The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-18
This paper Is Democratic IN principles
and is Independent In its Uieaos on all
local questions.
Essex and Hudson--A Contrast.

Essex anu HuuSO0--A contrast.
The Newark EoenSng Neaos assumed
to answer yesterday our editorial of
Friday on its great conspiracy" o.
back, and being wholly unable to
crawl from under the load of the Es-
sex county ballot box frauds, it takes
credit to itself for having been first to
draw public attention to them.
We are pleased to acknowledge its
enterprise and honesty in doing SO.
But we beg to draw it's attention to
the fact that we have INDUCED in no
concealments. No paper in the State
has done so much to aid in the ex
posture of the Hudson frauds as
we. We have, since the revela-
tions began, given columns TO
the facts where other papers have
given paragraphs. If there are irregu-
larities, we want them made apparent,
SO that the laws may be improved. If
there are frauds, we want them shown
up and punished.
What we object to in the Newark
NesOs' treatment of the subject is not
the publicity given to the shameful
details, but the absurd. not to say in
sane differences that the Meas draws
from the facts. When it had made a
newspaper sensation of the Essex
frauds for a day or two, We noticed,
the NeWs very promptly dropped
the subject. There was no howl
about a great conspiracy, no appeal
to prosecutors and grand juries, no
loud mouthed demand for the punish
ment OF the guilty men, no sweeping
condemnation of the two parties in
Essex-they seem to have been equally
corrupt-under the guise of rings. or
conspiracies.
And yet the proof of conspiracy was
at least as strong in Essex as in Hud-
son, that is to say there was no proof
in either place but the state of
facts was about the same, viz,
votes were bought and sold
and a good deal of queer
counting vas done. Why, then,
should the cry of conspiracy
be raised against Hudson, while
the crime of Essex is to be con-
doned? It is worth considering that
the most disgraceful circumstance
which has yet turned up in con-
nection with the late election was the
giving by General Grubb of a check
for $40, 600 for expenses" on election
day In Essex, which checker the
money-was stolen by some member
of the Essex Republican ring.
We reiterate that, however great
the Irregularities, there is as yet little
conclusive proof of deliberate fraud in
this county, though, of course, the
suspicious circumstances may be
woven intoa fabric of proof in some
cases before the Investigation is
over. But so long as the proof is in
complete, we insist, all these cries OF
fraud and crime, this insensate
ing for a victim to be punished by the
courts is premature and indecent.
Furthermore. the attempt to manu-
facture a charge OF conspiracy or sys-
tematic wrongdoing is ~inexcusable in
an independent paper. 1t may be
pardoned in a Republican organ,
blinded by prejudice and striv-
ing for partisan ends, but
in q paper like the Newark NewS
which has in the past had a pride in
being honest and untranmelled in its
judgments, such blind rage and dis
torted vision are greatly to be
lamented.
WHILE others have been talking
about ballot frauds, a Democrat, SEN
ator Werts has found the remedy, OF
at least has made the first practical
step towards a remedy. The ballot
reform bin which he is preparing