The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-19
REPUBLICAN, VIRTUE.
How the Essex Men Are Look
ing After the Poor Tax
payer and Citizen.
Special to ths jersey cstu Nous.

NEWARK, Dec. IL, 1S96.-Th0Se public
spirited gentlemen in Hudson county
who are talking about having a bill
passed in the next Legislature abolish
ing the Board of Freeholders and erect
ing in their place a Commission, to be
appointed in some way not exactly de-
cided upon just yet, need not expect
any help from Essex county The Board
Of Freeholders contains only two Demo-
Gratis, the Republicans have every Office
in the county controlled by the Free
holders, and they will not listen to any
proposition which proposes to abolish
that enviable situation.
The leaders of the Republican party.
when spoken to upon the subject. roll
their eyes in holy horror and draw them
selves up in mock indignation at the au-
dacity of anyones attempting to class
the good and upright Essex Freeholders
with the wicked men of Hudson. They
admit that there Is some reason for a.
movement to get rid of their wicked
freehoiders, but that is no reason why
Essex should suffer for Hudson s iniaui-
ties and be deprived of the services of
such an excellent Board of Freeho1ders
as that which they now have. The, citi-
zens generally do not take much inter
est IN any movement for a change in the
administration of the county's affairs
" nat is agitating them just now is a
proposition to abolish the Common Coun-
ell, the Board of Excise and the Board
OF Assessment Commissioners and erect
IN their place a Finance Board and a
board OF Charities and Correction. As
this proposition, in case 1t became a law
would apply to Jersey City as wen as
Newark, its provisions cannot but inter-
est the citizens of your city. The duties
to be performed by the Board of FL
nance are about as follows.-
Prepare the tax levy
Assess and collect all taxes and assass-
ments.
Appoint and control the city CLERK and
Law Department
Have entire control and management of
an public buildings not under the iuris-
aiction of other boards.
An the power of confirmation or rejec-
lion OF appointments by the Mayor now
vested in Common Council. - Z"
III IS proposed to pay the members Of
lnlS FINANCE Board 1000 a year and
MAKE max the Board consist of Ave mem
The Board of Charities and cor,ect,o,,
IS 70 have these powers = = sioii
complete control of the AImshouse CITY
Home, City Hospital, Isolated Hosnitana n
and care of the poor. 'A's'i
fne appointment of Judges and clerks
81 81 tne Criminal Courts and officers Of tha
Iruancy Department
All the powers and duties na1u va,+ea
IN the Excise Board. ~
inns plan, If carried into effect. would
piace tne entire legislative control Of
municlpal affairs In the Board of Works
and the Board of Finance.
Minis terial dllfies nor r,a,fo,,,.- -
Inose boards would be cared for by the
6oard OF Charities and sCorrecfioiasss tha
Eoiice r9 ana Fire Boards and the Board Of
Education, which 1t is proposed to roalsa
appolntive. The Board of Heath will he
required only to care for the health Of the
CITY. NO change will be made In refer
ence enf to the Board of Trustees of the Free
Library, except to empower ii and ali
other municipal Boards to arrange for the
ilgnting OF buildings under their control
Inns Scneme would greatly add to fhe
ponticai power Of the Republican party,
and it is more for that reason than anv
desire to serve the interests Of the cifs.
zens and taxpayers that the scheme is he
ing SO vigorously pushed by them. a
peasant httle Joker is apparent In the
second clause of the powers to be sr,van
to the Board of Charities and CoI.rscfian
he police justices are now appointed bv
the Mayor, and the terms of the present
monuments nc. expire next spring. Newark
mas Democratic Mayor and Of co11rsa
the two new Police Justices and their
clerks will be Democrats unless the Mayor
can be deprived OF the appointive power
py some such scheme as this. This will
also give the Republicans the Tax Office
with its large amount of patronage. which
they would otherwise lose next spring
when Mayor Seymour will have the ap-s
pointment OF member which would
change the complexion Of the Board. II
would also give them the City Home, now
controlled by Democratic Board the
Excise Board and the Law Department,