial
statement today, discussing his slo-
gan appearing on the primary bal
lot. abolish grade crossings, equal
ize tax assessments" The statement
follows:
THE statistics of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. covering
period of twenty-four years, estab-
fish that during that time. within the
Unlteda States. the railroads have
killed or injured an average of one
person every seven minutes.
| "As Commissioner McChord, of the
| Interstate Commerce Commission,
puts it. The ravages of war pale into
| fnsignificance before the destruc-.
ton of human life accompanying the
peaceful operation of the railroads.
"Of the total killed and injured, APP
proximately one-third are grade
crossing casualties. Taking the New
Jersey Embarrassing list for the first
seven months of the present year,
twenty eight persons We're killed and
thirty-four injured.
ITO stop this slaughter, the Pierce
| grade-erossing bill was passed in
| 1912. 1t follows the lines of the Con-
necticut law which has been in force
many years. and has been approved
| by the United States Supreme Court.
Unfortunately the bill was vetoed by
Governor Wilson and years work
! was lost.
| Five-Year Delay.
Last year. the political complex
| ion of the Legislature having
changed. the Fielder bill was passed,
adopting over Republican protest "A
new and untried plan, the validity
of which is now in the courts and
which will take from three to five
years to determine. In the mean
! time there will be no elimination.
| without intending personal criti-
cism, | beg to call attention to the
| fact that the years delay caused by
| the veto. and the three to five years
delay caused by adopting an untried
plan. mean so many additional lives
from three to four hundred-need
lessly sacrificed before elimination is
/ effected.
MY proposition is to cut the mat
ter short and pass at the next ses-
sion what should have been passed at
the last. law within the lines of
the Connecticut act. the validity of
which cannot be questioned, and I'M
der which stays cannot be obtained
if litigation is sought for the pur-
pose of delay.
"Win not the State support that
proposition?
EquaIixe Tax Assessments.
After visiting every county in the
State. the. recent Tax Commission
made this State wide finding of fact:
The ratio of assessment to value
varies in the different taxing dis
tricts. and frequently between tax
payers in the same district the va
rance ranging from 80 per cent of
value to full value and above
Everybody knows this to be true.
VIII not public sentiment demand a
change? The bills offered by the Tax
Commission in the Senate last winter
represent the combined study of eX-
perts, local officials and men of prac-
teal experience throughout the State.
In general, without passing upon de-
tails. the bills were approved by Gov
ernor Wilson and later by Governor
Fielder. Mr.. Pleydell. a competent
authority, advises they would give
New JERSEY the best system of as
sessment. in force in any State in the
Union.
"But with all this. though l sue
ceeded in getting several of the bills
through the Senate, we could get
but one bill. the map bill, through
the House.
"The power of a governor is great
Where he is interested he can ac-
complish much. If placed in the
governors chair i propose to use al
I honorable effort to put the substance
of these bills upon the statute books