Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-03-23
A LETTER FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
"Argus7 Writes of the late
Cyclone.
e0L0RED Citizens POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE OLD "coMBINE"-
MIDNIGHT SURPRISE THE NEW coUN-
CHS oPPoRTUNITY-THE FUTURE OF
THE BOSSES.

Like a man who has been stunned by
heavy blow, and is slowly returning to
consciousness, the knocked leaders o.
the old rings here are beginning to ask
what it was that hit them at the city
election last week. They cannot yet fully
believe that they do not own a Mayor,
that they can no longer control the
police force, and that good many
mourners will have Grape on the door
for the next three years. When they
compared notes concerning what hap
pened, and how it happened, they got a
whole heap of information concerning
various things. Then they commenced
recriminations and the way they have
been making the fur fly is caution to
cats. AS usual they are "away Off in
locating the storm centre of the late dis
turbance, and they make no allowance
for that class of voters who voted with
out talking about it. Heretofore the
Old Bread and Butter Brigade have
been accustomed to make their calcu-
lations upon cash basis. They reas-
oned that, in and of themselves, they
had no popular hold on the voters.
They lacked so many votes and it took
SO much money to buy them. They
raised the money, purchased the votes,
and there they were. But the old game
didn't work worth a picayune this year.
All calculations were upset and all
financial schemes "busted' by the in
dependent voters both black and white.
The colored citizens made an unexpected
stand for better and purer politics
and put to shame some of the white
aheelers" who boastd that they owned
them. They have formed an organization
of their very best men, and they have COM
manded respect. A division of their vote is
the very best thing that could happen to
them as race, for it will compel their
recognition as a political factor, and
they will be treated with more respect
than when few scheming politicians
claimed to own them all and profited by
the sale of their votes. look for per-
manent organization Of our best colored
citizens, and if they maintain it they can
command respect nd carry influence.
I hear that dire vengeance is threaten
ed by ex-Mayor How strange it seems
to write ex-Mayor) Stoy's friends if any
Republican who helped to defeat him is a
candidate for any County office next
fall. Well, if that is their game they will
find plenty of material to defeat, for tbe
men who CLEANED out" the rings here
last week are going to wage war against
the rings and bosses who have hereto
fore run things at the County COnyen-
ton. The independent voter is abroad
this season and he will yet smash some
states that are now being made up
Just make note of that little predic-
tion
I stated, in a previous letter, that the
tail of the Councilmanic Combine" had
swallowed the head, SO suppose no one
was much surprised when the last OF
that famous reptile disappeared from
view in the cyclone that swept through
the city last week. No one ought to be
surprised if they have followed events as
they succeeded each other from the time
that first predicted the downfall of the
late dynasty that considered itself i'm
pregnable.
There was another big surprise, to
most people, when the new Council made
an early morning organization shortly
after midnight Tuesday morning. A
friend of mine who follows the game OF
politics in this city and county very
closely, and who is seldom found astray
in predicting results, said to me Monday
afternoon. Another surprise is on for
tonight and tomorrow morning. Look, =
said he, ''for the greatest surprise of all. y
When l questioned him closely he quoted
at me that passage of Scripture that
reads, "The first shall be last and the
last shall be first, and said "You will see
that prediction verified inside of the next
twenty hours" / confess that | was
not looking for anything startling at
that time as it was understood that the
fool plan of wrestling from the new
Mayor the control of the police force had
been abandoned, and it had been decided
to let him exercise all the powers that
belonged to him as the chief executive oi
the city. ! therefore told my well.
posted friend that l could not discern
anything sensational on the borizon oi
local affairs. 'Wait," said he, "and you
will see the heaviest blow yet dealt to
the imbecile leaders of the Republican
party, here, and it will hit them before
Tuesday night Sure enough it did.
and when / opened our faithful "organs
Tuesday morning, and read the list OF
the Committees of Council, and then read
between the lines, knew what my
friend meant. Later on there will be
some enlargements OF his suggestions.
The present Council has the chance of a
lifetime, if it is equal to the occasion, to
make an honorable and lasting record
for itself by giving the city a clean busi-
ness administration. Let them "get a
move on" for some common-sense legis-
lation in the best interests of Atlantic
City without regard to what some
political boss may think, or how it will
affect somebody's chances for nomina-
ton to Office next fall. The people have
shown, by their latest verdict, that they
are tired of too many bosses with axes
to grind. They are in o resentful mood,
and will not submit to any more foolish
ness. Therefore, it seems to me, now is
q good time for our new Council to
remember that the people are jealOusly
watchful of them, and to go ahead and
do some things and do them right. The
streets should be paved, the unsightly
poles along the Boardwalk should be
removed, public conveniences provided
without delay, the city cleaned up and
put in better condition for summer, and
many other lesser things. Let the
Council consider these vital questions
and act wisely and economically and il
need not worry about the future.
Az for the "bosses" they will cut less o
figure than ever BEFORE. for some o
them forgot to put their wards in theil
pocket on election day, and the idea il
beginning to penetrate their thick skull
that they do not own as much politica
territory as they used to. They hav
defied the will of the masses of the com
mon people, and scorned the advice 9
the men who really put them in ofiic