Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-09-02
That "lnsuItlna charse. ;,

WoOD9agEt ~ -, 0S SeCO1lQ-ctGSS matter.
That Insulting charse.''
There is nothing new in the Constitutions
assumption of an exalted morality, bat
when it comes to the test. under the pres
ent management it has been found wanting,
We have not yet discovered line or word
in our article published last week and which
the selection of election officers suggested,
that we would now modify our change
Indeed, it seems to Us that the state of the
public conscience needs an awakening. and
it may be that the Constitution has unwit-
tingly performed a public service by his
resentment of "An Insulting Charge
First, it must occur to his readers that if
the greater portion of that article was
"both judicious and proper" it would not
have offended the Constitutions readers,
because it is long time since they have
read anything of that character in the col
umns OF the Constitution, under its present
management, upon mooted local public
matter
lt is not our purpose to make reply to
anything the Constitution said yesterday,
but simply call attention to some things
within the scope of that article that are
local and county gossip.
A Woodbury. gentleman boarded train
for Philadelphia on the afternoon of cleo
ton day last Fall and found the smoker"
we'll filled with coIored men, with bundles
and satchels. Addressing one of them he
asked, where are you going, boys?"
"We're going home, boss
He next asked, Where do you live ?"
"Some of us in Maryland, and some in
Virginia, boss.
"But you voted before you started,
didn't you ~ he asked
"Yes, indeed, boss; we tended to that"
How many carloads went that day, and
the next and the next, we know not but
what ever the number, to that extent they
were illegal voters and faIsified the result
of the election in which only citizen of this
county should have participated.
Within the past few weeks some inter-
esting statements have leaked through the
numerous post Office contests in this
county. In one case an applicant is
appointed because his hackers. who num-
bered less than the fingers on one hand,
Contributed $500 to the campaign fund
last fall" and another candidate, who is
not yet appointed, thinks he ought to be
because his principal hacker contributed
$4,000 to the campaign fund last fall"
We would like the Constitution to tell
the people if such sums are necessary to
secure an honest expression of the people
Of this county at any election.
Another election incident which does
not directly affect us, is the arrest OF .
leading Republican worker up in Newark
for running repeatsrs into that city and the
report says, leading Republicans are trem-
bling in their boots lest he expose his
employers.
With ourselves the people must haye been
surprised at this outburst of morality in
the Constitution yesterday. Within the past
year that paper has been exceedingly care
less Of the peoples interests, and no amount
of prodding could induce it to utter a
word in condemnation of public officer
who had falsifed the city's books and
sought personal enrichment at the expense
of the people.
LODGED, the columns of the Constitution
in its issue of March Sd last, will show that
the editor was just as Jealous defender of
that official as he yesterday essayed to be
of fair ell ections in this county, when no
specific charge had been made that they
were not what they should be. And when
the exposure came the Constitution drew
itself into its shell and refused to do its
duty to plundered people 1t was the
plain duty of Council when Mr.. DelPs
report was made last July to have instruct
ted the Finance Committee of Council to
lay the facts contained in that report before
the Grand Jury; it is yet Councils duty to
do so, but there is no movement nor is
there likely to be unless the people rise
and demand it.
Through all this the editor of the Con-
stitution has been dumb, yet out of the dirt
of his brain creates an issue OF straw and |
talks about Courage His Is the courage |
of fiction the people know he lacks the |
courage of truth. The Constitution implies |
that we reflected on the honesty OF the |
election officers who conducted the cleo
tions lastsell. The fact that the list of
nominatic of election officers by the
Chairman Of the Democratic County Com
mittee 10 the County Board of Elections
was composed largely of the persons who
served last Fall, is proof positive of the
entire lack of foundation and insincerity of |
the Constitutions entire TRADE; where
changes appear they were made BY the
several members of the County Committee |
without consultation with US. Hence that
charge, with the rest will perish with the
dry rot of diseased brain.