New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-25
TWO CITIES IN THE TOLLS.
NEWARK AND JERSEY CITY ENTRAPPED.
AN ACT PRACTICALLY ABOMsHING REPRESEN-
TATIvE GOVERNMENT DECLARED
CONSTITUTIONAL.


The opinion Of the New-Jersey SIprcmc Cout vtrb'ny
announced at Trenton yesterday the text OF wch Is 10
he ed in Few DAYS sill tlnng the const nationality OF
the act of the last Legislature, constituting boards OF
public works for Newark and Jersey CITY, was received
I'm Newark yesterday with profound surprise and regret.
The law is OF the most extreme acts ever attempted
by a Democratic partisan Legislature. In Newark u
completely revolutionlzes the municipal government
placing the power heretofore held by the Common
Council I'm five Democratic commissioners appointed by
Democratic Mayor.
1t destroys all representative government for tnc
city, ard sets up rule of five Democratic bosses WIN
unlimited powers and opportunities and WIN h'o"S
Of the public money to dsburse. The power Oh t'o
Common Council is limited TO voting the appTopria-
TONS but even in this it can exercise no conro or
supervision over the Board, as the appropriations
for It's use are mandatory.
The five commissioners have absolute control OF inc
public streets, the sewers, the parks and puDo ouu
ngs, the water front, the scavenger WORK. te Aque
duct Department, and all corporation frahchSes io'
using the streets. The regular appropriations III Ne"
arb aggregate about million dollars annually Dut
there 4 10 be expended 900 900 for the new water
supply now under contract and about SCOOP 600 Tor
stieet paving outside of the regular appropriations
All the patronage In the Department OF Public Works
being In the hands OF the commissioners al ne
publlcans will be dismissed and their PAGES niieu
with Democrats The has already been pned where-
ever tine BU1ru cOuu usC IL, dlu loV HN"N' "''' ~"
the basket within fortnight, Tho contracts puohc
advertising etc. arc entirely under the Boards CONTROL
and this power used in conjunction with the Demo-
cratic Ring that controls the county government con-
tracts for public work, supplies to the various IN
stitutions etc. be included with erect In elecos
Among the Democratic Ring politicians who nave
brought odlum on the of jersey City there was
considerable excitement yesterday when they
learned that the Supreme Court had decided that the
BOARD Of Street and Water Commissioners was legally
and constitutionally appointed. THIS decision was
entirely unexpected, though it was sincerely longed
for By the Ring. The Mayor has the appointment OF
the Commissioners, and by the recent law these
officials are vested with about all the power inc
Board OF Aldermen had possessed except that OF grant
ing becr shops licenses The decision makes the Board
Of Alderman an ornament that is by no means useful
and the Commissioners useful-to the Ring-but not
ornamental. The Board Of Street and water commas
sioners is composed of Democrats only, and contains
five members. Two of them are owned politically by
County Clerk Dennis McLoughn, and the three Others
belong Jointly TO Police Justice Davis and Mayor Oress
Cleveland These three organized the Board and have
thus far controlled It,
Henry Condit. of Jersey City. yesterday announced
that he would again bring the Board into court and
that he would apply TO Judge Knapp. OF the Supreme
Court during the week for writ OF certioaH to re-
view the proceedings Of the organization OF the Board
lie declares that the Board Is illegally constituted
The act creating the Board Of Street and Water Com
mssioners provides that person appointed street
and Water Commissioner shall hold any other elective
or appOntlve office. Commissioner John F. Madden
was member of the Assembly when appointed, and
is a member yet
The argument the constltutionality OF the law
was held before the judges Of the Supreme Court on
June and g. eminent counsel being employed
on both sides. The contestants showed that the law
was special and not general. that IL created no cor
porate body. that it abolished the Common Councils,
that the title Of the Law defective and its pro
visions vague and indefinite, and that the law In many
respects In contradiction of the State Constltu-
ton. The understanding was, between the COUNCIL in
the case that the decision Of the Supreme Court would
be accepted as naity. and that appeal should be
taken to the Court of Errors and Appeals II Is not
certain, however, that the Will not be carried up
10 the higher COURT for its decision,