The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-28
COUNTY JAIL BOSS
0utspoken Addressed George
/. Record in Hoboken
Last Night.
REFORM IN POLITICS.
Explains a System Of Selecting
Candidates That Will Do Away
With Bossism.

Foreman George L. Record of the Grand
Jury addressed the Young Mems City Club
of Hoboken last night on primary Re-
forms.n Mr.. Record made a lengthy and in
teresting dissertation upon the subject, and
at the conclusion his remarks were greeted
with generous applause, signifying the SYM
pathy of his hearers.
In. introducing Mr.. Record, the orator,
Robert J.. Moore, stated that the speech
maker would talk Upon a subject of unusual
momentum" to the members. And l
would ask you all not to be smoking while
Mr.. Record talks" continued the ''orator,"
'sbecause it makes the air dry, and MI.
Record will undoubtedly furnish all the Dry
ness necessary This was said IN an unmls-
takably sincere vein that elected proad
smiles from the audience.
MR.. RECORDS
Mr.. Record began by asserting That tne
Young men are IN important, II not the
almost sole factor, in the politics today.
Upon them devolves the duty OF redeemlng
his mind literally saturated with preiudices,
but the Young man has his own ideas and
refuses to be dictated to from any source.
"A Young man should attach himself
to the party he believes will accom-.
plish more for the general good OF
the people. We should get 1t OUT
of our heads that we owe allegiance to any
party. Don't support any but a good party,
and do not work with a party merely tor its
name. Lately it seems the personal aims OF
certain people were considered only. The
men elected are all moneyed men, who aVow
it their intention to make money and VINO
acouire mysterious wealth. Politics in this
"a =: TX 49, ~ xuho ma 10 If a business
to make money.
s'We want to send to the Legislature men
who practice ideas of reform in the line OF
progress. All our political institu-
lions are full OF abuses. we
should have men to reform those
abuses. But how can we change tins rotten
ness? That / propose to explain. There is
going on in the county q pretended reform
that NAV or may not amount to anything.
Some think that reform means merely the
turning out of two or three bad politicians:
but that does not enter into the question. LII
YOU do put the bad ones out, they Will be
every bit as bad in Ave years from then:
They may OWN a CLUB IN Jersey etIy' anu
boss things as they please now, but the man
in public life today is not put there by the
people, and is not a free agent OF the people.
: ssThe two men who control politics IN
Hudson County might die tomorrow and
the machine would still run as strong and as
effectively as before. My idea is that the
idea of democracy is the true one.
THE COUNTY JAIL BOSS.
ssTbe idea of a man IN our County Jail
sitting down in an easy chair and picking
out candidates for the State Senate Is
ridiculous. No distinction is made if a man
is honest or dishonest. What we want are
men picked out literally and absolutely by
the people.
ILL --.o4.-r 1N1,6sfiOnC COW 900 IN fh4
primaries But Of what good is it! They
are controlled by ugly looking thieves, l
NAV say, irresponsible men, and you may
put in ten votes for your man against one
OF somebody else's, and even then you would
not get in your man. No scheme OF reform
will amount to anything that does not
wholly and radically change the election
methods. The scheme which1 will expound,
it was the intention of Governor WertS TO
make mention of in his inaugural address,
but it was impossible to make a practical ex-
! nosition. owing to the coTruptness in the
State.
THE PROPOSED PLAN.
uBy nv plan we shall have in the State of
New Jersey joint Republican and Democratic
primaries, to be held on the first registry
day preceding every election day, local or
general. 1t is provided that on the registry
day there shall be the booths, official tickets,
&c, which characterize a legal election day,
that all tickets must be printed at pupHc Elk
pense: that the conventions be all abolished.
That is the place where Democratic govern
ment breaks down. The choice of the prlm-
ary by the system advocated will be the
regular nominee. 1t is planned on the
Australian ballot law system.
Son the registry day the candidates to go
on the ticket are selected by my plan, if they
have not already been. The names of the
Democratic nominees are placed on one side
of tbe ticket, and the Republican names on
the other side. Inside the booth, after be-
ing registered, check with pencil your choice.
AT night the names are canvassed, and the
man with the plurality is the chosen nomi-
nee. By that system there is not any control
of the boss. This would be a revolution
we could scarcely conceive of. The men
masquerading as bosses now would be rele-
gated to the obscurity to which they belong.
It would ennoble and dignity the party and
make the voter feel that his vote counts 1t
would put an end to the power of money and
would be in the line of decent politics and
clean government, and make everyone en-
listing in the cause feel it worthy OF his
talents, time and service"
BY OTTO GROUSE,
Counsellor Otto Grouse entered a reltera-
ton of Mr.. Records remarks n talked for
a while on municipal Government" giving
a very instructive address. He said there
must be a central head controlling the gov
eminent of cities, whereon may be placed
the responsibility of the proper conduct of
affairs. The proper form is with the Mayor,
and he vested with power to appoint his
aides. Their term should be coincldent with
III. CO ba p,a bouo thair COUNSEL during his