The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-16
I7as paper is democratic IN principles
and Is Independent In its 0ieaus on all
local questions.
THAT Defence Assessment.

H @AANt
The desperation of the ring politi-
clans is shown in the tactics they
adopt. They plainly recognize that
they must saw their heelers or go
down in one general ruin with them.
The leaders of the unholy combin-
alton depend for their very life on be-
ing able to secure toughs and jail
birds to carry out their nefarious
schemes; but toughs and jailbirds
have a wholesome fear of State prison,
and only the guarantee of immunity
has induced them to do the work that
was laid out for them.
That is the reason the ring leader s
are disturbed. If Mr.. Winfield and
ex-Judge Hoffman and the judges
and respectable juries demonstrate
that the ringsters cannot provide the
protection they promise, toughs and
Jail birds cannot be found in future
to stuff ballot boxes, and pack
primaries, and slug the respectable
citizens who dare object. Then the
ring collapses, and the leaders go
back to earn their living by labor in
the obscurity which properly becomes
them.
But the ring will not go down with
out making every effort that wicked
ingenuity can devise, or hardened
rascality carry out. The fight will be
fought to the bitter end; even money
will be found-for are there not the
office holders to squeeze.
And so the ukase is issued for a new
assessment, and the clerks and mes
sengers and deputies and private Sec
retaries go round to the banks and
shylocks and pawn their salaries for
a month or two to help in
the defeat of justice and
triumph of the ring. These be
sad times for the unhappy office
holders. An average of two months
salary was extorted from each to pay
for fraud enough to count Mayor
Cleveland into Office. Many of the
contributors are not square with the
shylocks yet. And now comes this
new demand, and the lowest sum
that anyone dare offer is half a
months income. In November, if
the struggle for the existence Of the
ring lasts SO long, two months
pay must again be put up.n Is
it to be wondered at that our public
officials are so often venal and cor
rupt with such demands upon them2
The wonder is that the city and
county are not robbed even more
than is customary. Among the bene-
fits that the downfall OF the present
system will bring to the office holders
as well as the public will be the abol-
ition of the assessment system.
BUT a word with you, Mr.. Winfield.
You realize, we trust, the Importance
of these prosecutions. You see that
the ringleaders themselves consider
them vital. You see they regard their
existence as at stake.
Crush them, Mr.. Winfield Kill
theml Yours will be the honor; yours
the gratitude of the people. But il
these thugs escape the penalty o
their crimes, the people will hold you
responsible. and the ring will avenge
its present terror by killing you. II
is a fight to the,death between you
and the scoundrels. Which is to &c
under?
Mr.. HUDsPETH stands in the way
this morning as usual, but the recount
runs right over him, and the damnine
evidence of fraud piles up on his
shoulders and on those OF the fraud
Mayor who is his client.
We are glad to hear that the Suns
story about ex-Judge Garretson's fee