Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-02-02
4 LETTER FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
Our Correspondent Re-ea11s q
Case Of Political S1aughter.
The CITIZENS MOVEMENT 70 Be EXTENDED.
MORE ABOUT CITY PoLITICs-cANDI-
DATES FOR COUNCIL AND THEIR
CHANCEs-THE MAYOR MAY FIND
TROUBLE AHEAD.

| Comments upon my last letter
almost persuades me to think that /
am becoming famous. Some of my
friends seems to think that / must
have some hand in shaping the
politics of this town. This I want
to assure my readers is a mistake.
True am a taxpayer and a voter
here, but have never been permitted
| to enter the sanctum of the noble
| fellows who SO generously make the
ticket and elect it-that is when it
suits them. / remember one notable
case of the latter. I refer to the
slaughter of poor "Bob." Stroud.
He was nominated, it will be remem-
bered, for the high Office of Mayor
and was basely slaughtered in the
house of his friends. "BOb." had
served the city for years in the
Councils and was considered one of
the most popular men in that body.
He certainly was popular with the
rank and file as his nomination
attested. His remarkable vote at
the election which followed gave
further evidence of that fact, but he
was defeated all the same, because
the mighty men had SO decided. He
had a fine business at that time, and
it was said he was making money;
but from that time his business
began to go back, and struggle as he
might and as he did, he was COM
PEELED at last to succumb. He made
a good many mistakes that were
known to the writer, but l believe
they were mistakes of the head and
not of the heart. But he was marked
for slaughter and went down after O.
gallant fight.
This old battle is brought to my
mind at this time by the same old
signs that | SO well remember at
that time. There was no party
break then-the whole job was
quietly and neatly iockeyed from
start to finish by a master hand. /
know a man, and Mr.. Stroud knows
him well, who got down to the game
and told "BOb.' the Saturday before
the election; but he could not, nor
did not, credit it until the traitorous
work was done. The signs that /
refer to at this time are not the same
exactly as then, although they are to
my mind are much more dangerous.
There is a spirit of unrest among
the very best men of the party.
Complaints are made against the
spending of the city's money SO
lavishly on commissions and other
wise in these hard times, thereby in
creasing the taxes until the prospect
for the future is alarming. The high
price for water is outrageous, and
they declare the time has come to
begin a reform that will in some
measure cure some of the evils COM
planned of.
A citizens movement was started
last yearin the Fourth Ward and they
succeeded in electing their ticket.
This association is being extended to
the other wards and it is claimed
that it will sweep all before it. Be
this as it may had not our leaders
better take heed and make some
effort to stop this tide before it's
velocity shall sweep some of them
from powerand carry with them de-
feat to the party which it can but
poorly afford in view of the election
next fall ? This present Council has
done fairly well-certainly as well as
any of it's predecessors. Most of the
members are well known business
men and in my Judgment they can be
safely trusted to handle the city's in
terests; but it will be well for them if
they will put on more steam in the
direction they SO well know.
S. HI. Kelley continues to wear a
remarkably wide and self-cOntented
smile that worries and disconcerts
his enemies almost to the extent OF
making them madmen. He seems to
be perfectly happy and expresses no
fear for thefuture.
George Long is also enjoying
reasonably good health. but he is
troubled somewhat over the ap-
pointments that comes to him with
the Craftsmanship OF the County Con-
ventiOn.
ED" Wilson and County Clerk
Scott have kindly offered their SER
vices which are too valuable to refuse,
and as both gentlemen are well up in
figures as well as theology and other
sciences they will no doubt be able
to show him how he can make sew
eraf pegs go into one hole.
Harry Leeds has announced him
self as candidate for Council again,
and ed" Lee and Lew" DOnnelly
are singing in chorus. Harry is a
good fellow and has made good
Councilman-andt there seems to be
nothing in the way of his return for
another term.
Somers Doughty is also a candi-
date for another term OF three years
among his fellow "Combiners.
Doughty ia a good fellow although
| he is q Democrat-and while his
Ward is always good for a handsome
ID a. W I'm
how to ssget there all right. / hear
q few threats that would disturb
some people, but Somers knows who
| to "see.'
Gus. Parker ia as happy as a clam
now being constructed Heis willing
| to stake his bottom dollar that she
will beat anything that floats on
water and depends ON Sails. While
she is being built Gus. is taking
view OF knocking out that old
debater George Long, In match
| the other day, in front of his dressing
glass, be had the satisfaction 81
seeing that old fox 60 for air before
| time was called for the second
round.
troubles has really begun. Some
hard things are being said about
him, and threats to double him uI
are plenty. What the real outcome
may be will be seen later on. All my
readers know that pushed my
pencil for the Mayor both early ant
| often until some OF my readers init
| mates that he had taken me int
Il r