The Jersey City news., 1906-06-04

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suspicion. He is the stool of the boss.
If he is a legislator he stands in with
the lobby, and is dargly suspected Of tax
ing bribes. If he is active and loyal as
a party man he is one Of a corrupt ma
chine Party managers are in league
with the corporations. and sit up nights
to devise schemes of betrayal of the pub
lie interests. The only virtuous man in
politics is the man who deserts his party
colors and shoots at his party in the
rear while it is engaged with more
manly enemy in front.
Recent revelations would show. how
ever, that the "grafter' in business life
can double discount the worst grating
ever known in politics. The Evening
Post has eternally harped ON the wigs
edness and corruption in politics. but the
POST is now constrained to say these
words
'.We have too easily concluded that
graft and favoritism are the
vices of politicians. But the error appears
to be rooted in human nature itself The
corrupt public man is more conspicuous;
his exposure causes the greater sensa-
ton, and his fall the louder echo; but
the unobtrusive man in bank OF insur-
anee company or railroad or drygoods.
house who leyies his bEackmail, or takes
his bribes, is his true brother. The one
betrays his constituents. the other only
his stockholders; but both are alike in
being lost to decency. Of the two, we
confess we consider the respectable pri-
vate CRATER the more detestable. He
not only does what he, can to destroy
confidence in private virtue, but really
fosters public corruption
Now it can be asserted, whatever ,may1
be the condition in other cities and
States, that politics and government
in Newark and New Jersey are as free
from graft as is government anywhere
in the United States. The people of
Newark are keen watchers of their muni-
cipal servants and keep close track of
local affairs, and they know that the city
| is honestly and conscientiously governed.
As forSour State government, there has
been no scandal in connection with State
finances since the time of State Treas
urer Posephus Sooy, Jr., over thirty
years ago. and no scandal in State de
partments since the Senate committee
exposure of Democratic methods in 1895.
The State government expends nearly
five millions annually, and. in the last
suggection that one dollar of this was
misappropriated.
Comparde with the compensations of
o GERS of the large corporations the cal
aries of leading State officers are exceed
inkly modest, and the pay of minor State
officials averages about the figure of sal
airy of the ordinary bank clerk. The dis
bursements of public money are hedged
about with all kinds of safeguards, and
as for ''grafting,'' it would be hard to in
dicate direction where is could be prac-
tised witout detection, and where it is
practised at all.
ct US do justict to the man in public
life and imp olitios. as we are bound to
do when we compare conditions in polit-
ical government with those that have re
Gently been revealed in private business.
1t has been common to reproach public
departments, because of their lack of bus
mess methods and upon their business in
tegrity, but certainly it is fortunate for
usthat public officials have not adopted
the standards of private business that
have lately been shown up.
One thing has been developed in the
strenuous debate in the Senate on the
railroad rate bill and that is that vice
president Fairbanks is most incompe-