The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-19

1ngS paper u D6LnOCT0Dtc Ut pTTUctpteS
and Is Independent in its 0ieaos on all
local questions.
Rule Or Ruin-Mayor Cleveland's
Policy.
1t is only a few days since we were
obliged to draw attention tothe threat
of detection from the Democratic party
made by one of Mayor Cleveland's in
Inmates in the declaration thathe, Mr..
Cleveland or a Republican would pos
itively be the next Mayor Of Jersey
City. We are reluctantly compelled
to draw attention to-day to a speech
made by the Mayor himself, in which
he clearly indicates his adoption of the
tactics of despair.
To obviate any charge of unfair re-
porting; we quote from the Ecenaag
Journals account of the Henderson
ball, at Metropolitan Hall, on Mon
day night. Speaking of the supper,
this report says
In response to a toast the Mayor congratulated
the association and said that some appointments
will be made by him prior to the end of his
term. When these appointments are made he
will make them with every regard to the fitness
of the person and the services they have rem
dered. He will not, he said, forget those whom
he knows and trusts.
If this is not at once a promise and
a threat, We have no understanding of
the meaning of language.
BY q defect in the New Charter, of
which we have no doubt Mr.. Cleve-
land took deliberate advantage, all
the terms of the one year commits
sioners appointed under it will expire
on or about April "a, that is to say
after the Charter election and before
the expiration of Mayor Cleveland's
term of Office.
Can anyone doubt that Mayor
Cleveland's speech means that he will
fill these places SO as to reward serv-
ices done him as a candidate in this
campaign and to punish opposition to
his candidatureg
A Mayor who was at the same time
a good citizen and a high-minded man
would take every occasion to declare
at this time that under no circum-
stances would he fill these offices. He
would allow the present incumbents
to hold office until his successor had
an opportunity to appoint, and he
would be most anxious now to give as
surances that he would do so. He
would fear misunderstanding on this
point as a blot on his reputation.
But Mayor Cleveland, so far from
assuring the public that he will turn
over the appointments to the next
Mayor, takes public occasion to say
that he will make them himself, that
he will make them with regard to the
services the persons have rendered,
and that he will not forget those
whom he knows and trusts. In other
words, in the last acts of his official
career he will pay off all scores, re-
warding adherence and avenging OPP
position.
All this seems to lis very scandalous.
IL is cleariy an outrage on the spirit
of the New Charter. The theory Of
that instrument is that the Mayor
shall be responsible for the govern
ment of the city, that he shall
have control Of it through
having the untrammelled power
Of selecting the officials who
are to administer it. How can a
Mayor be held responsible for the do
ings of officials appointed in an nour
of passion by his defeated predecessors
We do not say it would be quite so
bad, but it would be possible for the
outgoing Mayor II deliberately APP
point corrupt men to injure the adj
ministration OF his successor. 1t is
highly probable that he would select
hostile men who would be a thorn in
the side of the new chief magistrate.
during his whole term,
1t seems to US there must be some
way by which the Legislature can