Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-11-23

sheriff Collins term ended on Tuesday last.
when ne was succeed by Franklin D Springer
so lar as the clerical and financial duties of the
once OF Sheriff are concerned, Mr. Collins has.
We believe, made competent, painslaking eco
nomlcal official, but in the broad field of admin
lstTatlYe duty he has been narrow partisan. In
personnel his Grand Juries have been motor
leusiy partisan, surprising even strong RepubIi-
cans IN the matter OF official business he has
sacr feed the interests of the people TO partisan
desires. The law requires that advertisement OF
sales of real estate snail be inserted in two news
papers, the intent being that insertion shall be
IA representative papers of each of the two
leading parties TO the end that the interests of
compleinants and defendants will be subserved
by widest publicity The letter of the law he
obeyed. by insertion il the Constitution, the
newspaper Tepresen tatiye of the Republican
larty. a perfectly proper act but beyond that,
ne mas ignored the spirit of the law. by employ
lneht OF Papers without general circulation or
influence in the county. We regret lat we can
notsay OF Mr.. Collins, on his 70 tiremeut what
We have been able 10 say Of all of his predeces
sors Tor twenty years, but candor and truth
iorold. From the Democrat Nov. 10.
: The grossness of that attack upon ex-Sherif
Collins Is deprecated by every fair minded citi-
zen, no matter what his partisan bias may be.
me county OF Gloucester has had many excel
lent Sherihs; but not one of them has been more
e0nsc ientious and faithful in the discharge of
his offieial duties. His three years. record will
command the commentator Of every body We
have been asked by Democrats TO republish This
attack BY the Democrat. as the strongest criti-
cism upon the coarzely partisan methods OF IFS
for the reason that Sheriff Collins does not ask
or need defence from such an assault
From the Constitution Nov. 81.
We are somewhat surprised at the Con
stitution's reply to our criticism of ex-SherIff
Collins administrative methods yet are
grateful to the editor for what he has said.
because it affords an opportunity to enlarge
somewhat on subject only touched upon
in our original comment
We want it understood that it is more to
our liking to make favorable than adverse
criticism, and we want it understood, too,
that when We criticise, favorably or ad yersely
we aim to be prepared to sustain ourselves
We believe the Democratic party of this
county is entitled to greater representa-
tlon on Grand Juries than Sheriff Collins
has accorded it. Taking the Grand Juries
of the past year, we fnd the greatest num-
Der OF Democrats On any of the three, was
four. And yet, the editor of the Constita-
ton characterizes our statement of the fact
that Mr.. Collins has been narrowly parti
san in making up his Grand Juries,
coarsely partisan Truly, Barber is a
object of pity.
Do people in this OF any other county
prepare to dispose of their property al
public sale by posting notices in vacant
houses, or on IN used highways, or on the
rear walls of barns DO they insert adj
vertieements Of sale in papers of the
least circulation and at the same
expense Aud what would they say OF
the person who did it? These questions
answer themselves.
We allege that Sheriff Collins. with few
exceptions, has sacrificed the interests OF
compiainants and defendants, in matter OF
advertising sales of real estate, in that he
has not placed the advertisements ia two
recognized county newspapers as the law
contemplates. Without attempt at denial
of that fact, the Constitution says that
statement is cOarsely partisan"
Let us see. A few years ago the policy
of the State was TO advertise the laws in
newspapers. The board that designated
the newspapers to make the publication
was sometimes solidIy Democratic At one
time effort was made to induce that Board
to designate as the Republican paper to
publish the laws 10 this county, one not
fully representative county paper. With
out consulting Editor Barber, and without
any special kiudiy interest in him over the
other paper, we made it our business to
aequaint the designating Board Of the con-
ditions here, because we believed it would
be bad public policy to expend the peoples
money in a way to give least public benefit
Editor Barber protested to be very thank
ful for our interest in the people then, yet
now we are coarsely partisan" for adhere
ing to the opinion that the people have
rights which public officials, whether
Sheriff or designating boards, ought to
respect.
And to-day, if Eiitor Barber was re.
Iieved of the obligation OF three clerical
Jobs, and free to express his honest cOnVic-
lion, we cannot but feel that he would
agree with us that Sheriff Collins has
failed in the most important branch of his
official duty.