The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-11-09


Asour Trenton correspondent points
out, the erection of Hamilton County
out of the northern end of Hudson
may work great benefit to the section
thus set off. There can be no doubt
as to the advantages to be gained by
the county proper, as that portion
south Of the Morris and Essex line
may well be called.
Hudson county, as it now stands,
has ceased to be a homogeneous com
munity. Not only is there a lack Of
common interests, there is even an OPP
position Of interests in many cases.
Above all, in political matters there is
q Adversely which makes it almost i'm
possible for either end to do Justice to
the other. Jersey City has. in the
past, run the county machine with
absolute disregard of the interests of
Hoboken and North Hudson, and
now these communities retaliate by
directly negativing the will Of
Jersey City on an issue
81 grave Importance, one
in which the public welfare is to no
small extent involved. Nor is there
any hope OF improvement. The
breach grows wider every year. The
recent contest has left much bitter
ness of feeling among Jersey City
people, and there is ground for fear
that the politics of the county may
develop into a sectional squabble en-
FILTERED by race prejudices, altogether
subversive of good citizenship and de-
structive of good government.
Our Trenton correspondent SO thor
oughly explains the political need for
the division that it is unnecessary to
traverse the same ground He only
speaks casually, however, of the local
advantages of such action. The prin-
eipal argument against it is the in
creased expenditure resulting. Two
sets constitutions and two sets of pub
lie officials, we are asked to observe,
means doubled expense to the tax
payers.
This is not strictly true. The pub
lie institutions of Hudson have long
ago been outgrown by the population
of the county. The accommodation
must soon be vastly increased. Is it
not just as well to meet the difficulty
by erecting the necessary buildings
for Hamilton County, leaving those of
Hudson adequate for her needs for
many years to come.
A large number of county officers
are paid by fees. The division of the
county would involve no additional
expense to the public because there
were two Sheriffs or two County
Clerks instead Of one. The volume of
business would only increase accord
ing to the growth of population and
wealth. The fees which, in the one
case, the Sheriff of Hudson. for in
stance. would gobble wholesale, in
the other would be divided between
the Sheriff of Hudson and the Sheriff
OF Hamilton.
Again the aggregate number of til e
insane, the sick, of paupers and
prisoners would remain the same, and
the expense of supporting them
would presumably be the same also.
The only difference would be that
HoboIen would pay for her own
prisoners and paupers and Jersey
City for hers. Hamilton county
would have to hire few keepers and
nurses but Hudson would dispense
with the same number.
The only expense involved is in the
high salaried officials. Hudson
county would have to pay her Judges
arednced number of Freeholders, and
the superior officers at Snake Hill,
just the same as now, while Hamilton
would have to pay Judges and few
doctors and wardens also. Altogether,
the increase OF expense to
the taxpayers would not be over
$40, 600 q year to either sub division,
sum hardly worth considering in view
Of the advantages 70 be gained In
Heed. y i inevitable Fiat some such
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