Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-30
BANK TAX BILL
ISSUE TONIGHT,
IS PREDICTION
Republican Assemblymen Will
Hold a Conference on "Pend-
ing Legislation"
GOVERNOR FIELDER ASKS
FOR ASSEMBLY LYMAN SMITH
A Feeling Prevails That Final
Action on Disputed Measure
Will Be Taken.
Especial to the Evening star.l


TRENTON. March 3o.--A confer
ence of the Republican Assemblymen
will be held in the State House to-
night prior to the convening of the
Legislature. At this gathering va
rious pending legislative measures
will be taken up and discussed and
a plan of action outlined and deter
mined.
The bank tax bill will be the prin-
eipal topic. and, it is said, the mem
bers will settle once and for all upon
their attitude, whether to vote as a
unit on the proposition or agree TO
divide and permit each Assemblyman
to vote according to his views on the
matter. Whether there will be an
agreement reached to tax the banks
on the three-quarter basis or the full
one per cent. is q point for conjecture
only but at this stage of the game
according TO several Republican AS
semblymen, this phase of the prob
lem will be taken up and thoroughly
considered. Conclusions will be
reached only after full discussion.
1t was the expressed opinion, how
ever, that final action will be agreed
upon and that a vote on the bank
StS-
sion of the Legislature.
Assemblyman Thomas j. Smith,
one OF the three Republican members
from Essex county. who arrived here
earlier than his colleagues, is in re-
ceipt of letter from Governor
Fielder, inviting him to call at the
executive Office to confer in regard
To the situation.
Mr.. Smith admitted to the Evening
Star correspondent that he had n
communication from the governor,
hut politely declined to diyulge the
contents of the letter.
L will only say that the letter
asks that the meeting with the gov
error is to he held to talk over pend
ing legislation" added the Essex as
semblyman.
Mr.. Smith also declined TO pro-
phesy as to the probable outcome Of
the Republican conference or the ses-
sion with the governor.
1t could only be surmise and con-
lecture ut the best, he explained II
dc not know what my colleagues pro
pose to do now and / settled in mind
as to my individual course. There is
a strong impression that the bank
tax bin and the automobile taxing
there is a close affinity between them.
As | have stated publicly before,
must be convinced that the automo-
bile bill will not be enacted into law
before | will consent to look with
favor upon the bank bill. These au-
tomobile propositions would. figure
out, lift a big revenue, say, from the
city of Newark, and turn the money
into the state treasury That would
be unjust TO municipalities, unjust
discrimination and hardship. ] GER
tainly will not support such bills
"fhe allegation that the bank tax
bill might be unconstitutional, and a
discrimination against banks Is an
other question, and from develop
ments ! would say q debatable one.
However, we viii all know more
about it, after the Republican con-
ference this evening"
There is certainly mysterious
atmosphere surrounding the prospec-
tive fate Of the bank tax bill, but
the consensus of opinion Is that
everything will be settled tonight
Governor Fielder expresses conf
dence In his ability to pull the meas
ure through, with the aid Of Repub-
lican votes, If he cannot muster
enough from the Democratic side.