The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-23
NO LAFAYETTE PARK
Gov. Voorhees, Declines to
Sign the Bill for the
Issue of 500. 900
Bonds.
THE CITY's DEBT TOO HIGH
Compliments Mayor Hoos- and the
Giiy's Credit, But Will
Not Add to the City's
Burden.
Especial to oThe Jersey city News."1

Voorhees,, in a. polite way, yesterday af-
ternen, informed a delegation from the
Lafayette Citizens Association that he
would not sign Assemblyman Murphy's
bill, which would give Jersey City power
to issue bonds for park purposes to the
extent of 100000. The Object of the bill
was to permit the city to spend about
900 for the construction of a park in
the Lafayette section, and while the Gov
ernor repeatedly expressed a. strong feel
ing in favor of parks of the kind need
ed, he seemed steadfast in his purpose
not to sign any measure providing for
the bonding of any municipality beyond
10 per cent. of its ratables.
The delegation was headed by A. A.
Campbell, who has been working hard for
the enactment Of the measure In ad-
dition to Mr.. Campbell there were present
Julius Wittpen, Rev Dr. Rabbow of the
Lutheran Methodist Church, Chris Martin
John Hudson, H. "A. Steffins, j. Francis,
Rev. c. E. Little, J. w. Heck, A. Sauer,
J. A Erickson, Joseph Zumbusch and c.
Howard Slater.
.'Tell me why the people of Jersey City
should get a new park said the Cover
nor II suppose you know what my OBJ
jections are?''
'sWe know what your objections are
speaking. they are all right; but we are
badly in need of a new park
Yes put in the Governor, "and if l
make the exception in one case 1 will
have to make it in lots of others. In
Jersey City. they want a bill providing
new police station, another bill allows
the issue of bonds for erecting a hos
pital, and still another authorizes bond
ing for the erection of docks on the Hack
ensack. These are all being urged as
necessities and there are a host of others.
In fact, there seems to me be no end to It,
l believe the bills propsinog the issuance
of bonds in Jersey City aggregates con-
siderably over million.''
Il signed bill today continued the
Governor, which allows cities of the
first class to spend $3GO,0e0 for schools. I
am heartily in favor OF all the schools
necessary, and | want it understood that
1 am not opposed to parks, but I do not
see my way clear to sign the bill Your
tax rate now is very, very high; there
is no doubt about that. OF course this
is not the fault of your present admins
tration; on the contrary I think your
present Mayor is doing everything in his
power to relieve the taxpayers. Already
your Indebtedness is away beyond the
limit. Why can't you get $4,000 out of
the local appropriations"
1T is so hard to lop off any of these
local appropriations, said Mr.. Campbell.
"But there are places that you could
do It," continued His Excellency.
- -
was the response, 'tbut the water ques-
tion is not settled in Jersey City, and we
are in the hands of the East Jersey Wa
ter Company
'I think you ought to arrange to pay
as you CO. the Governor went on. Its
too bad that you go ahead piling up in
debtedness I don't want to say anything
that will injure Jersey City or its credit:
in fact, l think it is simply marvellous
the way the city has been carried
throulfa.
THE people of Jersey City are all will
ing that the Lafayette section should
have this park said Mr.. Campbell.
II don't suppose that one out of ten
thought about Lafayette Park on cleo
tion day remarked the Governor.
.sWel, everybody is for it, continued
Mr.. Campbell; sthe Board of Street and
Water Commissioners favor tt
Don't quote the Street and Water Com
missioners," interposed the Governor;
'sfor they seem to be for every measure
that will increase the public debt.
IF you don't sign the bill and we don't
get the park now, pleadingly continued
Mr.. Campbell, "it is not likely that we
will ever get it. In years to come, when
we attempt to get the money, the argu-
ment will be used that Governor Voor-
hees refused to sign a bill providing for
a park in Lafayette. The result will be
that the neighborhood will go down. "
And" said the Governor, If I sign all
the bills that are being urged. / imagine
the epitaph that will be placed over my
tomb viii read something like this:
Here lies the man who signed all the
bills. providing for the issuance of bonds,
causing the downfall of a once prosperous
city
Rev Mr. Little then tried his persuas
i've powers on the Governor. While I
don't live in Lafayette now, he said. "I
was once a pastor there. While discharg-
ing my duties saw there was much need
crr;,,o q h,,,y,ars bells r,in1rles er1lutians