The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-29
Allan l.. McDermott's Record.

AiIAH ~. pNCOCA a
Allan L. McDermott's platform,
wherein he will appear before the
people of Jersey City as a candidate
for Mayor, is chiefly his own personal
record. He will not appear as the
champion of tariff reform, or a con-
sentative silver policy, or of economy
in Federal affairs. These things will
be left in the background. He will
not even make a special plea of his
Democracy, though he is too good a
Democrat to refrain from proclaiming
his faith at all times. He will make
his Mayoralty campaign as<the cham
pion of pure and clean local govern
ment.
Mr.. McDermott's record is the
strongest argument that mis- friends
can put forward in his behalf. He
has never done a dishonest Or a dis
honorable thing. He has never been
mixed up in a crooked deal; he has
never been suspected of profiting
from any job; he has never betrayed
a friend or an ally. He has never
been owned or controlled by any man
or set of men. He is possessed OF
brilliant abilities, forensic and execu-
tive, which he has amply proven on
a hundred occasions. He has
been in the service of the city as
Corporation Attorney, and as FL
nance Commissioner, and in these
capacities not only did distinguished
service, but also acquired an expert
ence which will be of the highest
service in the new post to which he is
about to be called. The story Of his
handling of the city's decrepit finances
is one of great interest. No man who
did not possess his clear head. his I'M
firing energy and his unquestioned
personal reputation could have STAYED
off bankruptcy at that time. 1t can
not be said that the financial status OF
the city is anything like as involved
at present as it was then; but it is
sufficiently serious to make people
hail with pleasure the prospect of it's
management by the same master
hand that dealt with it before.
From his published interviews, it is
evident Mr.. McDermott regards the
public debt and the assessment OF
property for taxation as the two most
vital issues of the time. He Is I'M
questionably right. The drain on the
city's to pay the annual in
terest charges is the great obstacle in
the way of works of public
utility. Our debt and the rot
ten assessment and taxation sys-
tenn of the past are responsible
for our bad water, our dirty ill-paved
streets, our dingy, public buildings
insufficient schools and defective fire
system. Mr.. McDermott promises by
a refunding process to reduce the in
terest charges, while a struggle will
be made to pay off a portion of the
principal. The assessment of the
whole city will be revised before the
tax rate of 1898 is declared, 1t will
be revised by men of Judgment and
honesty, and when the work is done
it will be found infexibly and impair
TALLY just and honest.
From the day that Mr.. McDermott
becomes Mayor, too, the appropria-
tions will be made on a strictly bust
ness basis. There will be no favored
department, no pet job. The city's
needs will be considered and nothing
else. Enough money will be given
for efficiency, and not one cent for
jobs or s%inecures.
& These are bold expressions. There
are few men for whom one would feel
safe in making such promises, in Civ
ing such guarantees. But we believe
the Democracy may with perfect faith
give pledges to the voters that Allan
L. McDermott will live up to the
standard of these professions and
promises. If any one pretends to
doubt or cavil, it is only necessary to
point to his record as THE NEWS
prints it today.
Mr.. SCUDDER is a we'll intentioned
gentleman, but like others whose eyes
are more fixed on Heavenly than
earthly things, he makes sad mis-