The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-07

tHarPehdeHt ~ IT'S ctefcS on al local questions,
Mr.. Hallcron's Good Work,
The Rev. Daniel Halleron vii
pretty soon make himself the most
prominent and popular clergyman in
Jersey City if he keeps up the wal
against crime and corruption which
he has so ably waged from his pulpit
for tue last three weeks. We are far
from agreeing with Mr.. Halleron III
many of his ideas. We have often in
plain speech set forth our differences
of opinion anu sentiment in comment
ing upon his ~utterances. Even in the
present crusade. we have not half
liked some of the things he has said.
AS We said last week, we think he has
weakened the cause he fights for by
blind hitting at some honorable men
who hate crime a intensely as he
does and who are actually fighting it
in their W fields just as hard as
he is.
But, making all allowances, Mr..
Halleron is doing a splendid work
Speaking as he does with manifest
conviction and with all the earnest,
ness and authority of the Christian
ministry, his u%tterances are a great
force. Their effect is doubled by the
absolute innate knowledge which
every citizen of Hudson County has
of the justice of his This is
not politics in the pulpit. This is a
war OF morality and decency against
crime and anarchy. 1t is not now a
struggle against the vice of gambling;
It is a fight for the salvation of the
fundamental institutions of the
country-for the preservation of the
structure of society itself.
The theatre of this warfare against
sin and darkness has in the last few
weeks been transferred from the
policy shops to the Grand Jury room.
The people are arrayed now not so
much against Bob Davis and his
gamblers as against the Grand Jury
itself. People who live under the
Common Law have always regarded
the privileges and the functions of the
Grand Inquest as the palladium of
their liberties. Legislators might err
and officials might be corrupt. but in
the lGquisition of the Grand Jury all
crimes were brought up for judgment,
and great projections and privileges
were accorded the impressive and
venerable body to whom the redress
of all wrongs was entrusted.
But if the Grand Jury is to become
the ally of crime. If the safeguards
and franchises built up by the respect
of centuries to protect and facilitate
its action, to save it from the in
fuences alike of fear or favor, are to
be distorted and abused so as to cover
and shield it in an unholy alliance
with organized professional crime,
then the reign of the common law has
come to an end, the knell of justice
and order has been tolled, and chaos
is not far from ov~erthrowing the
government of the people.
No. Mr.. Halleron is not fighting a
political battle. He is fighting the
cause of the commonwealth against a
terrible domestic conspiracy OF trea-
son. He has democrats and republi-
cans alike standing shoulder to shout
der with him. His words spoken to
his own people with the fervor of his
OWN honesty, and then re-echoed to
all the people of the State with the
trumpet voice of an indignant press,
will be heard and needed by the
voters, and calamity will overwhelm
the conspirators and turn their
wicked schemes into confusion aud
ruin.
The writing is on the wall. The
days of Boss Davis kingdom are num-
bered.
INCIDENTALLY. we may say we are
shocked to see Mr.. Halleron number
Foreman John Edelstein with the
protectors OF Davis and the policy
gang. Mr.. Halleron cannot know Mr..
Edelstein. Why, Mr.. Edelestein is a
businessman Of the highest standing.
His fortune is rated at several hun
dred thousand dollars. In politics he
is pleasantly spoken of as Honest
john He is ambitious, too, it is
said. to be Mayor of Jersey City,
some day.
No, we will not believe Mr.. Edel-
stein lie on any side but that of the
people. until we sse it proven. We
expect to see Mr.. Edelstein's name at
the head of the minority presentment,
which is to be presented by those
who favor the Indictment of Bob
Davis and the policy gang. DR.. Cor
don was foreman of the Grand Jury
aud yet he signed the minority re-
port on the Ballot Box Suffers. Why
should not Mr.. Edelstein follow that
good example?
What does Mr.. Edelstein care for
Bob Davis in comparison with his
own good manner
THE morning papers narrated, as