Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-04

The public will be glad to know that
Bro Barber has views concerning the
local government of Woodbury., even if he
keeps them locked under his own hat. 1t
gives us all feeling of security to know
they are even there, People generally had
about made up there minds that they were
deposited in bank to the credit of George
E. Reading Treasurer, and from the use he
makes of views that get into print, there is
grave apprehension that our mysterious
City Treasurer has two repositories and
carries the keys to one of them in his
pants pocket. We believe. however, that in
this statement, Mr.. Barber tells the truth:
Treasurer Reading does not ask any de-
fence at our hands, has asked none and, we
presume, will ask none"
Of course he don't. He just demands
that everybody keep still. He don't make
any defense for himself. AS fast as his
"errors" are found, beyond controversy,
he pays the exact amount that is found
into the Treasury. But, when Bro. Barber
says he "shirks nothing" he tells what is
not true. He shirks giving information as
TO the exact amount to his credit in bank
as Treasurer of Woodbury..
There are other remarkable statements
in Bro. BARRIERS Indirect defense of Treas
urer Reading, and they stamp him as a
man absolutely without conception of the
obligations of the representative to the peo-
pie. We quote:-
"If the City of Woodbury. is not well
governed, what has DR.. Readings manage
ment or Encouragement of the public
finances to do with the situation ~
DR.. Reading is, and for five years has
been, part of the city government-the
peoples financial officer-and if he mis-
applies the public money, as he acknowl-
edges he has, has that nothing to do with
the government of the city ? To our mind,
it makes our government corrupt govern
ment
Again we quote: DIR. Reading has laid
no charge of incapacity at an officials door,
and the effort to seek to connect him with
the direction of the city Is general affairs has
the appearance of clouding the air."
Of course he hasn't II there is incapacity
anywhere-beyond his office-he hasn't
been injured by it, and it is not his nature
to find fault with situation like that.
Again "City Council may have acted
wisely or unwisely in disseminating an in
vestigation into the city finances. Our
counciLmanic fathers may haze stopped too
soon. Whether they did or not is matter of
their Oaon.
The italics are ours. There must be a
general difference with Editor Barber in
the statement that Councilmanic action is q
matter of their own. Those views would
stand in a Monarchy, but not where the
people rule. Council does not act for itself,
but the people, and if Mr.. Barber speaks
Tor any of the candidates of his party, they
should be defeated jim the nomination by
honest Republican votes.
Again: Let Council stand on its own
merits or dement's. DIR. Reading will do
the same. If he is to be hanged let it be
upon competent and convincing evidence.
Don't hang him because somebody's hen
roost has been robbed"
The Finan ce Committee have not been
looking forany but Woodbury. chickens,and
in the official proceedings there is no evil
dence that they have search other "roosts"
but the ones DR.. Reading is sworn and
bonded to guard. They find some "roosts"
Tbooks] missing, and hope to locate them.
One true statement in the above quoted
paragraph is " that all will stand on their
own merits.p