The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-02
UNFAIR TO BYRNE
Mrs. Benson Does Not APP
prove Of Women Bid
ding Against Him.
WOULD BIZ MOST UHGRATEFUL
just When He Might Make a
Little Money Says the
Chairman.

81 do not think it would do at all
emphatically answered Mrs. Hudspeth
Benson, chairman of the Town Improve
ment Department in reply to 1.-THE
News" reporters query of What do you
think of the club women taking the street
cleaning contractY'
This was a new phase of the question.
The club woman of today usually con-
siders herself capable Of managing any
thing from a coffee house to the munici-
pal government, and the reporter ex-
pressed surprise
In the first place." said Mrs. Benson,
It don't think it would be fair to Mr.
Byrne just when the appropriation has
been raised so that he might make lit
tie money out of the street cleaning next
year for the women to take 1t out of hia
hands"
Then you do not think he is making
any money at present."
How can hep questioned the chair
man in reply. He has to clean thret
hundred miles of streets for $40 oo0l'
do you think the women could do AM
better?'' was asked.
s'They could never do what he is doing
How would we ever divide the $5o.0o0s
How are we going to raise them7 1 am
perfectly willing to look after streets and
insist upon having parks. but would
give nothing toward the bonds. am
perfectly satisfied I think we have ac-
compnshed wonderful amount. Jersey
City today is even cleaner than Newark
I was there yesterday and took particu-
lar notice, and there they have $15e0oo
II 10. a
ing as far as trying TO do his duty, don't
you think?'
II know 1t is a new thing" continued
the speaker. ito try and get the contract
the men want away from them, and I
would never do. Now do you think soE
At present the men are all with us
Nothing we have asked has been refused
except the 100000 appropriation, and
think we would be most ungrateful to Try
and take the work out of the men
hands. Mr.. Byrne has been espeeialls
nice. Besides, if we got the contract we
might succeed, but if we did not 1t would
kill US Don't you think SOP
Mrs. Benson further said that some O
the department had thought if the women
got the contract they might get rid O.
the foreign laborers. But" continued
she. .'We can't revolutionize things. That
is what Kills women's work, trying 70
revolutionize things Talk about your
foreigners We would have TO get the
men who would work the cheapest.
DO you think the women could DO
it?y
81 have studied the matter thoroughly,
and / don't think the women have the
executive ability to manage big thing
like that" said the chairman. Il do not
see now they could possibly manage the
work without first serving an apprentice
ship of at least year in Mr.. Byrnes
office. Why I was in there only yester-
day, and the way the men came in fol
orders and pay was simply awful. The
women could never do it unless they were
first educated to it. Mr.. Byrne spends
most of his time riding round in buggy
experimenting his everseers. Besides,
where would the women be in case of a
strike? Then, too, what will they say as
soon as we ask money? The people viii
say we are doing it for money! No. sup
pose I will have all the women down on
me, but can't help it. They have not
the executive ability and such a move
would be most injurious 10 ourselves
Now, don't you think SOP