Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-01
TUNNEL PROPAGANDA.

voters of New Jersey to learn that
the Interstate Vehicular Tunnel Com
mission has taken steps to go ahead
with plans and specifications for the
driving of the land shafts for the pro-
posed vehicular tunnel on the New
Jersey and New York sides of the
Hudson river. This unnel linked with
the Delaware river bridge between
Camden n Philadelphia will cost
the of New Jersey many
millions of dollars. The present esti-
mate Is $4,000, 900. but persons
familiar with such enterprises predict
ahat before the work on these two
projects is completed a much greater
sum will be required.
Before the state of New Jersey can
be bonded for any such amount the
voters must give their consent at a
general election. In these times OF
high costs of everything and excessive
taxation there is grave doubt as TO
whether the people will approve this
bond issue at this time.
It seems the action of the tunnel
commission in pushing h work be-
fore the money to pay for it is author
tied is more in the line of propa-
yanda than anything else. This Is
evident from the following comment
by the Jersey Journal of Jersey City,
which Is strongly urging the project:
The referendum election Will be
participated in by the voters OF the
entire state. and between now and next
November much missionary and
educational work remains to be done
70 educate the voters and arouse them
10 a realization of the needs of having
the vehlcular tunnel under the Hud-
son river and the bridge across the
Delaware.
''The beginning of the work of driv-
tng the shafts for the tunnel Will
afford a legitimate excuse for a cele-
bration that ought to help greatly in
bringing the Importance of the tunnel
Enterprise home to the people of New
Jersey and New York"
But the people of New Jersey are
hot going to be stampeded into as
Stunning this enormous state debt
which carries with 1t a state tax to
sake care OF the interest on the n
until such times as the tunnel n the
bridge are completed. 1t is proposed
then TO charge a toll for the bridge
and tunnel with the dea of making
them self-sustaining.
But we all know that a state tax
once imposed is hard to get rid or
I'VE have the state road tax as a shin
ang example. This road tax was to
have been for only Ave years. Now we
realize that 1t is to be continued in
definitely.
There Is a strong feeling against
tolls on roads and bridges. The
Tendency has been to abolish toll
bridge and highways. New Jersey did
away with toll roads several years ago.
THE state Is now taking over the con-
strol of the several bridges spanning
4he Delaware river above Trenton so
las to make them free. 1t stands to
Reason. therefore that sooner or later
IAN agitation will be started to make
tahe proposed vehicular tunnel and the
Observation-Disclosures bridge free Also
and the state tax imposed at the out
fset to pay interest on the bonds Will
he continued indefinitely to pay the
Hhole cost of these great projects.
The advocates of the tunnel and
bridge are not saying anything about
this phase of the situation. All they
want is to get the work authorized and
started knowing full we'll that then
the people will have to see 1t through
cost what It may, state tax and all.
No doubt some powerful influences
will be at work throughout the state
this summer and fall to put this tunnel
and bridge bond issue and its state
tax accompaniment across. In the e&-
element of q presidential election II
is expected the referendum will sir
through.
Taxpayers who are already paying
a rate that is close to confscation vii
be particularly cautions. however, II
voting TO add on another state ta'
and at the same time saddle the state
with a debt Of SIS. 900. 900 at Thu
time.
L. rD,uvr