The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-23
BAITED THE REPUBS.
Their Hypocrisy Shown Up In
the Riparian Lands Re-
peal Bill.
Special to the Jersey City Ne,rs.

DpCCtLSt ~ bIiC CNfSNS wy 'SNf
TRENTON, Feb. 23, 1894-Wednesday
afternoons meeting of the Assembly was
the most interesting one of the session. The
manner in which the Democrats baited the
Republicans and exposed the finishes of
their reform hypocrisy was aesight long to
be remembered by those who witnessed it.
| There were several debates during the after
noon which were listened to with great in
terest and often with intense AMUSEMENT by
the crowded galleries and lobbies. The first
| of these was caused by Mr.. Murphy's bill,
which repeats the bill of 1890, which pro-
| vides that a portion of the funds derived
from the sale of riparian lands may be used
for other purposes than the school fund.
Mr.. Lewis, who is one of the ablest young
| men in the House, and who is always in
| clined to be fair, arose to champion the re-
pealer. His was the old, old story which the
| Republicans repeat with parrot-like regular
ity every time one of their sham reform
measures comes up. 1t was a vicious law, he
said, because it was passed by democrats.
He then grew eloquent as he told how the
money which was originally set aside to
support the public schools had been diverted
from its original purpose by the wicked
Democrats.
Mr.. H~arrigan interrupted to ask what the
money was used for, and Mr.. Lewis replied
that it was taken to pay the salaries of the
large horde of officeholders which had sprung
I'D under the fostering care of the Demo-
Gratis.
When Mr.. Lewis and several of his col
leagues had created much enthusiasm among
the Republican heelers in the lobbies by
their vivid portrayal of the general depray-
ity of democrats aud the yiciousnesS OF all
the, laws which they had passed, they re-
ceived a shock at the hands OF Mr.. Thomp-
son which it took them all the afternoon to
recover from.
THOMPSON KNEW IT.
Mr.. Lewis was asked if he knew by whose
recommendation the law was passed and who
passed it. Certainly he did. 1t was passed
by a Democratic Legislature as the dietation
of Leon Albeit.
In the calm cool manner in which a sur
geon cuts up his patient, Mr.. Thompson began
to work his scapel upon Mr.. Lewis. He
Shove that the bill was strongly recon-
mended by Major Anderson when he was
comptroller and passed by a Republican
Senate. Henry nj. Nevius and John j.
Gardner in the Senate and Foster NJ.
VOORHEES, in the House, men whose Re
publicanism was above doubt, had voted
for and urged the passage of the bill. Mr..
Thompson next showed that part of the
money was expended npon the erection of
the ha ndsome chamber in which they were
then sitting. He said, however, that all
necessity for the law having passed, he and
his Democratic colleagues We're willing that
the money should &C back to the School
fund and would vote for Mr.. Murphy's re-
pealer. Upon a vote being taken the bin
was passed unanimously.
HUGHIE KELLY's
Mr.. Hugh Kelly made the effort of his life
in a vain endeavor to save the devoted head
of his friend Christy Smith. The bill re-
pealing the act creating Police and Fire
Superintendents in Jersey City and Newark
came up on final passage. Mr.. Kelly lost no
time in attacking the repeater; He said it.
was aimed at Christopher T. Smith OF Jer-
sey City and proceeded TO paint the angelic
attributes of Mr.. Christy. He traced his
career from a chanceman. He showed how
he had always been sent to the most danger
Gus posts where a nan life and property
were no more safe than they were in Da-
honey, and when Christy had been
there a day or two, every man,
where on that post with as much safety as
they could about their own homes. Then, in
recognition of this excellent work, he was
made Captain of the Second precinct, which
at that time was a hotbed of vice teeming
with gambling halls, disorderly houses and
Christy cleaned out this augean stable
so thoroughly that lit became as
good and peaceful as a prohibition town in
South JERSEY. Then he was called up
higher, and his valuable services and peculi-
arIy able police talents were given a wider
scope in the office of Inspector. Finally,
when those having only the best interests of
the city at heart decided that a man of wide
experience and superior police characters
tics was needed at the head of the depart
ment, this law sought to be repealed, was
enacted and Christy was made Superinten-
dent.
Mr.. Kelly declared most emphatically that
it was not his activity in political affairs,
but his extraordinarily good police work
which gained the position for Mr.. Smith. As
Mr.. Kelly went on putting wings on Christy,
the broad grin which his extravagant Ian
guage created, grew into a loud laugh.
M'EwAN'S REPLY.
Mr.. McEwan replied to Mr.. Kelly in the
best speech he has made this session. He said
he did not propose to make any personal at
tack upon Mr.. Smith, but he showed how
Chief Murphy, a man every way Christy's
superior in police experience and ability, had
been suspended by Smith because he was a
republican.
Carroll made a brief speech for Christy,
the burden Of which was that Smith was
doing the work of both Inspector and Super
intendent, and that if the awswas repealed
he would go back to bis old position. This
statement did Christy's cause more harm