The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-05-15

body, therefore, must command the
attention Of those directly concerned
in the production Of laws looking to
the control of government.
For some years now it has become
more and more evident to observers
on the side lines OF legislative action
that marked change had occurred in
the standards of the lawmaking bod
les, and it was not change upward.
Even the old boss system Of picking
candidates had strong tendency for
naming men whose record and per-
sonality stood for better achievement.
In the palmy days Of his greatest sue
cess the late Bob" Davis always
made sure to send down from Hudson
county a coterie of young assembly
men who gave good account of them
selves, and it was of such material
that judges of. the higher courts and
governors were evolved. The history
of the state will show many conspicu-
Gus instances Of that character, but
nobody would care to suggest that 1t
has worked out thus in recent years.
Franchise Tax From Utilities
Public utility corporations OF New
Jersey will pay franchise tax of $5,-
433, 1886 to the state for the current
year, an increase OF $123, 655.5S over
the 1923 tax. The computation of
this tax has just been completed by
the State Board of Taxes and Assess
ment.
The tax is levied against total Of
227 corporations. 1t is based upon
their gross receipts, those having in
excess OF $4,000 being taxed at the
rate of per cent and those under
$4,000 at the rate of per cent. The
total gross receipts of all of the utili-
ties amounted to $109, 5S4,977.03.
These receipts were divided among
the various classes of utilities as fol-
lows:
Street railway companies, $20,604.-
$500; gas and electric light compa-
MES. $65,40S, 049.92; water companies.
$7,357, 41O71; telegraph and telephone
companies, $15,612,91474; district tel.
egraph-messenger companies, $685.
443.O1; sewer companies, $404 ,47S.50;
oil or pipe line companies, $59,025,85,
a total of $109, ,977.03.
5 The largest amount paid by any one
corporation is, of course, paid by the
various subsidiaries of the Public
Service Corporation. They are as fol-
lows: Public Service Railway Compa-
ny, 1891 .797.S7; Public Service Elec-
trio Company, $1,391,923.94; Public
Service Gas Company. $1,192,276.16,
total of s3,475,s47.s7.
The total receipts of the Public
Service Railway Company amounted
to $17.834 .95735, which is decrease
of SO, 1854 ,761S4 from the total receipts
for 1922. This decrease, of course, is
brought about because of the long
strike of the employees OF the Public
Service Railway Company last sum
mer. The total tax to be paid by the
Public Service Railway Company for
1924 will be 1891, 747.87. a decrease of
$19S, 23S.09 from 1928. which shows
the amount that the municipalities of
the state will lose as result of the
Public Service strike.
This total tax will be distributed to
the taxing districts in which the prop
erty of the various utilities is located.
1t is a franchise tax levied for the
right to use the public streets or high
ways of the state and is entirely sep
arate and distinct from the gross re-
ceipts tax levied against street rail-
- Al TIL,
MES in lieu of the personal property
tax. The gross receipts tax has not
yet been computed.
Paradise for Vacationists
for information concerning the widely
varied attractions of the state for va
cationists the Bureau of Land Regis
try and Publicity of the department
of conservation and development has
prepared booklet entitled Vacation
lists Handbook of New Jersey" The
booklet is now in process of publica-
tion and is expected to be available
for distribution within a short time.
Copies will be forwarded on requests
addressed to the Bureau of Land Reg
istry and Publicity, State Office Build
ing, Trenton.
In the new booklet the countless at
fractions to be found in all parts of
the state have been grouped by coun-
ties, and under each county appears
accurate information as to the loca-
tion of such sources of enjoyment as
camp sites, fishing location, golf
courses, points of scenic and historic
interest and resorts. In it's prepare
tion extreme care has been used to
eliminate anything that might be con-
strued as al effort to give special
prominence to any particular section
of the state at the expense Of other
portions. A bulletin issued by the de-
partment said
New Jersey, with its wealth OF ais
toric background dating from. the
earliest settlement of the nation, its
remarkable industrial development,
its world famed seashore resorts at
various points along the 125 miles of