The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-11-22

choice in the selection of candidates, and
have that choice respected. As the case
stands no man knows, when he votes for
a set Of delegates to convention, who or
what he is voting for-even granting that
the majority of the voters at primary are
allowed to control its results, matter that
is quite as uncertain as the hazard of a
die. The open primary system has been
tried in Hudson County and other sections
of New Jersey, and found to work well.
There is no reason why it should not be
tested here, if Democrats will only unite
and insist upon having candidates selected
in that way. The Spring election offers
an opportunity to make the test, OF the
scheme and if it does not work to the
satisfaction of all but the Committee SO
largely interested in keeping the matter of
nominations under its thumb, it can very
easily be abandoned. There will never
be any trouble in getting back to the old
and corrupt system now in vogue.
Honest journalism counts; and the
paper that purposely and designedly de-
ceives its readers in news matters, quickly
loses the confidence and consequently the
patronage of the public. One half of the
sensational rot published, in the daily
local prints, from North Hudson County
is the purest fabrication; but that section
Of the county is so difficult of access that,
unless some one has personal interest ID
running down each lie specifically, all
are allowed to pass for truth for want OF
contradiction. The Journal, the other
day abandoned this comparatively safe
ground for the exercise of its sensational
mendacity and boldly attempted its tactics
right in our midst by the publication OF
story concerning the attempt of the wife
of a New York merchant, living near Van
Worst square, to poison and then TO shoot her
husband. There was not word of truth
in the story. It was pure fabrication to
fill space, and the Journal knew it Was
pure fable when it gave it to its readers as
news. The name of druggist w. W.
Campbell was lugged in to give it a
legitimate appearance. He may have
consented to the use of his name, by way
of advertising himself; but he and the
Journal people have been forced to admit,
since vigilant newspaper reporters hunted
the lie down, that there was not the small
est foundation, in fact, for the story. Such
Journalism" means ruin, in the end, for
the paper that countenances Or permits it.
The legitimate news of the town is to be
found in the TATTLER; and the circulation
of the TATTLER shows that people are
beginning to realize it.
The proposition made in the Board of
Works on Thursday to sell all the unused
and unoccupied public property in the
city is one that has many good and bad
points. The city owns fire houses in Erie
street, Palisade avenue and Bright street
Though the latter has been utilized as Poor
masters Office and annex to school No. 81
school house on Tonnele avenue and a
large tract of vacant land at the reservoir.
This property brings in no income, and
therefore, looking at the matter in that
| light, it might as well be sold. But on the
other hand 1t is costing the city nothing,
except what it loses in taxes, and is
annually increasing in value. But the
most important question to be considered
is the use the money is to be put to after
the property is sold. If it is to be put to
any beneficial use it will probably be a
good thing to sell it. But if it is to be
frittered away at the will of any and
every Board in the city the profit will be
of problematical nature But the most
important question for the prospective
purchasers of this property is that of title.
Has the Board of Works any right to sell
this property We do not think it has.
The city is incorporated as the Mayor and
Board of Alderman, not as the Board of
| Works, and therefore it is extremely
probable that title can only be conveyed
by the Mayor and Alderman. and the
Board of Works cannot sell the property
or any portion of it. AS this will neces-
state an arrangement between at least two
of the city Boards it may possibly be as
well to leave the property where it is,
unproductive and unremunerative though
it may be.
One of the most remarkable instances of
boycottlng we ever heard of was enun-
ciated in New York on Friday. That
city has an association composed of street.
cleaners. These men are of course good
respectable workingmen and earn their
living honestly. Nothing can be against
them on that score But professional
workingman" of the bun combe stripe-a
man who never did a stroke of honest
labor in his life--has gained access to their
ear and he has induced them to make
superb asses of themselves by boycotting
the Fifth avenue Hotel Hereafter the
street-cleaners of New York will neither
board at the Fifth avenue Hotel nor sip
their whiskey over its bar. 1t is sad to
think Of and the proprietor of the Fifth
avenue hotel is certainly entitled to public
sympathy. Seriously speaking, when
workingmen do such things as this they
simply make laughing stocks of them
selves and they must not find fault if they
are held up to public ridicule for it.
Labor is respectable but it has no more
right to make fool of itself than any
other section of the world And while
| boycotting may be an effective weapon
generally, in this particular case it is a
good deal like gun that goes off with a