The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-19
BALLOT REFORM.
Five Hundred Citizens at
the Tabernacle Meeting.
POLITICAL PURITY DEMANDED.
Speeches by Party Men, Ministers
and Labor Representatives.

the citizens indignation meeting at the
Tabernacle last evening. 1t was not so
great meeting in numbers as was an
ticipated, but the enthusiasm was over
flowing.
The combination of speakers who occu
pied the platform was curious one.
There was Doctor Pangborn, of the
Journal. who has been pounding Parson
Scudder, Charles d. j. Noelke, ex-Judge
Rankin, ex-senator Rabe, Of the new
County Committee: ex-Mayor Gilbert
Collins fighting Republican; Secretary
Joseph Dana Miller, of the Single Tax
Club; Sherman Cummings. OF the Print
ers' Union of this city: Richard J. Allen,
representing the Central Labor Union;
the Rev. Dr. Mitchell, of the Scotch Pres
byterian Church; the Rev. Mr.. Halloran,
of St. Paul's NJ E. Church. Third street,
and President Arbarbanell, of The Ballot
Reform Association. The Rev. John l..
Scudder presided.
Prominent in the audience were Max
Salinger, General John Ramsey. Stephen
B. Ransom, Fred. Wolbert, Captain Gra-
nam, Patrick Sheeran, George Shamda,
Marmaduke Tilden and Washington B.
Williams
Mr.. Scudder, in calling the meeting to
order, said:-"We represent no political
organization. We represent the people.
Isimply represent myself. We all repre-
sent the better element. We are all dis
satisfied with the present political sys-
tenn. We are disgraced before the world.
A foul blot rests on this county. We are
ashamed Of it. The people have been
dethroned We must denounce ourselves
for this. We have been Indifferent to
ov tlQrfiCunahir In
something besides make speeches We
are not free citizens. If we permit the
election officers who disgraced us in last
falls campaign to serve this spring we
are slaves. The stars and stripes are
superior to the ensign of any political
party"
DARKEST BEFORE DAWN.
Ex-Mayor Gilbert Collins followed Mr..
Scudder. He said the people were not
prepared for the revelations of fraud
recently made. II had always been a
custom to speak of election frauds in
Hudson county. No one thought the
frauds were big ones. But the recent
revelations had appalled, the citizens of
this, the largest city in the State, in the
centre OF American civilization, and made
them stand aghast. 1t was amazing that
the people took it so quietly. The case
was hopeless under present conditions.
But despair was not to be thought Of 1t
j
The day of regeneration was coming, and
somebody was going to be punished. Mr..
Collins attached the blame upon all par
ties and classes. The Democrats, he said,
stood in the position OF receivers of stolen
goods. The worst elements of the party
were bound to dominate if the better ele-
nent remained quiescent.
Ex- Senator Rudolph Rabe, of Hoboken,
made brilliant effort. Mr.. Rabe said:-
s.The present situation is question of
right that appeals strongly to all classes"
He warned the present Legislature that
it was carrying its political Juggling too
far. 1T is not a question of rumor We
have the words of Judge Knapp that evi-
dence had been presented to him of
fragrant violation of the election laws,
that gross crimes had been committed"
with us in Hoboken,n said Mr. Rabe,
s'the affairs are not SO bad as they are
here. A Mayor, such as you have in this
city, couldn't be reelected in Hobokenp'
The applause and wild cheering that
followed in approval of his remark para
lyzed Doctor Pangborn. who follow we'd as
the next speaker. The Doctor had to be
brief. He had another meeting to attend.
He had received uote asking him to say
a word at the Tabernacle meeting about
a pure and honest vote. He would say q
Thousand words if necessary, not only
about an honest vote at home, but every
where. He had always been advocating
it. He himself drafted the Sunset act.
1t lived one year.
MEAN THINGS.
The Doctor pronounced election frauds
as the meanest humanity could be guilty
of perpetrating, and then told his hearers
what to do at home in this wise:-s'First
elect honest officials The men who
mean to cheat, will cheat. See that they
do not. One of the election officers who
served last fall said the trouble is that we
do not pay enough money to secure honest
officials. An American patriot would
serve for nothing. Ballot Reform? You
don't want to be fooled with any reform
sham bill. The Legislature does not
mean to give you an honest reform bill
1t could have done so in three days had it
been so disposed. We can only hope for
it, and bring public sentiment to bear in
its favor"
Mr.. Sherman Cummins, of the Print
ers' Union, advised the people to reform
themselves first. Then" said he, 1--WE
will have genuine reform We working
men were the first to put this matter be-
fore the Legislature. If you want ballot
reform you'll have it. 1t doesn't matter
the Democratic or the Repub-
lican party or both are in favor or against
it. When you get out of the lines and
say you want this thing, you'Il have it
and not before. But you want, above all
things, to sustain your own citizens.n
AFPLAUSE sfOR MR MILLER.
Mr.. Joseph Dana Miller, secretary of
the Single Tax Club. made one of the
most effective speeches of the evening.
His arguments were listened to with close |
attention and he was frequently ap-
pIauded and cheered.
Richard j. Allen. representing the Jer- !
sey Association, said he was present |
neither as Democrat or Republican |
the canse of ballot reform was the most |
serious question that has been agitated |
since 81. Unless something was done in |
the matter our liberties would go. The |
Grand Army men should give the boys Of |
the public schools swords and guns as !
we'll as flags. THE ballot, said Mr.. |
Allen, lis the certificate of free man |
and it should be cast by sovereign citi- |
zens." He referred to the case of man |
In the court House precinct who asked |
him as aiabOr candidate for ~ for his I
vote. HE got neither two cents nor |
two mills said Mr. Allen. "The hands |
Of those honest sons of toll who worked |
at The polls that day might have been I
Olistered, but they bore no evidence of |
political pollution.
Pastor Halloran denounced in burning
words the present administration. ut is I
! shame and disgrace" he said, that
vou have allowed The present state of I
Affairs TO come about
After the speeches We're finished there |
'or Mayor, both Democratic and Repnb-
Reipen, Sheriff Davis, Charles O'Neill, /
we're freely talked about.