The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-09
Legislators Cater to the
Educational Idea Not
Wisely But Too
Well.
BUMCOMBE AND PERSON ALlTlEs.
The Sort of Argument by Which
MI. VNeill's Bill to Regulate
Expenses Was
Defeated.
srcctal 10 the JerseD city Ne,,s.

srccial 10 the jersey City Ne,os.
TRENTON. Feb. 9, 1s92.-Ho two happier
men ever Travelled from Trenton 10 Jer-
sey City than DR.. Leonard j. Gordon and
Nelson H. Edge were last night as they
went up or the evening train. Mr..
ONeill's bill, giving the Board of Finance
the power to limit the appropriation for
the Free Public Library to $40. 600. was
killed. This result. however. was not
accomplished without one of the best
and l~iveliest debates of the session.
During the evening Mr.. Heanev moved
thut the adverse report of the Committee
on the State Library on the bill be con-
cured IN. Mr.. O'Neill was not atteh-
lively following the proceedings at the
tlme, and before he could realize what
was being done the motion was adopted.
AS soon as he realized what had been
done he jumped to his feet TO a question
of privilege, but the Speaker ruled him
out of order.
MIR. Flynn came to his rescue by NOV
ing to reconsider the vote by which the
vote WAS in, and then u motion
was made to lay Fiynn's motion on the
table. That was lost, and then the
motion to reconsider was taken up. On
this, Mr.. O'Neill made a speech which at
times ellclted applause.
MR.. o'NEILL'S POSITION.
He said that mucn had been said for
and against the bill. When it was called
up he WIS about to move that it be re-
committed. The committee had not been
courteous enough to call a fellow MEM
Der before it to have him explain why he
had introduced the bill. He mad Intro
duced the bill at the request of many of
the best citizens of Jersey City ir-
respective of party. lie had III his pocket
q letter from the Corporation Counsel
stating that he would like to appear be-
fore the Committee and advocate the pas
sage of the bill.
There were over 1000 children in Jersey
City who could not attend school because
of the lack of accommodations for them.
The city was giving too much money to
the library. 1t received $27, 900 while only
$50, 600 was appropriated for streets.
The bill, Mr.. O'Neili continued. gave
the Board OF Finance the privilege of
giving the library as much as 1t pleased
but said that it should not be less Than
$40. 600 per nnu
4 am no lawyer" Mr.. O'Neill went on,
81 don't belong to the literati OF the DEM
ocratic party. am heralded all over the
State as Paddy O'Neill. don't want to
be abused by people who are not in favor
of children going to public schools. Why.
how can the children read in the Library
if they don't go to school and learn how
to read?"
Mr.. O'Neill declared that he was in
favor OF a free library, but he wanted
schools first. He then spoke of the dilap-
idated condition OF Jersey City,s parks
through the want of funds to keep them
up. Mr.. O'Neill closed by eXDatiating
upon the fact that only SIS, GOO was appro-
Driated for school books and that many
of the scholars were obliged to buy their
own books.
AGAINST H BILL.
2. Mr. HQunau mn6A n fCnnriqa and telling
argument against the bill. He spoke
distinctly and fiuently, and made one of
the best speeches of the session. He said
in part that on its face the bill was
against the sentiment of the people of the
State. He spoke of the legislation which
led up to the establishment OF the Library.
The bill gives the members of the Board
of Finance discretion, and they might If
they saw fit kill the Library.
Mr.. O'Neill asked If MIR. Heaney meant
to discredit the Board of Finance. Mr..
Heaney said he did not, but he differed
from It's member on that question. He
said that the Board never took kindly to
the Library and he related the action of
the Board in appropriatiug only $40, 600
each year and being compelled by the
Supreme Court to obey the law. He said
tina was why the sum wanted now WAS
so large. He quoted figures to show that
the Library was run cheaper than any
other of its size In the country.
MT, ONelll IubeFTuDUtu W ASK IL tu6
Librarian was a Jersey man. Mr.. Heaney
replied that that had nothing to do with
the question. II other States produced
brilliant men, New Jersey did we'll in
taking them up.
Mr.. Heaney agreed with Mr.. O'Neill as
to the need of school accommodation, but
said there were Others who should be
taken care of-the young man. for
instance, who works during the day and
needs some means OF improving his mind.
He spoke of the early struggles of Vice
President Wilson and others who had
educated themselves. and said 1t was TO
provide for such.
HERBERT POTTS PLEA.
Mr.. Ketcham OF Newark spoke against
the bill, and Mr.. Potts replied to Mr..
O'Neill as the representative OF the Hill
section of the city. He saia it was not
for lack of money that Jersey City T,as
without proper school accommodations,
but because her officials could not agree
on d site for a school building. The
city had money enough in the bank
reading room during the past seven
months had been used by 4l,000 people,
and 1876, 600 volumes had been tax en- out
for home reading. He ridiculed Mr..
O'Neill's sudden zeal for economy when
he had introduced a bill increasing the
salaries of the members Of the Board of
Finance aud there was y bill IN to in
crease his own salary. Mr.. O'Neill re-
piled, but the snap ana fire had been
taken out of his REMARKS.
GEAR BERGEN's GAG Law.
Mr., Kalisch If Newark tried TO get the
floor, and although he was plainly heard,
the Speaker ignored him entlreiy and put
the motion 10 reconsider the vote by
which the adverse report had been con-
Cured in. The motion to reconsider was
lost, and thu the bill was killed detin-
itely.
When asked why he had so deliberately
and pointedly refused to Recognizes Mr.
Kalisch. Speaker Bergen said that he
thought enough had been said on the