The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-06
IS ENDORSED.
erchants' Protective Asso-
citation Passes Resolu-
tons of Approval.
RIGHT ABOUT APPOINTMENTS
His Honor's Action in Re-
gard to Engineers Was
Commended.
RIGHT ABOUT APPOINTMENTS

The Merchants Protective Association
of Hudson County held an unusually in
teresting meeting at the Avenue House
last night. 1t was practically.a Hoos en-
dorsement meeting.
Resolution were passed sustaining the
Mayor in ~vetoing the Hudson Telephone
ordinance and commencing him for his
general attitude in the matter of demand
ing municipal compensation from cor
porations for valuable franchises. His
veto of the resolution appointing Gar
wood Ferris supervising engineer of the
rev water work at a salary of $4,000 and
James P. Hall and Harry Bowly as as
sistant engineers, at salaries of S2,ooe
zach was also discussed and his action
was generally commended.
The first resolution was as follows
Resolved, That the Merchants Pro-
tective Association of Hudson County
view wit satisfaction the action taken
by the Mayor in upholding the principle
that the public franchises of our city
should be made a source of revenue and
be it further
Resolved, That this association thank
His Honor, Edward Hoos. Mayor of
Jersey City. for the firm stand he has
taken on the matter of the grant to the
Hudson Telephone Company in vetoing
twice the resolution granting to the Hud-
son Telephone Company a franchise for
the use of the highways of our city
without proper safeguards and adequate
compensation for privileges sought by
said company, and we congratulate our
citizens in having for a Chief Executive
a man who feels the Importance of those
franchises and his duty to our city; and
be it
Resolved. That a copy of this resolu-
ton be forwarded to His Honor. Mayor
Edward Hoos through our secretary"
This was closely followed by the follow
ing resolution
Resolved, That the Merchants Protec-
tive Association of Hudson County petit
ton the Board of Street and Water Com
missioners to grant to the Hudson Tele-
phone Company a franchise for the use
of the streets of our city by an ordi-
nance whereby the streets shall be fully
protected and an adequate compensation
granted for privileges given; and be 1t
further
Resolved. That this association feels
that the proper method whereby ade-
quate returns for the value of said fran
chise may be secured by our city, is on
the fixed percentage basis. to be paid by
the Hudson Telephone Company, regard
less of the condition. financial or other
wise of said corporation, and that the
continuance of said franchise depends up
on the payment of the percentage so
fixed, and that this percentage shall be
not less than two per cent. of the gross
income. annually, of said company, and
to be increased until said percentage shall
reach the sum of not less than five per
cent. per annum and be 1t
Resolved, Tha this resolution be pre-,
scented to the Board of Street and Water
Commissioners Immediately.
Messrs. James E. Banks. William G.
Meyer Joseph A. Bernstein were APP
pointed a committee to wait upon the
Street and Water Commissioners today.
It was under the heading of Good and
Welfare that the subject of endorsing
the Mayors action in vetoing the ap-
pointments of Messrs. Ferris, Hall and
Bowly as engineers of the new water
works, was brought up by Mr.. Bern
stein. He said he believed the Mayor
should be sustained. 1t was a business
question, he said, and he thought it was
one that the Merchants Association
could at least. with propriety. discuss.
1t interested business men and taxpay-
ers.
Mr.. Banks said he did not see why the
Mayor should not be commended for his
stand.
President Cough intinated that 1t was
nothing more nor less than a question of
politics.
Mr.. Meyer quickly responded that that
made no difference and should not stand
in the way of the Mayor being commend
Cd. HE admitted his belief that all men
were not in politics for their health, but
said there were some who are better than
others. Mr.. Hoos, he said, had shown
since his last election an inclination to do
something besides take the advice of men
of his own political persuasion. Praise
should not be withheld from him..
Mr. Meyer said he believed, however,
that the association should just at present
concentrate all its energies in the effort
to prevent the Hudson Telephone Com
pany- from getting a valuable franchise
without giving the city proper compen-
sation.
Mr.. Banks objected to Mr.. Meyers
phrase" since his last election The
peoples vote at the last election,she said.
spoke eloquently of a deep appreciation
or the part of the people of recognized
interest in the welfare of the taxpayers
and people generally.
Robert Anderson said the association
had never been inactive in c~ondemning
city officials for wrongdoing. In this in
stance the Mayor had done the right
thing. and as merchants and taxpayers
the association should commend the
Mayor.
Mr.. Meyer took the president mildly to
task for criticizing or impugning the mo-
tives of those who wished to commend
the Mayor in his stand on the subject at
Issue.
Mr.. Bernstein, who had brought the
subject up for discussion, said, as long
as shots were being fired, he couldn't
see why he shouldn't fire a few himself.
He declared the president hould be proud
to preside over a body Of busy merchants
who gathered on such a warm night to
ventifate their opinions upon usine
matters that affected the entire com
munity.
President Cough said he had the utmost
confidence in Mayor Hoos. He only want
ed to know if any resolution was to be
passed.