The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-03-18
Colonel Wanser and the Gang Be
hind Him.

hind Him.
AS we are informed and believe,
the nomination of Colonel Wanser for
the Mayoralty is, in the long run, a
very great disappointment to Repub-
licans, who perceive his entire unfit
ness for the office, and the utter inn
possibility of electing him. He has
been much talked of for the past
month, but he has been very unwil-
ling to run, and the party has been
almost equally unwilling to nominate
him; but, at the last moment only
two possible candidates remained in
sight. Simeon H. Smith, the braggart
champion of Pinkertonisln, and Col
onel Wanser, whose weak, good ma
ture made his martyrdom IN assured
possibility, If only enough pressure
were brought to bear.
OF the two evils, the Republican
managers chose what they considered
the less. Alderman Smith was alto
gether too heavy a load to carry, and
SO they determined to make the best
of the gallant Colonel, c~onsoling
themselves with this reflection that,
if he should by any chance pull
through, they would have a man at
the head OF the city government
whom they could control for all pur-
poses wherein he could not detect alb
solute dishonesty.
Now the fact of the matter is, il
Colonel Wanser should be elected, we
would have the city governed by a Sc
lect ring in which Postmaster Dickin-
son, Contractor Toffey, Rod" Sey-
mour, Thomas Potter-late of the
Board of Education-and General
Ramsay would be the shining
lights. Probably every one of these
estimable oficeholders and ex-otfice-
holders, together with State Com
mitteeman Jim" Young, Druggist
Frank Cole, the ex-Rev. Benson. Cap
tain Jack Graham and others of the
same high political grade, would be
provided with the fattest places the
city affords. We do not say but what
Colonel Wanser means we'll enough,
but what could he do? These are the
the men in whose hands he is. Yon
all know him. He is, as the Rev. Mr..
McMinn said, zone of the boys" and
he would of course go into Office, load
ed down with obligations to the gang
which has been starving for pap since
its last representative was turned out
OF office by the new city charter.
II fact the change would be simply
FROM bad to worse. 1t is useless to
abuse Il regime which undel any and
all circumstances is on tins point OF
passing away; but is it bot certain
that all that is bad Mt present in our
city administration would be renewed
and repeated under the bosship of
the local leaders of the Republican
party? 1t would simply be the sub
stitution for a bad set of men of a
worse set.
Who arc these same Republicans
who talked SO fine at yesterdays con
.vention? Have they not Que and all
held office along with the alleged
ring" officials whom they de-
nounced? Have they not dealt and
dickered and sold out their party for
place and pay for themselves, time and
again until they have become q stink
in the nostrils of the Republican
party through the State? Have not
their own organs denounced them?
Does not the EcendGg Journal heap
up reproach and contumely OH them
day after day for their party treachery
and selfish greed?
And these are the men who put for
ward poor, g~ood-natured, pliable
Colonel Wanser-a gentleman and an
honest man, but as innocent OF pol
itics and public business as a baby;
a man who has never held a city Office,
who has neither experience, training
nor professional qualification for the
high Office which is to be filled. "Oh,
make our fine, handsome figurehead
your Mayor" they cry out to the peo-
pie, ''and let us manage your affairs
for you"
But the people know the gang too
well. They know Colonel Wanser
and in proper place and degree they
like and respect him, and so do we,
But the gang behind him?
Oh, mol Not this time.
We shall have pleasure in dipping
into the history of these gentlemen i'll
the curse of the next three weeks.
THE cowardly attacks of the Eoen-
ing Journal on the Hudson Demo
cratic Society are beneath contempt.
Fair fight on political grounds is, of
course, legitimate; but TO
social SANDER is an outrage of which