The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-09
DAY OF |NFAMY.
The Municipal Office Grab
Passed by the Repub-
lican Assembly.
VOTE OF ~ TO 8
Only Four Members Of the DOM
inant Party Stand Up for
Spring Elections.
MISERABLE PLEA OF ECONOMY
Barefaced Falsehood Told TO JUS
tify the Robbery of the
Popular Prerogatiye.
MISERABLE PLEA OF ECONOMY
Special to the Jerseu c:tu Nears.


Special to the Jerseu Cstu Ncars.
TRENTON, Feb. 8, 1Ss7.-There was an
unexpected burst of eloquence in the
House this morning which brought out
several good speakers. Hudson was
mainly responsible for it. 1t first ap-
peared when the bill to purchase an adj
ditional plot of land for the use of the
Soldiers Home at Kearny came up. Mr..
Roll said he did not fully understand the
bill and Mr.. Wildman briefly and tersely
explained the present overcrowded con-
dition of the home and the need for more
ample quarters.
The next bill taken up was Mr.. Nc
Arthur's measure to restore Christian A.
Holdner to citizenship. Mr.. Macarthur
made little speech in which he said that
Holdner was an unfortunate who had
suffered for his offense and he thought
the House in all charity should restore
him to citizenship.
Mr.. Scovel of Camden wanted to know
if the man named in the bill was not
Hudson county ballot box stuffer. Mr..
Macarthur replied that he was.
Mr.. Scovel was sorry that he could not
vote with his Hudson friends for that
measure. He made long speech about
the sanctity of the ballot box and said
that no leniency should be shown the
man who would set aside the will of the
people as was done in Hudson ia 1882
Mr.. Goldenhorn thought that if the
House undertook to restore the man to
citizenship it would be usurping the
prerogatives of the Court of Pardons.
Mr.. Nelson wanted Mr.. Scovel to un-
md hot oil II,
not for the BILL He was one of those
box suffers and he did not believe in
giving any of them any consideration.
Mr.. Klink made a strong plea for mercy
and charity. He said that come men were
negligent though not criminally so, and
this man was one of them. He advocated
laying the bill over until some further in
formation could be learned of the case
and Holdner's career since he was parol
ed
Mr.. Gledhill wanted to know if Holdner
had served his term or had been pardoned,
and Mr.. Macarthur said that Holdner was
not regular election officer, but was
pressed into service to take the place of
man who had to leave the Board. He
served year in the Penitentiary at Snake
Hill, and since that time he has tried to
lead proper life and leave his children a
good name.
Mr.. Thorne, of Mercer, understood that
the ballot box suffers of one party were
paroled almost as soon as convicted, while
those of another to which Holdner be-
longed, were obliged to serve their terms
He also advocated putting the bill over.
A vote being taken that was done.
The House then proceeded to consider
the bill, changing the time of holding the
Il Civ
ark from the Spring to the Fall. 1t was
moved that the bill be ordered to its
third reading.
This was approved by Mr.. Klink He
said that the bill was good one, and
based upon the grand idea of economy.
But the bill was only introduced last night
and he and many other members had not
had time to examine the measure. He did
not believe in such methods of doing busi-
ness. 1t excited suspicion. He therefore
MOVED that the bill be laid over until to-
morrow morning
A vote was taken, but it was so close
that the Speaker was in doubt. Then he
called for rising vote. and the Secretary
called, and Mr., Kinks motion lost by a
vote of % to &c.
The bill then came up on it's final pas
Mr. Macarthur said. that the bill was in
the interest of economy since it would
save the expenses of the spring election.
cam came f out and Ind voted voted at the the spring election
while al the fall election only a very
small portion of the vote remained away
The bill, Mr.. Goldenhorn declared. would
save Jersey City at least 100000 a year.
and it was in the interest of good gov
ernment Mr.. RICHTER approved the
measure, and Mr.. Ebie Of Newark IA
vored it.
The measure was opposed by Mr. Porter
tended the terms of the officials to which
he was utterly opposed Mr.. Leonard and
others spoke upon the measure and the
Those voting. against the bill were:-
The four Democratic members and
Messrs Klink. Fighter. Porter and Foun-
The House passed the bill authorizing
steam heating companies to tear up
ayeda Tees bn tS lay Rpss Mr. Golaea
Of Finance to appropriate s2 500 for a
pedestal for the Soldiers and Sailors
Governor Grfggs sent the following
nominations to the Senate this after
noon for members of the Board of Visit
2rs to the State Agricultural College,
First Congressional district, Isaac w.
Nicholson of Camden county; T. f. d.
Baker of Cumberland county, Second dis
trict; Joshua Forsyth, Ralph Ege. reap
pointed, Third district; David D. Denise.
James Nelson, reappointed. Fourth dis
lrict; John Il. Cox, of Hunterdon coun-
"; William P. Coursen. of Sussex coun-
y, Fifth district; Robert M. Torbet,
sixth, district: {. II Mueller. Charles Z.
Zones, reappointed, Seventh district; Jas.
Stevens, Abraham W. Duryee, reappoint-
ID Eighth district; George E. Decamp.
George w. Doty, reappointed-
In the Senate Mr. Ketcham introduced
bill to enable seminaries or schools of
theology to grant and confer the degree
II Bachelor of Divinity.
The following bills were advanced to
11ird reading
Increasing the salary Of members of