The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-04
ClqY'S IMPROVEMENT.
The Rev. John 1. Seudder
breaches on Our Advance
ment During the Past
Year.

The Rev. John T.. Scudder, at the Tab
~ernatele, last night, delivered a prelude
on IA Happy Retrospect; improvements
in Jersey City" in which he said
Jersey City is improving. As we re-
view the past twelve months, we note
various signs Of Improvement. We have
reason to congratulate ourselves as citi-
zens and wish one another a Happy New
Year
Our School Board have been wide
awake and given US ornamental, as well
as c0mmodious, buildings, to which We
may point with j~ustiAable pride.
Good payements have multiplied in
various sections of the city. diminishing
those Earring sounds so repugnant to
tired nerves, and rejoicing the heart Of
every man and woman who rides q
wheel.
"Orlr drinking water has been excel
lent, and now after weary years of wait
ing, one can put a tumbler to his lips
without holding his nose and seeing q
sediment Of slime imported from the
filthy banks of the Passaic. We have
pure, clear water direct from the hills,
and soon we are to ave a permanent
supply, with the privilege of eventually
OWNING the pldflt OURSELVES.
From the standpoint of health, we are
unusually fortunate Our city has an
ideal location. being situated on a long
promontory, washed on both sides by
salt water, and the major part of It on
high ground. swept by every breeze 81
ually undergoing regeneration, ana cur
peopl; are becoming more n more m
terested in public affairs. Generally
administered, and, to crown all, our new
City Hall, which was a revelation OF
beauty and magnificence to those or us
erected without those colossal steals. 50
characteristic Of public buildings In Am
erican cities. I affirm hat Jersey City
a part Of New York, and yet not SO
large that a man is lost among a myriad
Of his fellow beings.
For past Improvements let US thank
God. And now let us give our undivid-
ed attention as c~itizenst to this burning
question of equal taxation, and compss
the railroads to pay Their full share 81 q
fare IF our city this reform Is indispen-
sible, and we must continue to agitatS
and agitate until the taxpayers find re-
of these large corporations. For the inn
proved condition of Jersey City we are
largely indebted to the continuous criti-
ton is a good thing if it IS deserved. It
is a promoter of Righteousness. 1t gives
the politicians to understand that they
are closely watched, and woe be to them
If they are detected in any form of ras-
cality. Vigilance keeps them straight
and fear of public censure makes them
externally virtuous. The trouble with the
average municipality on the side of the
water question Is that the citizens are
too indifferent They allow incumbents
way, but this phase Of popular insanity
are becoming purer, because the people
are becoming more patriotic. Further
more. it is gradually dawning Upon pub
lie officials that they are our servants,
and that unless they serve us rightly we
shall Immediately discharge them and
fiji their positions, with better men,: I
hope the time will come when the IDEAL
of the oficeholder will be the amount of
valuable service he can render his fell
low men and not sordid se-lf-aggrandize-
ment and ~plundering the public purse.
The government of American cities is
yet very far from perfection, yet there
has been an Improvement in recent years
and most. noticeably in Jersey City, for
which we have occasion to thank God
on this the first Sunday in the new year.