New-York tribune., 1900-07-13
EW-JERSEY NEWS.


Unless the expert accountant who racan+Iv
examined the accounts OF some OF the public
officers Of the town of Montciair is wrong in his
report-and it is ten is to one that he is
rlght-there Is likely to be serious trouble after
the cltlzens have had time 10 digest the coudi-
tlon OF public affairs which the examination
into the official bookkeeping has exposed. When
the books of a town clerk are pronounced "ab-
solutely worthless the accounts Of a tax col
lector unsatisfactory and Inaccurate" and the
accounts Of Board Of Education inaccurate
and imperfect" by an authority entirely com
petent 10 give an opinion il is high time for the
taxpayers TO wake up from their easygoing con
fdence in their public servants. and TO turn over
new leaf. 1t is true that no charge OF dfshon-
esty has been made. but careIessness or incorn-
potency or both have been charged. and in the
conduct OF public affairs either is inexcusabIe
and cannot be too quickly corrected il the towns
good name is to be maintained
The I'D Congress District Republican Conven-
ton will be held at Atlantic City on July 10.
when it is expected that Congressman John J.
Gardner win be renominated by accIamation
Mr.. Gardner has already served continuously
four terms in the House Of Representatives a
term OF service without precedent in the Id
District He has been almost constantly in
public Office since 1868 having been elected
Mayor Of Atlantic City when he was only TWEEN
ty-three years Of age. He was elected State
Senator from Atlantic County in 1871 and was
consecutively reelected to that body for fifteen
years, thus breaking all records as TO length Of
time Of service in the Senate. He would proba-
bly, be there yet il he had not voluntarily re-
tired. He accepted the Republican nomination
for Congress in 1892, and has been reelected
right along ever since, with no apparent effort
upon his own part In addition to the political
honors already mentioned that have come his
way he was President OF the State Senate dur
ing the session OF 1888. was a delegate-at-Iarge
10 the National Republican Convention in 1884,
and is and has been for several years a member
Of the Republican State Committee. Congress
man Gardner has been frequently mentioned as
a candidate for Governor. but II he has ever had
any ambition for that place he has kept quiet
about it, just as he did when II was proposed 10
nominate him for Congress. It is his custom to
let his constituents say where they want him 70
serve them and to let his political fortunes drift
along easily, doubtless believing that all things
/ come round TO him who Will but wait" 1t IS a
remarkable fact that there has been no really
aggressive or forcefuI opposition 10 his nouina-
tion in any convention before which he
candidate although he has frequently expressed
his willingness 10 retire from public Office when
| ever MS party ShOuId thlnh IndL Lue time laO
come for him TO step aside
Concurrently with the runor that Colonel
William Barbour is a candidate for Governor
comes the report by one of his friends in Bergen
/ County that it has been understood that the
/ Colonel viii go abroad this month or next. As
/ the Colonel is known 10 be courageous under
the most trying conditions, any intimatiOn that
/ he would Try 10 escape a nomination for either
/ Congress or Governor would be graCutrOus and
1 apocryphaI. And yet doubtless some OF the
/ young men who said yesterday that he was a
! candidate for the nomination for Congress viii
/ contend tomorrow. with the same amount Of
/ confidence il their own acumen, that the Colonel
/ would do the same thing II he was sure that
/ the nomination for Governor was coming his
way. and would point 10 the fact that Franklin
I Murphy did precisely what Colonel Barbour is
| said 10 be going TO 90. regardless OF the truth
/ that wind is one thing and logic quite an
other. In the language Of solon Chase. the man
/ of the steers and the one time greenback phil
! osopher. some things can be pushed and some
/ won't budge!"