Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-08-24
DEMOCRATS MUST GET BUSY.
Election November :. but Nominations
september e.

l 49,
going to Obscure the Importance OF ths
choice Of city officers this year, if we read
the signs Of the times Alright. The very
issues that are State issues, are issues righl
here in Woodbury.. We refer to that o
limiting franchises The people who have
followed the proceedings Of Council the past
six months understand this thoroughly
and we believe are prepared to vote intelli-
gently on the subject.
Our City Council is solidly Republican,
yet it is nearly evenly divided on this sub
iect Of limited franchises. Steadily, up tc
the meeting two weeks ago, five of the
nine members voted for limited franchises;
at that meeting sentiment changed, and a
majority voted for everlasting franchises,
Tor the vote was so construed)
Now, when Republicans divide on pub
lie question it cannot be considered politi-
cal issue, but one Of governmental policy.
A candidate for Council is to be elected
in each ward. and on the result of this
election will determine whether Woodbury.
will be Public Service corporation Or
have government by the people and for
the people.
In the First Ward the term OF Howard S.
Davis expires, and he is a candidate for re-
nomination, if the people want him John
Callan. is also said to have Councilmanic
aspirations. Mr.. Dayis' votes in Council
havn't been cast in way to indicate that
be is disposed to favor limiting corpora
tion franchises.
In the Second Ward, the term Of George
D Chenoweth expires. Mr. Chenoweth
has been leader in the anti-eyerlasting
franchise movement. He is intelligent, a
big tax payer, and il the Organization don 4
throw him down, would no doubt continue
in his course to the end Of another term.
In the Third Ward the term. of DIR. Geo.
E. Reading expires. The Doctor has said
that under no circumstances would he be a
candidate for reelection, hence, unless he
changes his mind between this and Saturday
week, new man will have to be picked
by the Republicans from that ward.
1t is matter Of sincere regret that so
important local problem as this question
Of franchise cannot be considered BY the
people free from partisan feeling, and can
didates elected on their record on that
principle. But the party in power has
fixed things as they are.
This question of franchise is a new one
in our politics. When it first appeared,
Republican editors and statesmen sneered
at it, and asked what is a franchise, +" that
it can be assessed and taxed like real
property
Well, the people have grown wise in the
last decade. They have seen trolley roads,
the construction Of which cost s400, 600,
capitalized at $4,000, 600, and they have
learned that franchise represented 50, 800, :
600.
Franchise is the real thing an invest
ment of dollars in labor, and rails, and
cars, and electric machinery being only an
incident.
They have learned that franchise that
is worth 1900, 900 in 1900 will probably
be worth $4,000, 900 twenty-five years
hence, and s12, 600, 900 fifty years hence.
They see that municipal expenditures are
to go on increasing and increasing, and
that real property creation Of the saw
ings Of the wage earners and the profits Of
business, are to be increasingly burdensome
unless these franchises--the most valuable
Of all public assets, are to be held subject
to re-assessment at stated periods.
We want men in orr representative
bodies who appreciate the situation; who
possesses the courage Of their convictions,
and unawed by threats of opposition from
powerful interests that are personal and
selfish, be true to the interests they are
chosen TO serve.
It is not important TO the property own
ers Of Woodbury. that their members of
Council be Democrats or Republicans, OF
Ffonipltlonlsfs, but 1t IS very important
that Councilmen be pledged to short term
grants Of franchises, if the people favor
them.
Only one Freeholder will be elected ID
Woodbury. in the Third Ward We nm
derstand Mr. John Rachor, Jr-, who was
chosen to I'LL the unexpired term Of Post
master Walton, resigned. will be can
didate for reelection
In the past fen years our county expen-
ditures have doubled increased 100 per
cent while our population has increased
less than 20 per cent.
The Democratic party is the only politi-
cal organization through which the people
can hope to achieve relief from conditions
which are not satisfactory, and as the elec-
tion Of candidates for these offices comes
right IN the wIirl Of a great p0litica1 cam