The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-08-31
S1,25O,OOO.
That is the Amount the Ring
Has Increased Jersey
City's Debt.
OFFICIAL FIGURES PROVE 1T.
The Fraud Mayor Falsified as Usual
in His Election Statements Dead
Hardenbergh's Credit stolen.

VI LIE DOldneSS with which His Eradu-
lency's Ring is robbing the people Of this
city has yet been presented to the public
than that submitted in these columns a
few days ago, showing that in two years
1t has squandered $500 600 more of the
taxpayers substance than even the cor
rupt Big Four had dared to wiring from
them. The correction of trifilng error
that appeared in the article whether as
result of freak OF the types, or as the
result Of pen slip on the part Of the
writer-affords a new opportunity to
forcefully illustrate the boldness and
greed with which 1t is committing its rob
berries.
AFINE TOOTH COMB ROBBERY.
The misstatement was that the bonds
with which the new police station is to
be paid for had been issued. 1t is true
that the building is to be future tax
upon the city's resources: but 1t is not
true that the bonds have vet been or
aered upon the market. They were to
nave been drawn and signed prior to the
making OF the tax budget announced
last month. but the design was not car
ried out because it would have been
necessary then to have provided for the
payment of the interest upon them in
that budget The building is to cost S95, 2
wv, and the interest at five per cent.
would have amounted to trife of only
81, 100. But the Ring is so grasping that
itcould not resist the temptation 10 APP
propriate even that bagatelle to it's own
uses; and so the issuing of the
bonds was deferred till the new
tax levy shall have gone into effect.
What more forcible illustration of the
stand and deliver" tactics these rascals
are pursuing with this community can be
imagined than that which this incident
supplies? After Garry Boice had cleaned
out the Fifth Ward Bank some years ago.
nosing Committee found 1920 of the
banks moneys in remote corner of one
of the drawers.
How is it you didn't take that along
with the rest of the banks yaluables?S
Garry was asked.
4 didn't know it was there was his
cool reply.
The Ring that is robbing this town,
rlght and left, and in every move it is
making, is as impudent and brazen in the
commission of its crimes as was this now
imprisoned bank president in the com
mission of his. Unlike him, it is evil
IDENTITY not overlooking even the most
trifing opportunities, but is going over
the field Of carnage with a fine tooth
comb.
A POINTER.
A we'll posted ex-ofdciai who read the
the statement showing the monster ex-
cesses of the new Ring as compared with
the old said to the News reporter that
100000 will not begin to represent the
excess.
you can never find ont what IL is. y
he went on. Transfers of money, the
pledging of the credit of the city, the IN
fashionable water account, the plumber of
the tax readjustment account, ali serve
Nas easy covers for rasealitles, and they
are being employed for all they are worth.
/ shouldn't be surprised if an expert *
animation showed that the rascals have
in the fourteen months they have been in
power. squandered as much as million
and a half more than the old time rascais
We're able to reach; but you can never
find out the details or officially and au-
thoritatlvely trace all the qualifications
of their villainies. But $500, 900 is big
sum; and the NEWS has rendered signal
public service in uneovering that much
of their stealinRs.o
This incidental remark suggested re :
newal of the enquiry. The tax levies,
license and railroad receipts and all other
sources of revenue had been explored;
there was but one other avenue of plum
der for them to work.
That was the public credit.
Had the rascals also used the city's
name in the markets toIeach more money
10 waste and stealP
a n.
Even more startling than the COM
PARSONS which showed the waste of
the $500, 600 excess, was the dis
covery that the first financial state
menf. submitted by City Comptroller
Hough after the Ring had got into
power, showed an increase of more
than million and a quarter in the
city's total indebtednes
Mr. Hongh is very conscientious pub
lie servant, and, at the risk of starting
the Ring hounds in pursuit of his scalp,
it may be added that he is a thoroughly
honest man. But he holds his Office at
the pleasure of the rascals, and he may
be preeumed to be ready to do as much
as his conscience will permit to hide their
extrayagances and sins from the public
gaze Yet even with his presumed ten
derness for their failings he has not been
able to conceal the figures which show the
increase of the city's debt. At the end of
when the Big Fonr were bosses of the sit
uation-the total debt of the city was
SIS. ,Os3. At the end Of the fiscal year
of 1882 November 80. when the new Ring
had been lin office for six months-the
debt had swollen to ST, COZ, 326-
The startling difference between these
two totals shows that the debt under. His
Fraudulencys regime, was increased in
one year by 81, S35,243
Remember now the oily sickness with
which His Frauduiency declared on two
or three public occasions that 800. DOC. 90 or
more OF the debt had been wiped out; and
you have faint conception OF the Gepth
of his duplicity, and the cool grace with
which he can choke a lie down thethroats
of people whose confidence he hatters
himself he enjoys.
A BooKKEEPER's HEDGE
1t is when Mr.. City Comptroller Hough
tries to take the edge off this startling
difference by producing the other side OF
his ledger that his effort to shield the
Ringsters reveals itself If the city has
debts she has also assets, and he makes 1t
point to swell the credits by the intro
duction of every item that he can posi-
bly, crowd into them. When these are
deducted he figures that the net debt OF
the city ut the close of the last fiscal year
was 81, 204. 1911. But his own figures fix
the net debt, at the close OF the Big
Four's last fiscal year, at only 81, ll9, 1o5.
So that. with all of his ingenuity. he
gives the lie to His Frauduiency's suave
assurances Of the rapid decrease OF the
debt by proving conelusively that she is
at least $50, 900 more behind than when
the big Four let go.
AS matter of bookkeeping. there can
be no doubt that Mr.. Houghs' debit and
credit statements are beyond question;
but when the so called assets are examin-
ed 1t will be seen that the figures which
mi ~ la al