The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-05-22

IN MOrr1SLOWn is 10 De one OL pIlNd-
ton for at least a year if its rec
concentrations are to be adopted.
Members of committees are to ask
themselves this question before max
ing purchase, "Can we get along
without this. If they can, then
the article is not to be bought
There was a time when men got
along" with palm leaves for cloth
ing, and the chances are that if the
''get along test is to be applied,
Morristown' S municipal dress for a
year at least will be made of sack
cloth and ashes. There are to be
no street improvements. These cost
money, and everything that costs
money must be tabooed. The mayor
frankly confesses that the highest
aim of the present Board of Alder
men will be to maintain the city as
it is It must not be allowed to
wear out, but as for improvement
or advancement in any line that
costs money, why that is simply
out of the question. He confesses,
with delicate prophecy, that lack
of enterprise in a municipal bust
ness, as in any other, means stag
nation and decay" If Morristown
is to "stagnate" and decay" the
democratic Board of Aldermen and
officials appointed by them will be
held responsible for it. The mayor
with almost brutal frankness places
the entire fault of the present EN-
barrassing predicament upon the as
SCISSOR, who, he says, made an error
in levying taxes, which failed to
draw $40, 900 more from the tax
payers pockets than actually was
taken. This discovery was not made
until too late for correction. Then
an investigation was started, which
brought forth the discovery that
the same error had been made the
year previous. What is to be
thought of the competency of set
of officials who fail to discover the
absence of some $40. 900 from their
working capital? One-third of the
money which the town is allowed
to spend was not assessed" for
collection and the city guardians
failed to discover it. These men
are the representatives of the demo-
cratic party and it would seem that
the best remedy for present evils
would be the selection of men of
some other political faith to take
their places Men with practical
experience in running municipal
tiles. Such men, for instance, as
may be found on the republican
voting lists. Of course this sug-
gestion will not be taken very seri-
ously by the democratic wire man
ipulators of the town, but the great
body of voters, the army of men
who will be out of employment be-
cause the town has not the where
with to pay its debts; these and the
quiet thinkers of that party will
give the idea some attention.
The mayor states that eve had
anticipated collecting the 1902 taxes
except about $6,o Then he
adds, 1--WE still find due on that &C
count about Sill 900, which is con-
sidered collectable. If there is
such sum of @collectable" money
due the town, where shall the people
look for its collection; if not to the
men in charge Of town affairs?
In another part of his message
the mayor answers that question
himself. "We are the ones who
are entrusted with this work and
we are responsible. I" Very true,
and the people should awaken to
this fact as soon as possible. Among
other things the message utters
many platitudes as to the duty o.
the council. On the whole it is as
hopeful as it could possibly be made
in the face Of past experience re-
markable chiehyfor the development
ofincompetent and careless officials
but in spite of it all, the outlooi
may not be as dark, the future may
not be as hopeless, nor the condi.
lions so bad as His Honor, the
Mayor, in his message says they are