Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-10-29

THE TWO QUESTIONS.

election next Tuesday do not over
look two questions to be voted on
which are to be found at the bottom
of the ballot. One question is wheth-
er or not the state shall issue bonds
TO the extent of $4,000, 900 for the
construction If a vehicular tunnel
under the Hudson river. work on
which has already started, and also
a bridge across the Delaware river
between Camden and Philadelphia.
The other question Is whether or not
the state shall issue bonds not to ex-
coed the sum of s12.0O0,000 to pay
a bonus to the soldiers from New
Jersey who served in the World War.
1t looks as IL there was not much
choice as far as the tunnel and
bridge proposition is concerned. The
state is already committed to both
of these things and the only ques-
ton now is how they shall be finance
ed. II we do not issue bonds to raise
the money we will nave to raise 1t
by a direct tax. But a direct tax
would mean making the present gen.
GRAFTON bear the entire burden of this
wonderful development and future
generations, that will derive most of
the benefit, will pay nothing at all
toward the cost of construction.
BY issuing bonds to run for a long
period of years the cost of the tun-
mel and bridge will be spread out so
that the generations to follow will
have a chance to pay some of the
cost and the entire burden will not
fall on the taxpayers of today who
are already hard pressed in this re-
gard.
We would much prefer postponing
this work for a year or two until the
people were better able to carry the
Load, Int as the state is already COM
mitted to the project and as 1t has
already been begun the only ques-
tfoh now is, how will the none to
pay for 1t be raised? When it comes
to D choice between a direct tax and
a bond issue spread out over a term
of tears, it is apparent that the bond
issue is much to be preferred. Tax
payers who do not care to
tho entire burden of this bridge and
tunnel construction will do well to
vote 'yes'' for the tunnel-bridge
bond issue.
In the matter OF a bonus for the
soldiers 1t ought not to be difficult to
decide. America has never been
stingy in the treatment of the men
who have offered their lives for their
country. The bonus Is to be paid
at the rate of $40 a month for each
month hat the soldier was In the
service, although no soldier Is to re-
ceiye more than 800. This seems
entirely fair as far as the individual
soldier is concerned. When 1t is
mentioned all at once, however. s12,-
100000 appears like a big sum-. 1t
will mean an increase In state ex-
penses to take care of these bonds
along with all the other bonds that
the state proposes to issue, SO that
we can hardly escape an increase in
state taxes as a result
The matter of a bonus for soldiers
seems to be in a rather chaotic state
at the present time. 1t would seem
that the reward for service to SOL
diers fighting in the United States
army or a V should come from the
national government rather than
from the state. The boys were fight
ing for Uncle Sam, not for any par
ticular state in which they happened
to live. 1t looks. however, as il the
federal government would be unable
to give any bonus at the present time.
1t would require about two billion
dollars and the federal treasury is in
no condition to stand such a strain
at this time. II the boys are to get
any bonus at all. therefore, 1t looks
as If 1t was up to the separate states.
The matter is being put up to the
people of New Jersey at the election
next Tuesday. 1t can be safely left
in their hands.