The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-06

is the brightest man in the State was the
answer, and he would make an excellent
Mayor
II thought had this man and l asked
him if he would not vote for Mr.. McDer-
mott. He looked at me for a moment
and then said:-'Do you think l would
vote against Il party that gave Us Emanci-
patton, the Fourteenth Amendment ana
saved the Union?' Another man | ap-
preached said Mr.. McDermott would
make the best Mayor the city ever had,
but he added DO YOU think would vote
for a man who would strengthen the
Democratic partyr
THAT is the only fault they can find
with our candidate. He is Democrat.
"Now want to remind you that this
is Democratic city aud Colonel Wanser
can only be elected by Democratic votes.
but If Democrats vote solidlv for their
| candidates next Tuesday, Mr.. Nc Der
mott and Mr.. Sury's election are assured
and think that in both you will have
| found the men you need"
CHEERS GREET M'DERMeTT.
Chairman Fielder, with u few appro-
pirate remarks, introduced Allan Il. Nc
| Dermott. He was greeted with three
| cheers given with a will that denoted sim
cerity.
| Mr.. McDermots spoke as follows:-
"MR. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW CITI-
| ZENs-l have the pleasure for the first
time, of addressing you in this little home
| built for Democracy. While here 1t may
| be we'll for me to begin by considering
| some objections to me that have been
made by Republicans. 1t has been said
| that sought the nomination for Mayor
| This is not true. l have for some years
| been dissatisfied with the way some Of
| ficiais have conducted the affairs OF the
municipality. and feel 1t my duty to the
| city that has honored me so often, to give
;e I
| pledged to no one and il elected will
| go into Office free from any promises. Ii
| I become your Mayor and / do wrong, 1t
will be because am dishonest. l believe
understand the wants of the city and
| II do not give you better government
| I'll resign.
"There Is much to be said of the nat
ural advantages of this city. as it lies be-
| tween the Hudson and Hackensack
rivers, and with these advantages it
| should TEEN with factories and mills, and
| there should be no idle hands. The prin-
| cipal reason the city is not more prosper
GUS is because of the fear of taxation. 1t
| is impossible to persuade people to invest
| capital or to take up their residences any
where Ii they are to be taxed out of exist
| ence. Reduce your taxes and You will
| increase the wealth of your city. be-
| lieve can do this. l am accused of hav-
| ing held many offices. That Is true.
am always willing to admit the TRUTH but
while have held these offices. want the
| people to judge me by the record l left In
| them.
"By my record I am willing to be
| judged. To say this seems to me like q
man blowing his own horn: but it is
right. But you have the right if you are
going to make me your servant, to ask
me where my letters of recommendation
are, and It'll proper for me to produce them.
l have several. [Laughterl Twas Corpo-
ration Attorney from 1879 to 1882 and there
| is not an act Of mine in that record that
| am afraid to face the public's opinion of.
| l was in the Assembly two years and |
| stand by the record | made there. and to-
| night l would not, il could, change a
| single vote of mine in the Legislature.
| / was State Assessor, and after three
years. struggle in the Courts not u single
| appeal made against the assessments OF
the Board was sustained. and from that
source alone since 1885 this city has re-
covered $l.5o0.000 taxes from property
which it never before received cent
| from. [ApDlause.
| Colonel Wanser was member of AS
sembly also, and while there he distip-
| guished himself by legslating himself
| into office. VIII some one tell me how
| he remained in office when the new char
| ter passed. If it was not that he was kept
| there by the people who are now behind
my back~
THE FINANCIAL QUESTION.
Mr.. McDermott here reviewed the ffn-
ancial condition of the city and gave the
| figures that The NEWS has repeatedly
published and then he said:-''I say that
with honest government this city should
| not have had one dollar of debt on it ex-
cept that incurred in obtaining a water
supply. The creation of the present debt
is piece of infamy and the Republicans
| who are responsible for 1t are now opp os.
| in q mo and tnaV 60 uOt nrQnoga tn rad n re
! it but to increase it."
| Mr.. McDermott in referring to the de-
crease of the city's debt by three-fourths
| of million dollars while he was Presi-
| dent of the Board of Finance. read Comp
| troller Hough's letter certifying that the
decrease was made, and then he added,
81 pledge you If / am Mayor will not
| allow the debt of this city to increase one
| dollar.
II want to say something about my
| Office of Corporation Attorney. When
| filed that Office received $1,S00 a year
My successor, r. b. Seymour, immedi-
| ateiy after entering the office, caused his
salary to be raised to $500. He is now in
| the business of reforming, l believe.
| [Laughterl. Leon Albeit. your Governor.
| held the office Of Corporation Counsel for
| s., ,0o0 year. After the deal which made
| John A. Blair his successor, the salary
| was raised to $1,000. The Lord only knows
what he did for the salary. He probably
| went to sleep and woke up once a month
| to draw it. Blair advised the Board of
| Finance that 1t could spend the money
| collected under the Martin Act for ordin-
ary expenses OF the city government.
| When / was asked to examine the law
| found that the money could not be spent
| in that way, and my opinion on the sub
| ject has saved the city 100000 which
| mas been applied to paying of the debt
TINE FOR REFORM.
'The bill extending the term of office
| of Mayor from two TO five years drew,
| for / concluded that it would be better
| for man who wanted to effect reforms
| to have one long term than TO be elected
| for two years and TO spend all his time
propose for reform cannot be carried out
in less than five wears, and did not pro-
pose after I had ioaugurated reforms to
be turned out OF office because l had
offended some persons"
The speaker spoke proudly of the time
when he was working man earning his
| living setting type, He said no labor
| measure had been presented at Trenton
| that he had not advocated since
| he had been able to DO so. The
| speaker declared he was still member of
| the Trenton Typographical Union. He
believed the city suffered because it did
| not have equal taxation. He said there
| had not been a proper assessment of the
city in twenty years, and that the plan
| now in vogue was to assess one man $4,000
| and the man next to him, whom the as
| SCISSOR knows, at 50, 900, and the next man
who happened TO differ politically with