The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-10-17
A LIvEL Y MEET ING
Board Of Trade Magnates
Exchange Bitter Words
Over the Secre-
tary's Salary.
NOTHING PERSONAL, OF COURSE
DR.. Gordon Defeats the Dear
Pha1anx By a Vote Of
Eighteen to Four.
NOTHING PERSONAL, OF COURSE

GlS uGS6u 10 rOuf.
oh my wasn't there hot time in ths
Board of Trade last night! Liar
peanut politics." 'bargain counter
tactics,'' dishonesty fraud were
some of the complimentary words passed
in verbal set-to between two factions
OF the Board. 1t all took place over {
resolution resembling one passed month
ago cutting down the secretary's salary
from $500 per year to $15O. That resolu-
ton it was claimed was a piece of sharr
practice unworthy of gentlemen. The
economy was all right, it was contended
but the me nod of enforcing it was OBJ
Jectionable. So the objectors to the reso-
luton got their friends together and last
night wiped out the offending resolution
by a vote of IS to A.
A child might understand that there
was trouble ON hand when members who
rarely are seen at the meetings took theil
seats last night. President Samuel G.
Mount scented a row Immediately wher
he saw DR.. Leonard J. Gordon rise The
doctor held a piece of paper in his hand
Looking at Messrs. Myron j. Furst and
Joseph "A. Dear, he began.-
Sir, move that it is the sense of this
meeting that the salary of the Secretary
of this Board-twenty-s members be-
ing present-be fixed at $500 per annum
during the term of his office, and the
Board of Directors is hereby directed tc
carry into effect this resolution
81 second it." said Mr.. James G. Hask-
ing.
Mr.. Furst nudged Mr.. Dear, who rose
and said
I hope this resolution won't prevail.
wish the industry that has brought such
large meeting here tonight could be ex-
ercised every meeting" Mr. Dear ex-
planned the motive of the resolution
passed month ago. 1t was purely econ
omy. The Secretary's salary was toe
high The Board had expended money in
the past for the public good and had been
too generous. 1t had brought Mr.. Croes
to the city in the matter of water
"Oh, yes, private scheme of the Jour-
nal,' for which we paid" put in one
member.
"All this is wandering from the ques-
tion," interrupted DR.. Gordon
Mr.. Dear, however, continuing, said
that the Board must economize, and as a
starter the Secretary's salary was cut
down one-half. Money was needed by the
Board to do public work. Mr.. Dear
then dropped into Latin, and compared
the Board in the past so far as public
opinion went, to what he termed "Bru-
tum fulmen.' Mr. Dear was going on to
defend retrenchment in the Boards affairs
when DR.. Gordon, who had been nursing
his wrath to keep it warm, interrupted: -
81 take exception to this From the
beginning the argument we have listened
to is absolutely false, specious and decep-
tive. 1t is piece of peanut policy
bringing this Board iIto disrepute before
the public. We have here members who
are using this Board for their own selfish
aims. The secretary has great deal of
work to do, collect monies make re-
ports, fix notices Of board, send letters
and do great many things for which the
present salary is by no means sufficient.
To reduce his salary and call it economy
is a piece of small despicable policy. It's
the outgrowth of an old grudge harboured
by the last speaker Cdr Dear) who some-
time ago promised to bury it, but has
dragged it up again under this specious
dishonest form. I want to say right
here that the Board of Trade will not
countance bargain counter methods They
won't prevail. The people are sick and
tired Of us and I won't stand this hum
bug
BY this time Messrs. Dear and Furst
were eager to reply and the latter
managed to get in a few words about
there not being any personal feeling in
the matter. The doctor kept on and in
sisted that he called on Mr. Dear at his
office for the purpose of naming the presi-
dent some months ago, out of interest
for the welfare of the board and then -
II object to all this, it is not true,'
said Mr.. Dear.
Don't you say that retorted the doc
tor, ''for if you do I'll go further and -
81 care nothing about the salary,''
hastily interrupted Mr.. Dear, my object
was simply economy
MIR. Andrew J. Corcoran then took a
hand in the discussion He said that
honesty Of motive, he the speaker,
doubted it. Then facing Mr.. Furst and
shaking his fist Mr.. Corcoran said
This whole thing is that you have TAX
en- dislike to Mr.. TAFT because he
wouldn't toady to you. What do you
think, gentlemen, of a proposition by this
man (pointing to Mr.. Furst) who wanted
the Secretary to wait at his store every
morning
ITS not true" interrupted Mr., Furst.
excitedly, tits not true IL
1T happens to be true,'' said Mr.. Cor