The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-08
Equalization Figures and Consolida-
ton.

64Uat1xHI1OA FIGURES HAA
tion.
The annual sessions of the County
Board Of Equalization of always
afford some excellent lessons on the con-
eolidatlon question. The table of the
county Aatables, prepared by it and pub
~S.5hed id THE News" yesterday is an
~eloquent argument in behalf Of the
sGreater Jersey CITY, Here we find
Jersey City with $50. ,124 maintaining a
rifys government with a complete set Of
~officers from Mayor down to c~onstables,
The majority of whom could without
strain administer the affairs of a munich
eality double or triple the size. Next we
have the other eleven divisions of the
county with an aggregate wealth of $685.
sss. 74o maintaining eleven more municipal
systems, with all the paraphernalia of
government from the Mayoralty down.
FINALLY; on top of this, we ave the county
zysfem, with an equally elaborate organ
szation.
Can anything be more wasteful-eleven
governments to represent seventy million
dollars while only one is needed to re-
present ninety millions. and then one over
all like a fifth wheel TO a coach? Then
think Of Gutenberg with sSao, 900 of rata
bles-less than a corner of a ward in Jer-
eey City-tricked out with a Mayor, and
3 set of Boards. and a police and a fire
department of its own. Can anything be
imagined more conducive to inefficiency
and retrogression.
Another lesson is taught in the increase
and decrease comparison with last year.
From these we find that Bayonne is the
only really progressive section of the
county, outside OF Jersey city. Hoboken
with Si4. 600 increase in real estate and
10000 IN personality is practically at "a
etandstill. West Hoboken, which is said
$4,000 Ia real estate values, and Weehaw-
ken loses s27s. s62 in real estate and s45, 35C
in personality, q total of s3l9, 312. Surely
these 1gures-the others are all of the
same character. these being the extremes
-teil q story Of stagnatscn which ought
20 have its effect upon all intelligent
Ncters, in the towns themselves, as well
as IN Jersey City. Many of these places
are attractive for residences. At first
S4k5fofe II /, efo r+finu fbo+ then, do
mot grow, or that they even shrink and
Efall back. The mystery is solved by a
Reconsideration of their limited resources
They have all the characteristics OF
ftities-close settlement, saloons, a dan.
Eerous element Of population-and yet
Mhey are unable to provide proper protec-
zion for their inhabitants. Their police
are f~arcicai, their fire departments pre-
posterous. In addition their schools are
small, III managed and generally hotbeds
Of political jobbery and trickery.
Taken into a great city. these places
would at once be provided with efficient
police and schools. Their fire systems
would De at once braced up, and in &
short time would be placed on a par witt
] what Jersey City and Hoboken already
possess. Then people would cease to hest
tate about settling in them. because the,
would feel they were getting the benefits
pf city life, with something of suburban
attractions to boot.
There can be no doubt that the small
places will be those most immediatel,
benefited by consolidation. The relief t.
Jersey City will be in the abolition of
great part Of the county machinery, b,
which the taxpayers viii be relieved. Be
sides, Of course, there will be gratiica
fion for the pride OF all in the GREATNESS
OF the new city. one Of the first ten o
twelve of Uncle Sans domain. and capa
bic Of becoming beautiful. enlightened
progressive in al equal degree with #
great rival across the river.
WE are heartily in accord with the Pc
lice Board in its recent course. Tn
atrjcfesf dfscjpline should be enforced