The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-28
This paper is Democratic IN principles
and Is Independent in its siews ON all local
questions.
The Journal Financial End in
Hot Water.

xAVt ~ 6SCAs
The "Evening Journals squirmings on
the water question are a source OF mucn
wonder to the average reader. This is
because the fact is not sufficiently reeog-
nized that the papers policy on this topic
IL personally conducted by the financial
end Of the establishment. AS the editorial
branch of the concern is e~ndeavoring 70
impress the public with its highly moral
attitude. many remarkable contortions
are necessary to keep 1t from pulling
away altogether from the East Jersey
anchorage selected by the Treasurer,
Mr.. Joseph A. Dear. But as the ne"
management purchased a rubber con-
science when it went into the Raines Law
Hotel crusade business, it has by desper-
ate stretching been able to perform, so
FAR. the contortions necessary to scream
ing for economy and selling OUT 10
monopoly at one and the same time
one of the most remarkable displays OF
moral ~acrobaties yet made by the sheet
was contained in an editorial In Safar-
days issue, headed "a Fools Paradise.
- this effort. the Financial end" of the
eancern very clearly exhibits its most
prominent feature only half concealed by
. thin veil of scolding for the Street and
Water Board.
The scolding is hardly worthy of notice.
The Board is accused of incompetence,
bad faith and Heaven knows how many
other crimes because it did not solve the
water question, off hand, at the first at
tempt. It is hardly necessary to Suggest
that IL q single failure is such an awful
proof Of wickedness in Democrats, four
successive fascos, of various degrees OF
absurdity, can hardly be regarded as
proving the virtue or the efficiency of the
Republican Street and Water Boards
which held sway during the last three
years of Mayor Wanser's reign. This is
where the sJournal'' is sue a fool. 1t
recklessly Iavishes condemnation on
Democrats for doing precisely what Re-
pubiicans have repeatedly done, and fails
to see that 1t is throwing boomerangs.
Blu the paragraph in which the 'inan-
cfal END, EXHIBITS itself in most indecorous
style must be quoted in full to be fully
appreciated. Here it Isl
The legal conditions under which the
Board must operate are very uncertain.
and none of the lawyers engaged In the
answered the very serious allegations as
to the exclusive rights of the MOTHS
Canal. 1t is certain that under existing
circumstances the rights of the canal
must be the Important feature in the case,
and to deal with them successfully the
city must obtain specific powers to con.
be obtained until a meeting of the Legis-
1ature, possibly not even then
The wisest course is evidently 70 post
pone any further action until an attempt
Is made to secure this necessary legisla-
tioh. With the passage of his leg'sla-
tfpn 1t will be easy to procure the creation
and competent men who will deal with
the subject in the proper spirit, without
any desire to serve parties or pets, PVT
the city only. Not until this is lone Will
the city procure It's water supply.
To those who have been reading all the
ssJournars' water editorials of late, this
cannot fall to be delicious. Here is a
paper which has been enthusiastically
booming the Rockaway and Hudson
Water Company's bid, which has been
scoring and scolding the Street and
water Board for not accepting it, and
which yet gravely comes to the front at
this time with the proposition that the
Morris Canal rights vitiated all the bids
that had been put in-the Rockaway and
Hudson included.
Is IT possible to imagine anything more
disingenuous than this? The Journal
has been urging the acceptance of a bid
the Rockaway and Hudson-which it
knows to be Invalid and Illegal On account
81 Morris Canal-a synonym for East Jer-
eey-prIor rights to the water offered.
We ask the public, does the financial
end stick out here or does 1t not?
why should the journal argue the
acceptance OF an Illegal bid?
why, indeed, except to prolong the
present Temporary" contract between
East Jersey and the city. a contract
which Is pouring money into the Golfers
III Gasrst "A. Hobart's company at the
rate OF over $1,000 a day?
Ii this financial or what is 1t?