Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-18
Starts
AEWFEATURE
Gives First of Series of "Let-
tiers of a Governor to
Himself"

CAPE MAY. Oct. 1S.-Speaking
hero yesterday, Judge George S. Sill
zar. Democratic candidate for gov
ketaor. in a rousing speech, began
kfhe series of what he calls Letters
. a governor to himself" in which
h~umorously attacks Senator
E1sgtyon, who in his capacity of act
Sax governor wrote a message TO tie
stature and then went back into
H. seat in the senate and read his
sWn message.
Chapter L. of these letters" deals
witll Governor Runyon's recomm m
u3tsons as to taxation, and Judge
Si!zer points out that Mr.. Runyon
AS senator did not follow out his adj
vice that in his capacity of COVER
nor he had given to himself.
In January, 1920. William N.
Runyon, the present Republican
candidate for governor. was actin
governor. Taking advantage of the
opportunity-and who will blame
him for that?-he wrote a message
t, the legislature. A few days later
Governor Edwards took Office, and
NJ Runyon took his seat in the
| state legislature as senator from
Union county. In other words, as
governor he wrote the message 20
himself as senator. Let us see how
he followed his advice to himself.
Taxation is very important, so of
course the governor thought the
senator would be interested in that.
"a commission had been appointed TO
study the tax question, so Governor
Runyon said to Senator Runyon
that it was not advisable to econ
mend any legislation in advance of
the report, but hat it would seem
that perhaps attention might be
given to the ACCESSIBILITY to seeking
some new sources of revenue, and
along this line l would ask you to
take under advisement the PROPOSE
tim of increasing license fees upon
motor trucks and a mineral tax.
"And then Governor Runyon went
right along 10 say: j would counsel
u consideration of the proposition TO
hold forth the greatest inducements
possible to manufacturers along the
lines of exempting, in whole or in
part, the tax upon factories and ma
ehinery. This line of legislation las
been adopted in some of u neigh
boring states, and / feel that New
Jersey must offer inducements fully
as great as any of the other states. |
80 much for Runyon the COVER
nor. Now let's see what Runyon the
senator did with the advice he had
given to himself.
state Senator Runyon waved his
other self goodby and went on over
to the senate. A day or two later a
page laid q document on his desk.
whats this?" he asked. "a mes
sage from the governor said the
boy. oh, a message from Ed
wards said Senator Runyon, getting
interested immediately. NO. said
the boy, "a, message from Governor
Runyon.' oh, that said h sena-
tor. did they print that? All right,
boy, leave it there
sAnd maybe it's there yet. Ger
tainiy, If Senator Runyon read it
and he probably didn't think it was
worth while-he didn't let it infu-
ence him any.
ale lust sat there, during the ses-
siorls of 1920, 1921 and 1922, and
didn't do one thing in the direction
of carrying out his own advice. He
evidently took it at what he knew it
was worth.
aNot one bill on taxation, then,
did Senator Runyon introduce. Apart
altogether from Governor Runyon's
4 dvice, he had had lots of opportun-
Try to be well informed on the sub
J<et. He had been a member OF the
assembly in 1915. 1916 and 1917. He
was a member of the senate from
E4D1o It lJEZt INCLUSIVE Gl6ll JNaAo
In AT n the legislature, and he had
cen the highest state tax rate go
$3.12 to $9.37, counties go into
debt 1000, 900 and municipal debts
ssgo from $140, 000, 900 to $363,000,-
600. even though ratables had jump
ed ST, 500. 900 900 in the same period.
He saw tax bills doubled and quad
inpied. He saw wastefulness and
extravagance in all directions, and
it those things told him anything
they must have told him that we
We're rapidly reaching a point where
taxpayers would have to be relieved
or an income tax in the state would
be unavoidable.
sand all the senator could do was
to disregard even his own advice
about motor truck fees and a min,
eral tax, and do absolutely nothing. |
Forgot even what he had written, or
signed, or knew that it didn't
noun to anything. anyway.
what minerals did he mean to
tax, by the way. Coal. for example?
Or does he consider sand and clay
taxable minerals?
"Of course we have to admit that
Senator Runyon seemed in n thing
at least-maybe in everything-to
know a little more than Governor
Runyon. Governor Runyon did not
even know that his suggestion about
exemptions was unconstitutional,
because the constitution says that
property shall be assessed for taxes
Under general laws, and by uniform
rules, according to its true value
But since Senator Runyon did not
follow the advice of Governor Rum
yon even when it was constitutional,
it's pretty safe to that nei-
Their n of them knew that the ad-
vice about exemptions could not be
followed without violating the con-
stitution. Senator Runyon, then, in
this particular just pursued his usual
custom Of not taking even his own