Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-10-29
METUCHEK NOT so
WARM TO PROCRESSNES
CONTINUED from page ~

can ballots: Collector, R. c. Burr;
assessor, T. M. Barr; councilman, c.
z. Hull; councilman, Fred. G. Ayres.
Nobody took this ticket In earnest
until about a week after when the
announcement came out by way of
New Brunswick that this was the
regular Republican ticket put up to
knock out the "sorehead reformers."
The Democrats named this ticket:
Collector, Charles Tausig; assessor,
John w. Breen; councilman, Eben
H. Veen; councilman, Charles
Veghte; constable, Frank c. Smith.
The Bull Moosers picked this tic
ket: Collector, william A. Crowell;
assessor, William G. Bohlke; coun
Gilman, William A. Coles; council
man, George K. Hamblin; justice Of
the peace, Charles C. Weber; con-
stable, Fritz Hokanson.
In spite of the fact that there are
three tickets in the field it would
never be known that Metuchen had
to elect local officers this year if the
voters waited to hear it from the
candidates. Only II candidate is
doing any real hustling and he is
William G. Bohlke, who has the
reputation of having been one of the
best borough clerks the town eve
had. Bohlke fought against taking
the nomination for assessor but it
was forced upon him. He is looked
upon as the strongest candidate on
the Bull Moose ticket, but with for
mer Councilman John w. Breen
against him he has a hard man to
beat. Thomas M. Barr, the Republi-
can nominee, is not taken seriously
by any one as he has characterized
his own candidacy as a joke. Mr..
Barr is a retired business man. The
fight is going to be between Breen
and Bohlke.
For collector it looks like Charles
NJ. Tausig. Tausig has lived in Me-
tuchen sixty years and he is going
not only to get unanimous support
Of the Democrats but Bull Moosers
and Republicans concede that he Is
the right man for the position.
In Eben H. Veen the Democrats
have a strong candidate for council.
Charles Veghte, his running mate, Is
not likely to make a very strong run.
The Progressive candidates for
council, William A. Coles and George
X. Hamblin are likely to run away
ahead of the Republican nominees C.
P. Hull and Fred G. Ayres. The
chief objection to Hull is hat he is
closely affiliated with the Middle
sex County Republican machine and
If there is anything that Metuchen
voters are up against it is machine
politics no matter in which party the
machine may be.
There is one Progressive absolute
ly sure Of election. He is Justice of
the Peace Charles c. Weber. AS
Justice of the Peace and Borough
Recorder Col Weber has made good
and Democrats or Republicans could
not find a man to oppose him for
reelection.
This year Metuchen will elect a
constable because of the criticism of
Chief of Police Flaherty and other
marshals doing police work outside
borough limits. For a number of
years Metuchen has been without a
constable. Years ago one was elected
once, but couldn't furnish the re-
quired bond. The Progressive candi-
date is Fritz Hokanson and the DEM
ocrats are running Frank c. Smith.
They are both good men.
About the only local issue this year
Is the police force and sidewalk
criticism. Although 1t Is admitted
that the police department Is supe-
rior In many ways to the old force
there are defects and they are being
pointed out. The criticism is not so
much with the officers but with the
lack of system and supervision on the
part of the police committee and the
P~rogressives are in favor of organ
iZing the force on business ines.
There Is also criticism about the Of
fee of borough engineer and side
walk work, especially the allowing of
the engineer to compete with other
sidewalk contractors on work accord
ing to his own specifications and
coming under his own supervision.
Another big complaint is that al
though the borough orders property
owners on 20 miles Of street to lay
! sidewalks there arde no grade stakes
to go by and each property owner
must go to the engineer and pay a
fee for finding out where the borough
wants the sidewalk laid. This is
where the engineer in taking private
contracts for walks has 1t on the ri
val contractors. He doesn't have to
cnafS0 lllQS61I TOT HIS own lulOTuld-
.'or hut the other chaps have to pay
him his price whatever 1t may be and
this makes it hard for them to fig
ure lower than he.
AS far as the sidewalk and other
improvements inaugurated by Mayor
Clarke are concerned there is gen.
oral nraise for the administration.
1t is the unbiased opinion of many
leading citizens that Mayor Clarke
deserves credit for having the cour-
& to make M%etuchen wake from it's
slumber of many years and go Nhead.
Mayor Clarke is not afraid to point
out where the town Is behind the
times and he Is also unafraid to point
out the right road for the towns ad-
vancement and that Is ora reason
why the Democratic party has more
! than an even chance Of electing a
majority OF it's local ticket.
? One often hears this year that
Governor Wilson's strength is going
to carry the whole Democratic tick
ct to victory. This argument doesn't
hold water here. Thanks to the
Democratic party the present form OF
ballot makes impossible the voting
of a Straight" ticket except that
he voter marks 1t properly, and with