The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-06
Aspect of the Contest for
the Local Offices in
This City.
NEW CHARTER QUERIES.
The Act Will Be Fought at the Polls
if 1t Becomes Law Today.

This seems to be the age Of ''decline" I'm
the history of local politics. ''Ras'' Lewis
has discounted the movement of the Re-
publicans of the Third district to replace
him as a candidate for Alderman, by de-
clining. 'Hank" Windecker, the Demo
cratic candidate for Fire Commissioner.
in the Fifth district has declined;
Phil Muldoon declines to run on
the Democatic ticket for Alder
man in the Sixth district, and in the
Second district Patrick Connolly, who is
described as great hustler" !" is reported
to have left Alderman Reardon clear
field for reelection by getting out of the
way, but Mr.. Connolly says in an adj
vertisement in another column of today's
paper tnat that is not SO.
IN THE DISTRICTS
There seems to be remarkable Demo-
cratic harmony in the First district, and
quite as remarkably non-partisan har-
mony in the Fifth Alderman Jordan In
the First is to tackle Captain Graham
again, but as he knocked him out by over
one thousand majority two years ago,
there is no doubt of his reelection. Police
Commissioner Kelly has practical walk
over.
In the Fifth, Van Keuren is without an
opponent, and the little fight that may be
witnessed there next Tuesday will be on
the Aldermanic question Conscientious
chronicling compels confession that the
ex-County Clerk has 'sleetle the best
show"
In the Fourth district, Commissioner
Kern seems to have clear field for re-
election to the Board of Works, and the
main interest in the election lies in the
contest between ex-Police Commissioner
Otto w. Meyer and Police Commissioner
O'Donnell Mr. Meyer is accused of hay
ing gone back ON his ticket in the interest
of his own election three or four years
trict are far from being united as to him,
he is in big danger of being cleft" again.
Wise nominations could have saved the
Sixth district for the Democrats, but,
while they have show there, the Demo-
Gratis are not over hopeful. Phil Null
doon's withdrawal is said to be due to dis
satisfaction with the nomination Of
Jack" Mccarthy for Board of Works,
and of William H. O'Brien for Justice of
the Peace, and it will probably land
'Hrory" Schermerhorn in the Board of
Aldermen, without very much effort on
'sHorry's" part, either. A brother of
Police Commissioner Smith has been
chosen to replace Muldoon.
THE NEW CHARTER.
OF course the interest in the outcome of
the election is much abated by the immi-
nence of the new charter. There are in
timations, however, that the candidates
looking for office under the existing
charter will make a strong pull to defeat
the acceptance of the new act by the
people, if it should become law in time to
be voted on this year. And even if, in
cepted by the people, there is talk of test
ing its constitutionality in court. The
claim is that the local option clause is q
violation of the States organic law. In
the liquor cases the Supreme Court ruled
otherwise, but it is an open secret all over
the State that If two judges, who We're ab.
sent, had been on the bench at the time or
that decision, the local option feature
would have been set aside.
If the bill is not law in time to enable
notices to be given this afternoon it cam
not be voted on next Tuesday. The act
requires that two days notice shall be
given in two daily papers published In the
city.
HOW ABOUT THE EALDERMAN-AT-LARGE?
A nice question will arise under the new
charter as to whether the Alderman-at-
Large provided for in the bill shall be
chosen this spring The bill is not law
here till the votes have been counted on
the question of its acceptance or rejection.
If the Large is to be elected
to serve this year, he must be elected be-
fore the law becomes operative. How can
that be?
There will be no scurrying of any ac-
count for the Board of Freeholders The
new Freeholders act continues the pres
ent Board in service till next fall. The
constitutionality of the act has been called
in question by some interested parties,
but all doubt on that point has been set
at rest by the declaration of the Governor
that the act is perfectly sound
If the new charter passes and is ap-
proved ex-Alderman Cannon will, it is
said, be one of the Tax Commissioners,
and Mr.. M. d. Tilden is mentioned for the
new Board of Finance.
Wantsi Wdntsi Wantsi Near, I'M