The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-09-22
DEMOCRATIC
PR|NCIpL LES
Ringing Arrangement Of Re-
publican Rule and IN
answerable Arguments in
Favor Of Archibald Nd.
Henry's Election.
ClTY'S DECLINING CREDIT.
ENORMOUS EXPENSE or THE
PRESENT GOVERNMENT COUP
LED WITH Al NEGLECT OF THE
! PEOPLES INTERESTS, CALLS
FOR A BUSINESS INSTEAD OF
A POLITICAL ADMINISTRATION.

FOR A BUSINESS INSTEAD Oh
A POLITICAL ADMINISTRATION.
The following is the platform adopted
! by the Democratic City Convention last
night, when Archibald NJ. Henry was
nominated for Mayor, Philip Flreutzig
for Alderman-at-Large and Thomas J..
| Corydon and Frank Donnelly were NOM
mated as Street and Water Combustion
ers:-
The Democratic Party of Jersey City
| in asking the citizens and taxpayers OF
the city to support its candidates at the
/ coming election, insists that municipal
! government should be d matter of busi-
ness and not of politics. We charge that
| the administration of the affairs Of Jer-
sey City during the last four years has
been mainly, if not wholly, made /, mat
ter of politics, and we call upon all
citizens who have the welfare tlf the
city at heart to condemn this selfish and
degrading policy at the polls.
The annual expenses OF the govern
ment of the city have been ased
| $463. 669 4S during the last four yeaxs.
FsoE4tHlS lafSe lucreASe III lAe yearly eA-
penses of the city the present adiniHis-
tration is directly responsible, and has
giYeR sno adequate return TO the Ieopie
of the city. Such permanent improve
nients as have been made have been
covered by issues of bonds, or from the
proceeds of license fees.
The credit of the city was never lower
than IS is at the present time. This is
due mainly to three causes: First, the
extraordinary increase in the cost Of. the
City government; secondly. the subordi-
nation of business to politics; thirdly the
juggling with the City's Sinking Funds.
The result IS that the City is unable to
sell it's bonds at a premium. In contrast
with this, attention is called to the fact
tration, that Of Mayor Heos. the bonds
of Jersey City were sold at the highest
premium in its history.
We call attention to Mayor Fagin's
repeated efforts to obtain control of the
Street and Water Department. for his
own political advantage persisted in
against the will of the people, expressed
at the polls. We charge thet with mon
eys available for months for the purpose
of public improvements. the present adj
ministration utterly neglected to make
such Improvements, and such of them a
have been undertaken, have been delayed
until just prior to an election. Some
"
in the construction of the Jackson Ave
nue. sewer, of the Horseshoe sewer. in
the asphalting of Bergen avenue and of
Bergen square, and the repaving OF New
ark avenue.
We.also call attention TO the promises
and policies of Mayor Fagan with refer
ence to the New City Hospital The de-
mand for a New Hospital was based
upon the recognized facts that the pres
emf structure was unasnitary and inad-
equate to accommodate the cit. Pr
tients The Mayor in his first campaign
promised. if elected. to Immediately renl-
edy this condition of affairs. In fulfill
mept of that promise contract has just
been awarded, with his approval. for the
construction of a new Hospital, which
will not accommodate as many patients
as the present structure, and which is III
| complete in that it does not -meet the rts-
| Qlirements of modern sanitary science in
| its appointments. The history of this
| Hospital project is such a series of scam
dals, so familiar to all, that further com
ment is unnecessary.
We denounce the action of the last
| Legislature in its treatment of the equal
| tax question. and we reafiirm the princi
| pies of the Democratic party. announced
year after year in its platforms. and COM
j tended for by its representatives. Every
/ advance toward the proper solution of
| this question has been the result of the
| most energetic contests led by Demo-
Gratis. from Leon Albeit down to Charles
| G. Black. e
| We charge that the passage of the
ma ximum tax rate law. known as the
/ Hillery Act, passed by the last Legisla-
4 ture. was a fraud upon and an injustice
| to Jersey City. and was of benefit to no
one but the railroad corporations.
| We are in fay9raof more and better
! public school buildings, so hat every child
may have q full days schooling in well
| lighted. sanitary building.
We commend the efforts of the Board
| Of Street and Water Commissioners di-
isrected toward placing wires under
ground and the removal of all unused
! poles and tracks from our streets
| We believe that every effort should be
made for clean, we'll paved and well
| lighted streets
We favor all efforts to improve and
beautify this city, and to facilitate pub
| lie travel ON our streets. provided such
| improvements can be carried out with
due regard to the interests of the tax
/ payer. the expense to be incurred and
/ the benefits to be derived therefrom
4 We favor the establishment OF small
/ parks. breathing places and playground.
for onr people. We charge that during the
last four lears. with absolute control,
i the present administration did not under
take these important projects and is now,
4 merely for political effect, promising to
4 undertake them.
We call attention to the pernicious po-
litical activity of the city 5 Law Depart-
ment. which renders it necessary to em-
plov outside counsel to attend to the legal
business Of the city.
i We also call attention to the present
4 Administrations incompetent treatment
of the water problem. in the solution Of
which no visible progress has been made
4 With the Inauguration of business poll
cies,. by business men, in the city govern
ment. this problem will be promptly and
satisfactorily solved. and the large pay
ments at present being made to the East
Jersey Water Company for water rates
and interest charges, will be saved to the
people.
3 We emphatically declare in favor of
the policy of granting public franchises
for limited periods only, and on terms
adequately remunerative to the City.