The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-01
The Mayor Guards the Treasury.

mayor w dlSeF db LIS oGTSeb anu l.
Board meeting, last evening, are not
important on account of the amount
of money directly involved. In n
case the sum is only $50, and i the
others the amounts are but SIT and
$144. Yet these small victories have a
very high Importance to the "a payers.
First, they are important because
they are a guarantee that the Mayor
is sieeplessly vigilant in supervising
all public expenditures. He is clear
sighted and judicious in his work,
and, we judge has private sources of
information which make it impossible
for anything fraudulent or even un-
fair to pass his inspection.
In a secondary way, these vetoes of
Moran, Moser and Winters claims are
important because they will serve as
final notice to those who have been in
the habit OF charging the city improp-
erly for small jobs. 1t is very eonyen-
lent for politicians of the Davis stripe
10 escape going down into their WI
DOChctS ny OLdOl1uS cObC WY oDoAN
to fake up a job of $50 or so to bridge
a useful heeler over a financial crisis.
OF course all three of these bills were
not just of this stamp, their queer
ness was diversified; but they all alike
represented methods by which the
city has lost sums of money trifling in
themselves, but enormous in the ag-
gregate.
The Mayors good service is not,
= however, confined 10 such small mat
\ tiers as these. For two years or more,
the method of expanding the license
money on the repair of the streets has
been a crying scandal. The fund has
been iobbed out, as is we'll known, in
sums less than $500 to favored con-
tractors. No bids have been invited;
no competition has taken place. The
Inference cannot be avoided that the
money has been paid at the highest
rates, and it may be added, generally
for the most miserable work. The
Mayor has corrected this abuse. 1t
took a club to do it, but His Honor
has at last coerced the board into adj
vertising for proposals for the re-
eo paved streets, ao~be paid
8 out of the license fund. The sys-
ten appears to be a good one, The
bidders will offer to do all the work
ordered, for a year, at fixed rates.
The city authorities will then order
the work here, there and everywhere
as they see fit; it will be measured by
the city engineers, and the bills will
be passed at the contract tariff. 1t
is probable hat by this course at
least twenty per cent. better return
will be secured to the city than of old
for the money it expends.
Mayor Wanser is doing good work.
4 We hope TO see great results from his
honest and capable admin stration.
HAVING praised q Republic an ofiic-
ial, it IS more than pleasant to be able
to express cordial approval of the work
of Il Democratic one. To City Collec-
4 tOl L. II. ANCill, VIC 0CSltC W hIiCSG
the approval of all property owners
and taxpayers. Mr.. O'Neill is max
ing a strong and effective fight TO con-
vert the assessment for personal
taxes from a farce into a reality. He
= has been sending out notices during
Z the past month or six weeks to de-
linquents, and as q result large sums
have been coming into the city
treasury. sOf course. those who have
to pay don't like it; but it is mere
justice TO the overburdened real es-
ate owners of the town. and Mr..
kNeill will have their unanimous
Enks for enforcing law and right in
matter.
his speech at the Board of FL
lie meeting, last evening, the Cor
lion Counsel in a very few words
arized the whole story OF Jersey
financial difficulties:--With a
Aate valuation of $81. 900, 900, we
personal valuation of barely
:. 1t cannot be doubted that
Jnality of the city would be
Iy taxea. were the assessment
to $40, 900, 900 OF even $780,
ut even the personality that
pays hardly anything. In
now, no honest effort has
collect anything.
as points out the addi-
lous circumstance, that
cal estate only from -
is collected. Elizabeth
EAR 90 per cent. of all
,ntll.
ole root of our muni-
otsthe contempt ated
city or county that
it is u-nderassess-
personality, and
of tax Sinking.
q corrected. this
~ in ability to
sgress with the
YARREsT.
ahe Varpatb