The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-28

Sheriff S~tanton's Public Record.
Yesterday, we took hold OF some of
the Republican attacks upon Sheriff
Stanton and shook the fallacies out of
them. We showed that on a basis of
common sense and fair play no re-
proach whatever rested upon the
standard sbearer OF the Democracy.
Where there was any true blame, it
rested on somebody else, we showed,
aud Mr.. Stanton "a just made a
scapegoat for partisan purposes.
Thus, we argued that those who do
not like the race tracks have a valid
grievance against the members of the
bad Legislature; those who think
Bob Davis and the other hackers
of the policy combination should be
indicted have a right to complain of
certain grand jurors. But it is a
grieyous wrong to visit upon Sheriff
Stanton the wickedness of others.
To blame him for the passage of the
race track laws is about as reasonable
and equitable as to hold him respon-
sible for the alleged offenses of Judge
Maynard of New York because both
happen to be democrats.
Having reviewed in this way the
defensive side OF the Stanton CAM
paign, we proceed to o slider sue
cinctly the positive reasons why every
public spirited citizen, without dis
tinction Of party, should vote for
Sheriff Stanton. and the first great
reason is to be found in his public
record. He has held two conspicu-
GUS public offices in the last few
years. He has been Mayor of Hobo
ken and he has been Sheriff. In
both cases he has left not only a
blameless record, but one Astounding
in eminent public benefit. As Mayor
of Hoboken he beautified and i'm
proved the city, and modernized and
built up the public service. AS
Sheriff, he rescued the most impor-
tant Office in the county from moral
squalor and executive dry rot, and
won the enthusiastic praise Of the
Bench and Bar for placing its opera
tions on such a plane of excellence as
had never before been experienced in
this county, or, perhaps, in this
State.
AS Mayor of Hoboken, Mr.. Stanton
left the people five great legacies of
his regime. These are:-First, a free
public library, which is a pleasure
and a profit to the entire people of
the city. and especially to the young
men and women who there fnd ma
terial of amusement and to improve
their minds; Second, a new and splen-
did school building, which is said
to be the finest in the State.
and which will be a credit
to the city for generations; Third,
a new and admirable fire en-
CINE house of the most modern de-
sign; Fourth, a paid fire department,
and Fifth, a reduced tax rate. 1t
would be waste of words to dilate
upon the claims to public confidence
and regard which spring out of these
benefits. The facts are known to
every resident of Hoboken at least.
The deduction is one which no con-
scientious person can escape.
We do not desire to stir up un-
pleasant memories of a dead man by
bringing into sharp contrast the
Sheriff's Office of today with that of
John J.. McPhillips. The place had
become a nuisance to the courts and
disgrace to the public. Drunkenness,
ineff1ciency, disorder, extortion, con-
fusion were its only characteristics.
1t was under the hand of bob"
Davis. and that hand depraves every
thing it touches. Emancipated from
that control, and in the hands of a
man, young, active. vigorous, hon
est. public spirited. the Sherif's
Office was recognized within a month
after Mr.. Stanton took hold az the
right arm OF the law in very fact, and
an honor to the administration OF
Jersey justice.
To MIR. Stanton's public record
much may be added that helps COM
mend him to the confidence of his
fellow citizens. As a politician, he
has been a straight democrat. In his
relations between man and man. there
Is not a word can be uttered to his
injury. He is a trustworthy friend,
and he has always met his liabilities,
dollar for dollar. His domestic re-
lations are as pure and beautiful as