The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-12
The Mayor and His Aggressive

We are more than pleased at the
spirit in which the Street and Water
Board has met Mayor Wanser's at
tacks. II they keep it up on that line,
and if they can hold their ground as
they say they can, there is no terror
Wanser's threats. Indeed the Mayors
position is a very peculiar one. On
one day he vetoed o resolution award
ing a contract for the building of the
Greenville Station House. He went
out of his way to say that everything
about it was all right; but he had a
vague idea that he did not like it, and
so he vetoed it. The next day he
comes out with an elaborate series of
criticisms or charges respecting the
construction of School No. 25. These
look serious at first glance; but they
MELT into thin air the moment they
are investigated. In our news col
umns today will be found a dissection
and REPUTATION of them, which, to put
it mildly, are just as specific and just as
convincing as Mr.. Wanser's arraign-
ment.
The Mayor SAYS, 81 understand the
Station House contract will be passed
over my veto" 1t would be quite
proper for the Street and Water
Board to SO pass it, especially as the
Mayor has not offered IL particle of
argument in support of his position.
Any refusal on his part to sign war
rants for the work would be nonsen-
steal. But the members of the Board
have done something wiser, we believe,
in making up their minds to sustain
the veto. 1t will he we'll for them to
let the Mayor have his way just a
few times, and let the people see what
factious obstruction and partisan
carping and pickering cost.
1t is understood that the Mayor will
to-day formally veto the so-called
Lamp Inspection pay roll. Let him
90 ahead. The courts will settle ac-
counts with him later. The name
attached to this pay roll is unfortun-
ate. 1t has given the Republican
papers all over the State a chance for
malicious lying. Here is a specimen
from the Camden Courier.
A specimen item of extrvagance in the depart
ment Is the expenditure of over $500 a month for
lamp inspect. oas, which the police force Is ex-
pscted to attend to as in other cities.
Perhaps this may be an uncon-
scious Misrepresentation. The Cam
den Courier may not know that the
Lamp Inspectors force is really a
construction and repair force. The
inspection is really done by the police
as in other cities. Conk and his men
are employed in setting up new lamps,
and in painting, Strengthening, repair
ing and generally caring for old ones.
The payrolls which Mayor Wanser
objects to, represent an enormous
amount Of labor, including the aflx-
style to all the corner lamps in the
city.
Before leaving His Honor and his
work for the day, we have just a word
to say about an alleged remark of
President German of the Tax Board,
quoted in the Journal. Here it is
4If Mayor Wanser declines to sign the pay
wahanls of the employees Of the tax Office. "
added President German, why, / will pay their
sut6ries out of my own pocket"
tThis is generous, but injudicious.
Mr. German should do no such thing.
1t is demanded neither by justice nor
reason. He cannot keep on doing it
indefinitely and there is no sense in
postponing a conflict which, sooner or
later, must come TO a head. Mr.. Cor
man had better let the men u for
their money. If they are entitled to
it. the courts will give it to them. For
anyone to pay public employees out of
his private purse is a sad confession of
weakness.
THE County Road Condemnation
commissioners put certain wealthy