The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-15
Mayor Pagan Wont Have
Allan McDermott In
terpret the Street
and Water Act.
PLENTY OF LEGAL TALENT
Outside Advice Should Only
Be Sought Where the Wei
fare of the City Is
Involved.

mo meeting without its Veto was what
the Street and Water Commissioners said
this morning when they saw two conn
munications sent to the Board by Mayor
Pagan.
The communications were the vetoes Of
the resolution passed by the Street and
Water Board requesting Congressman
Allan L. MeDermott to give an opinion
on the singIe-headed Water Commission
bill, and of number of claims passed at
the last meeting.
These communications will be received
at this afternoons meeting of the Board.
and passed upon. The indications are that
the resolutions will be passed over the
Mayors veto.
The veto of the McDermott resolution
has caused great deal of surprise in
public circles. The Street and Water
Board wanted an Interpretation of the
new law and many citizens also wanted
to know in detail what the measure
means. The reuest that an opinion be
given on the law met with general APP
proval, and in no quarter was it expected
that the Mayor would try to prevent a
clear understanding of the measure.
That he has done SO is thought to be
Mayor Fagan's reasons for vetoing the
resolutions are also looked upon as at
least peculiar in the face of recent.
events. He decries the engaging of out
side legal ADVICE because the city Is
well supplied with law Offices to whom.
the question should have been referred.
Speaking on this point, a well-knownl
citizen said
II have never heard of such thing as
trying to shut the public off from learning
all the details of an act upon which it is
TO vote at an election. There are few cili-
zens capable, or at least confident, of be-
ing capable of interpreting laws, and the
public were very much pleased when tEe
Street and Water Commissioners engaged
Allan L. McDermott to give an opinion on
the bill. Mayor Pagan viii find his effort
to keep the true intent of the bill in the
dark sorry step. 1t shows more than
anything else could the methods Of those
in power They have made unwarfanted
assaults on the Street and Water Boai1
for the purpose of taking that depare-
ment into their control and then they had
bill passed. The people are to vote OH
the bill. They want to know what they
are asked to vote for and the Mayor does
not want them to know
His reasons for vetoing the bill are
such as to make a horse laugh. He says
outside lawyers should not be engaged.
Perhapse then he would be willing to ex-
plain his own lack of confidence in tn.
city's law officers when he permitted and
approved the engagement of Counselor
Vredenburrh in the water business. Per
haps he will explain the lack of confidence
which Mr.. Record showed in himself
when he asked that Congressman McDcr-
mott be engaged in litigation over the
city's right of way to the water front in
Thirteenth and Seventeenth Streets
The veto comes at very late hour as
the opinion of Mr.. McDermott has al
ready boen received by the Street and
Water Board and made public. 1t will he
ordered spread in full on the minutes OF
the Board at this afternoons meeting.
{ The veto follows:-
Jersey city, N J.. April II, 1902.
To the Honorable the Street and Water
Commissioners of Jersey City.
Gentlemen-I herewith return to your
Honorable Board. without my approval,
the following resolution adopted by your
Honorable Board on the first day of April,
1902, and certified to me for my approval
on the second day of April, 1902, to wit
Resolved. That the Honorable Allan
L. McDermott be and is hereby request
ed to advise this Board as to the merits
and Legality of that enactment Of the
Legislature which upon its introduction
was nown and designated as Senate bill
No. 1S9'
Ny reason for this action is as follows:
I consider that the employment of out
side legal advice is not justified except in
emergencies affecting the welfare of the
entire city. .. M
The city is well supplied with Jaw Off
cer3 to whom questions relating to
statutes regulating tho administration in
its several departments may be properly
referred
Respectfully submitted,
MARK M. FAGAN.