The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
MAYOR HOGS OR POTTS?
THE CAMPAIGN IN JERSEY OITY n
BRIEF BUT HEATED ONE.

BRIEF btI hEAIED ONb.
Democrats Hold tho Administration up to
goorn-Corporntion Counsel Hair says sher-
in Helier's Deputies Have No Right TO In-
terrere ut the Polls with Voters or Police.
The election campaign In Jersey City grows
warmer as the end approaches. Tho Demo-
cratic Campaign Committee issued a statement
yesterday calling upon tho voters to make a
change in the administration, and giving nu-
merous reasons why the change should be made.
Tho statement opens with this: 1.-The Supreme
Court having swept aside the act intended to
retain the City Hall ring in power. you arc in q
position to rebuke the Infamous Legislature
recently adjourned, and place at the head Of our
municipal Government q citizen who is inter
ested as O taxpayer and a business man In the
prosperity Of Jersey City" Then It goes on to say:
"The present administration has not kept tho
promises made when Mr.. wanser was a candi.
date. 1t was promised that our streets should DO
kept clean. LOOK at theml It was promised that
the taxes would be reduced. The tax levy for 1892
was 90, os4, $50. The tax levy for the present
year is 81, 435. 155, IN increase Of nearly $780,
600. Over a quarter of q million Of this increase
Is in additions to the salary list Of the city. In
order TO keep the rate down the valuations Of
property have been increased millions Of dollars,
until there is not q block in tho city which does
not contain property assessed at more than
It's owners will sell 1t for. The sinking
funds Of tho city are an abomination.
During tho campaign Of 1896 the people
were informed by the Republicans that those
funds contained over So, 900, 900. They should
contain that amount, for that is what they are
charged with on the city books. As a matter of
fact. three-fourths OF their contents are promises
to pay in tho shape of temporary loan bonds
placed in the sinking funds when their cash was
.-r a. 1900, t.-
Add to this tho fact, presented by the Grand
Jury last month, that about one million dollars
of the money collected under the Martin act
money pledged to a reduction of our bonded
debt-has been used to pay current expenses,
and 1t will be seen that the choice is between re-
form and bankruptcy.
The claim that improvements have been
made in our streets must be taken with the fact
that very few Of those improvements have been
paid for-that they are represented by outstand-
ing Improvement certificates. What has been
done with over a million dollars OF money re-
ceived from liquor licenses and over two millions
received from tho State Treasury. during the
past five years no one knows-at least no one
TO TO tp tee out a and MI Give 90 tb ssi in 1org Nj m 70 the i pSbs
lie. Let us know where the city stands. To
postpone the day of exposure was one of the OBJ
jccts of the bill passed to extend the terms OF the
Premo confit has pressed i; BUTTON: Let the
get truthful pictures Of the asphalt contracts,
the street, lighting contracts, tho water con-
%istration which have been set aside by the su.
Five years ago Mayor wanser was elected on
a promise to obtain q supply of pure water. To-
rninous price. Not daring to provide for this in
the courts. Jersey city owes nearly 100000
for wIts tee This amount will be doubled by
Tho, proposed appointment by Sheriff Heller
or Ga; zoo lor q 4epeatsss To Rn waf fed m nhE Pq to b sn eiec thas
there may be trouble between the police and tho
deputies, Chief Of Police Murphy questions the
right of the Sheriff TO place deputies at the polls.
Corporation Counsel Blair furnished this opinion
on the subject to the Board Of Police Commits
I" In the matter of the suggested appointment
of deputies by the. Sheriff OF this county to
have ape' caiiod my my attention. e'ffer respeetfu TiSie ADVISE He
you That discover 10 authority IN law for such
There is no authority in the law for tho EN-:
ployment OF any other officer than the policel
occur during any election until the police power
IS exhausted. II the disturbance should become
the Sheriff. upon request, as the peace officer OF
the county, would have tho right to interfere to
protect the election officers and the rights OF
voters against such everything disturbance or
riot.
Until that c~xigency arises. my opinion is
that the Sheriff has no power whatever, either
personally or by deputies. to interfere with or
be present at the election as Sheriff or deputy,
and any attempt on his part during the peaceful
progress Of any election to interfere with the
rights OF voters. or to intimidate them, is such an
unwarranted assumption OF power as to justify
impeachment.
IF any OF the Sherif's deputies. SO called, are
appointed as challengers they will. AS such Chal.
~lengcrs, be entitled to be present in the voting
room, but they have no right to exercise any
powers beyond those OF mere Challcngcrs.
III the election is progressing pcaceably such
deputies have no right in tho voting room, nor
II they are interfering with voters have they
any right to be within one hundred feet OF the
polling place. Your power as u Police Board, IL
such deputies arc found to be interfering with
the election. either in interfering with or pre-
venting legal voters from voting. electionecring
within one hundred feet OF the polls, should be
exercised to remove them at least ono hundred
feet from the polls, or to arrest them for viola
ton of the law"
The Democratic managers consulted counsel.
and were assured that the Sheriff. being tho
highest. peace officer in the county. has the right
TO appoint deputies when IA proper application for
their appointment Is made. In order to avoid any
possible trouble. however, the deputies will not
attempt TO exercise any authority. They will
watch the polls and IT. any irregularity Is dis
covered. the attention of the Grand Jury will be
called to 1t.