The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-21
HYPOCRIFHS FOR GAIN.
How Griggs' Followers Abolished
Fees in Democratic Newark
and Left Them Alone in
Republican Jersey :
City.

Mr.. John W. Griggs, the great 'sUp-to-
Date candidate of the Republicans for
Governor, has wasted considerable lung
power lately condemning what he calls
the extreme partisanship and greed of
office which, he claims, has always char
acterized the Democratic party. In this
he has been vigorously seconded by those
two shining examples of Republican
purity and non-partisanship, President
Edward C. Stokes and Foster NJ. Voor-
hees, Chairman of the State Investigat-
ing Committee.
Those who remember the legislative ses-
sion of 1894 will recall to mind piece of
legislating affecting this city which places
those gentlemen in an equivocal position,
to be as charitable as the circumstances
of the case will permit. AS everyone
knows, that was the first year the Re
publicans had controlled the Legislature
in several years, and everyone knows
to what good use they put that con-
trol-for themselves Early in the ses-
sion that sweet apostle of Republican
purity, Senator George w. Ketcham, of
Essex, introduced bill providing that
ali fees received by officials of cities of
the 1irst-class for municipal searches in
their offices should be turned over to
the city treasury.
With a great flourish of trumpets and
extensive exhibition of political virtue
and modesty the Republicans tried to
make great capital out of this. They
showed how the year before a wicked
Democratic Comptroller had gone to
Trenton and had bill passed putting
all the municipal searching under his
control and giving him fee of Sc for
each search. The bill was strictly in
the line of economy. as it took that fee
from the wicked Democratic Comptrol-
Ter and gave it to the city.
DECEIVING THE PEOPLE.
THAT was Just what the people wanted.
and the good simple-ninded citizens
rubbed their hands in giee. threw up
their hats and loudly cheered the upright
and virtuous Mr.. Ketcham and the
great and good Republican party. Such
a righteous measure as this should pass
everyone said, and pass 1T did.
bill was NOT exactly the righteous meas
ure it appeared to be. Experts who eX
amined it discovered that by one of
those methods made use of by. the, willy
bill drawers to keep within the letter
Of the constitution, Ihe bill had been 50
drawn that It applied to Newark and not
to jersey City. The true ilWardnesS OF
the Republicans virtue became manifest
HYPOCRITES FOR GAIN.
NeWarkS S COInDJrOlIef, VINO was the
beneficiary of the search fees law, of
the year before. was a Democrat and had
some years yet to serve. The CITY Clerk.
Water Register and City Collector. who
controlled the searching in Jersey City.
and among whcsrn the fees We're divided,
were also Democrats. but before long
two of Them the City t-ollector and the
Water Register, would be Republicans.
as their terms We're almost ended and
the appointing power was Republican.
That good and gentle reforJmer and
economist. Colonel Samuel d. Dickin-
SON, one of the chief moral influences
that secured the passage of the act and
the missionary work which ne did among
the members was Of the most convin-
cling kind.
Wher this Republican hypocrisy was
exposed the Republicans simply laughed
and congratulated themselves upon their
however who had not been long enough
in their company to lose all sense of
honor and manhood. and when he. saw
the manner in which his party had de-
ceived the people for spoils, he kicked
and kicked most vigorously. This was
Senator James A. Bradley, and he i'm
mediately introduced bill extending the
provisions of Mr.. Ketcham's bill to Re-
publican Jersey City as well as to Demo-
cratic Newark. 1t never passed. With
their well known disregard for all de-
posed Mr.. Bradleys bill and refused to
let it see the light of day. When Mr..
Griggs and Senators Voorhees, and Stokes
visit Jersey City and begin their orations
about Democratic office grabbing and
Republican economy and general political
virtue, the citizens of Jersey City will
do well to keep these facts in mind.