The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-29
Purpose Of the Recent 'Reorg-
anization' Movement Shown
Up in Its True Colors.
GRABS FOR POWER AND Cash.
The Jailer Wants To Be Boss OF
City Patronage and To Keep
His Huge Profits Out
Of Jail Fees.


County Committee, when the electio n
takes place. will be the subject of Bit
ter contest. unless those who are
now said to be unfavorably dis
posed to the reelection of Police Justice
O'Donnell come to their senses and with
draw their opposition. The objectors
are said to be ex-Honorable Jailer Robert
Davis and his immediate personal adj
herents. Jailer Davis is Chairman
of the Executive Commit
tee of the County Committee,
an Office that Chairman O,DonneIl has
three times presented him with. The ex-
hibition of inRratitude on the part of Mr..
Davis is strictly in accord with his atti-
tude towards Governor Albeit, and every
one else who has done him any favor.
The County Committee is made up of
two distinct elements. the friends of
County Clerk Mclaughlin and the clique
Of Robert Davis. The known op-
position OF Davis to the cleo
zion Of Governor Albeit as United
States Senator. has caused the line to be
very sharply drawn between the Two. and
the first collision is likely to be over the
election of ehairman Of the committee.
In the County Committee, the friends Of
Mr.. Mclaughlin have always in the D asst
been very much In the majority; but it is
said that Davis recently elected a
number Of new committeeman who
pledged themselves to support him In the
policies he saw fit to dictate. This was
the famous bringing in of "new blood"
last month. 1t is not known yet whether
these men will wear the Davis collar. and it
fs not known either that, even il they did,
they would form majority of the COM
mirtee. Men who profess to know, say
that the Davis followers will be in a
greater MINORITY than they have ever
been, when the vete is taken
TIE SNAP GIVEN AWAY. -
Iasked member of the County Com
mittee today what programme Robert
Davis had prepared. After being prom
ised that his name would not be made
public. he said:-
Davis wants to control the city patron
age which has slipped from him during
the past year. II he can elect one of his
friends Chairman of the County Commit
tee, he thinks he can use that position with
much effect in parcelling out Democratic
offices. He has been deprived of power
through his minority representa-
tton in the County Committee
and the loss of the aid OF the
Sheriff's orfice. While Davis controlled
this Office he welded a power that was
enormous in political deals. When he
lost it he lost all his. strength. He
now depends upon the men
newly elected members of the
committee to aid him to recover
some of his power. He hopes to whip
them into line because they have not vet
realized that Davis, as polit-
ical power is no greater at present
than any other man in the
Committee. 1t is proposed to place ex-
Building Inspector and present Tax
Commissioner James c. Clarke in the
field against M. j. O'Donnell for the
position. Clarke has some per-
sonal following that Davis counts
on and that added Co the votes, the Jafler
believes he can control. he thinks will be
Sufficient to give him the organization Of
7 tcommittee next month";
THE MONEY IN IT.
T"What, besides the distribution of pat
ronaRe. does MIR. Davis expect from such
resultSn
Lord, haven't you heard that iJ is pro-
posed to abolish the fee system in the
County Jaila"
"You don't mean i,?'
"But do. For years. people in this
county have grumbled at the
which gives the Jaiier soO,-
900 profit yearly for
caring for prisoners while the warden of
the penitentiary, much greater institu-
tion, only receives $4,000 q year for this
work. 1t is believed that it costs the
county about $4,000 year to run the
jail. while it only cost to run the Peni-
Tertiary last year. s41,0oo In round
numbers. An effort will be
made this year to have the
Les islature abolish this fee system at the
Jail and have it conducted on the same
business principles as the Penitentiary.
This would mean the loss of fortune
10 Davis. who is appointed for five years,
and may be re-appointed for another
term of the same length. TO
head off such legislative action
Divis believes his strongest argument
would be the control of the Democratic
County Committee, and ii he
could say to the Legislature
that the Democratic party as represented
by he County Committee was opposed 20
he proposed change IN the law, he
h nks the bill. il presented. would bs
TILED. Certainly. the people want the
;hange and Davis will need strong back
Angto prevent it. These are some of the
bus that Bob has forswantiug to
a follower iu the seat OF such an in
sent man as Justice O'DonnelL"
WHAT CLARK SAYS.
Tax Commissioners Clark this