Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-09-29
GnichteI Plank Criticised.

Gniehtel Plank Criticized.
There has been nominated as my
opponent for the office of mayor a
gentleman with whom | have ben ac-
quainted for many years and who has
lately put forward statement of prin-
ciples and policies With many of the
pledges and suggestions in this state
ment there can be no quarrel, for they
have been advocated, not only by my
self, but by many of my predecessors
in the mayors office. l feel, however,
that l should call attention to one on
two things which my opponent has
said, even though this may involve
some departure from custom. He says:
~ am absolutely opposed to the
practise under the present administra-
tion of allowing large sums of public
school money to lie idle in various
banks while at the same time the city
has been borrowing equally large sums
from the banks No intelligent man
would conduct his business in such a
way, and the gffairs of the city gov
ernment should be put upon strictly
business basis
Such statement could proceed only
from one who is ignorant of the stua-
ton, or who is distinctly disingenuous
The implication of course is that l,
and my associates in authority are re-
sponsible for and approve Of the con-
dition which Is thus depicted. The
truth is that the situation is forced
upon us by laws of the State, which
we have repeatedly endeavored to have
amended, but in vain. The officials of
the city and of the Board of Education
are no more responsible for this than
for any number of other things forced
upon US by the State government at
Trenton. The custodian of school funds.
who deposits the money of the Board
of Education, and the comptroller of
the city, who negotiate all loans, both
of whom are members of the political
party which has nominated my OPP
ponent, are included in this unjust inn
putation to which he subscribes This
misconcepticn. for so / would regard
1t, Is all the more singular in one whose
vote as a member of the. House of AS
sembly was recorded in favor of the
so-called school law of 1908.
Again my opponent says:
The building Of the Passaic valley
trunk sewer will shortly necesstate a
Eeavy bond issue. In view of this large
increase in the city's debt l shall op-
pose any bond issue in the meanwhile,
except for the erection of schoolhouses
or in case Of absolute necessity
This expression should be accom-
panied by full explanation and detail
No mayor of Newark whom l have
known in my lifelong residence in
the city would ever have consented 10
a bond issue under any circumstances
for any purpose which he did not re-
gard as an absolute necessity. If this
utterance means simply that my OPP
ponent indorses the policy pursued by
the mayor of Newark for many years
1t Is agreeable. though practically
meaningless. but the matter is open TO
another construction. The Passaic
trunk sewer may be finished In four
years and may take much longer 10
build. Ii during that uncertain but
long period the city shall be debarred
from issuing bonds for meadow recla-
nation, for which the citizens nave
voted, for street lighting plant. for
which the citizens have voted; for suo-
ways or other works to relieve conges-
ton, for hospitals. for Fairgrounds. for
bath-houses. for strengthening out the
tangles of our crooked streets. and for
new buildings that may be necessary
to fulfill and complete the maniloiu
functions Of civic government. then the
municipality win have suffered most
serious and possibly an irreparap que
setbsck.
TIE city Of Newark with q popula-