Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-25
OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

ant matters which directly effect their I'M
mediate constituents matters of loca
government with which they are thoroughly
informed and which are of great mo
ment to their patrons they are unac-
countably and strangely silent. This
course of our contemporaries can only be
accounted for on the hypothesis that they
perfer to discuss questions they know
little about and imagine their readers
know less, than subjects on which they
are liable to meet lay criticism and arouse
contention.
While every American citizen is charged
with questions of National and State i'm
port, yet be gives best evidence of his
ability to cope with them in attending well
to the questions growing out Of his local
government, because. indeed, that is the
source of State and National life. Unless
it can be demonstrated that the stream can
rise above the fountain, those who polute
the spring of government must coutamin-
ate our whole glorious system.
An ideal local government is the heri-
tage of we Woodburians as it is of every
other American community. We know
what an ideal government is many years
of our corporate existence we have eDjoyed
such, and seen the result in increased mu-
nicipal prosperity Hereunder. Those Sc
lected to administer affairs of government
rendered prompt and accurate accounta-
bility. Until recently no dark shadows
were shed on any department, and con-
fiding people believed none were near our
municipal horizon.
A year ago discovered irregularity in
the Treasurer's office cast the first shadow
of suspicion on the accuracy of the methods
employed by that official in keeping the
city moneys, and recent evidence has made
suspicion conviction that radical change
is necessary if our municipal affairs are to
be conducted in manner to re-establish
confidence and return to the ideal system
we inherited from our Charter makers
Notwithstanding facts presented and de-
linquencies admitted, there is disposition
in some quarters to believe (or profession
of belief that a great wrong-ignominy
and abuse-have been heaped on the pres
emit City Treasurer by certain mem Der of
the Finance Committee, because the recent
Irregularities in the treasury were given
the prominence that has been given them.
While there is much truth 10 the words
+" Where ignorance is bliss" etc, as applied
to personal affairs, yet such course in
public matters is a sure forerunner of mum
icipal decay and corruption. Murder
will out" too, and the wrongs covered up
this year, in later years are likely to prove
testers of corruption that rise up to be-
smirch the innocent with the guilty.
The true policy of government is open
handed, above-board publicity. The cor
rect official courts and insists on publicity !;
if questions rejecting on his official con-
duct arise, he insists on prompt and
thorough Investigation, and permits no
obstacle to hinder or prevent it. If his
friends hesitate and falter, he de-
mands the vindication which nothing else
can give.
If ignominy attaches to the Collector
and Treasurer, it is his own and the fault of
those who for political reasons attempt to
believe he is abused His own, because the
of his accounts which the Finance
Committee found and reported, and he
were the results of his own
his friends, because they re-
fused to authorize thorough investigation
and again his own because he did not
promptly demand it.
It is not sufficient for the five gentlemen
of Council who voted " no" on resolution
to employ an expert to say that the Com
mittee already had authority, because they
had not. They practically discharged
themselves from special duty, when, in
closing their report to Council on February
I'd, they said =
"The members of Council will under
stand how difficult it has been to discover
errors of the above character, and it can
hardly be possible that the Committee in
their hurried view of the taxable property
of the City of Woodbury. haze discovered all
the COMMISSIONS of the Assessor that mag haze
occurred as it is, they amount to $401.28,
and it would seem that from this showing
the Council of the City of Woodbury. s00uld
be justified in e1pesadiRg reasonable amount
of money in employing an erpert accountant
to examine the tar books of the last three gears
and compare them Nth all the taxable prop
erty in the city As it cannot be expected
that Finance Committee can afford to
give the time necessary to make thorough
and complete examination and compari
on of books and taxable property of the
City of Woodbury., without compensation.
SAMUEL 81. LADD,
JOHN NJ. HENDERSON,
JOSEPH B. BEST,
Committee on Finance.
The action of Messrs Ladd, Bibo, Glad
ing, Burkett and Refill voting "no" at the
last meeting of Council on resolution to
employ an expert, in plain view OF the &C.
of the Committee of which
Mr.. Ladd was one, that their work had
been hurriedIy done and was incomplete,
and suggesting the employment of an ex-
pert, is not such as a people jealous of their
good pane can consistently approve, or
Treasurer Reading permit to be final.
John Racher, Jr., is repairing the hotel
porch.
The City needs not merely good men
in Council, but good men With business
instincts and backbone.
DIR. Wilson was compelled to relin-
quish business a few days early in the
week, because Of severe attack of grip.
Hiram yanneman who was stricken
with paralysis some time ago, seems to be
recovering, and John 1. .Estell is making a
rapid recovery from his recent injury.
Woodbury. team won in basket ball
game on Saturday evening by a score of IA
to 4. The Calling Gun boys should practice
a little more before tackling Co. e again.
Ada L. Clarke, Mary L. WhitaIl and