Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-20
MAYOR MAKES
STRONG CHARGE
IN HIS CRUSADE
Says AImshouse Committee
Members Give city-Bought
Supplies to Friends.
COUNCILS ATTITUDE
CRATES ON HIS NERVES
Declares to Church Clubs That
New City Charter Is Cure
for All Ills.

Bedecked with wag paint and full
battle array of feathered headdress,
Mayor Raymond went on the war
path" again last night in his crusade
against the Democratic Common
Council and his campaign for a new
city charter. Both objects are very
much one and the same thing, as he
hopes to get rid of the opposition
council by legislating ii out of office,
and he made his campaign before
two meetings, a practice which has
met popularity with him. The
mayor spoke first at the banquet
of the Mems Club of the Roseville
Presbyterian Church, at which for
mer Governor Stokes was also a
speaker, and he afterwards went to
the Fewsmith Memorial Church and
addressed the Mems Club there.
The mayors talk to the Roseville
church men was the strongest that
he has yet given. He not only
didn't mince words, but he made
some charges which were loaded with
tobasco. He admitted that he had
the Common Council ION his hands"
and blamed the Democrats for about
every evil that he and the city was
heir to. His most direct charge,
though, was that made when, in talk
ing of the old almshouse, he said
with regard to the members Of the
almshouse COMMITTEES:
They buy coal and food, distribute
these things among their friends, and
then the tremendous bills come to
me for approval"
Another one of his charges against
the alnshouse committee was that
they gave the contract for furnishing
the new almshouse to the highest
bidder, virtually wasting $1,000.
'rhey howl at me for forgetting
the unemployed on the new city
market proposition" said the mayor.
"yet they refuse to remove the in
the new city stables could be erected
and work furnished there for the un-
employed"
Common Council Sore Spot.
Tho Common Council is evidently
q sore spot with the eity's chief ex-
ecutive, especially for the manner in
which it is handling his veto on the
market proposition. Both church
meetings were held after the session
Of the council at which his veto was
laid over again, and when he struck
the Roseville Club he was apparently
still in a heated frame of mind, as
well as a little behind time
"You will excuse me for being
late," he said. SIT is the old story
of the Common Council. They met
this evening and kept me there until
10 o'clock. and then adjourned with
out doing anything"
Later the mayor referred to a plan
Of getting rid Of the council under a
new charter. and told OF what he
termed were the tactics of the poiiti-
cal boss in changing ward lines so
that the latter could retain his power.
He definitely charged that this was
done In the Down Neck'' section OF
Newark.
After excusing himself for talking
politics, which he chose to call city
affairs the mayor launched into his
church club topic, the "City Char
ter. and told the diners what he
told the mems clubs of the South
Park Presbyterian Church and the
Roseville German Evangelical Church
at their meetings during the past
two weeks.
The more see OF this office the
more ! see that the moral support of
such men as you Is necessary, and
In order to get that moral support.
instead of amusing you or entertain
ing you, 1t is better that 1 should
tell you some OF the things which
are on my mind about your city"
The mayor repeated to his hearers
his contention that the form of gov
ernment under the present city char
ter Is out of date. AS an example,
he gave the management of the
almshouse, which Is in the hands of
& committee OF the Common Council.
"They buy coal and. food and dis
tribute these things among their
friends" he said, "and these tre-
mendous bills come to me for ap-
prova1.
Charges Fayortism I'm Contract.
They have an old poorhouse
down on Elizabeth avenue" the
mayor continued. They gave out a
Contract for the new almshouse to a
man who bid $1,000 more than the
man below him. Why they gave II
to him l do not know, except that
they like to give contracts to the
highest bidder. The man who did
not get the contract went to court
about 1t. The result is that this
beautiful new almshouse is vacant
They cannot, as a result, build the
new city stables on the old aims
house site. Then they come around
to me and tell mo that ought to
build foolish market to give the
unemployed work"
The mayor repeated his recon-
mendations that various departments
of the city be placed under the head
of expert men. The financial depart
ments should be under director of
finance, he said; the police and fire
and health under q director of pub
lie safety; the poor and aims under
q director of charities and correc-
tions.
Wants Small Board of Alderman.
The mayor further recommended
that the Common Council be sup
planted by small board of alder
men, OF five members, elected at
large from the city. thereby doing
away with ward lines.
Ward lines are one of the worst
things that we have got" the mayor
declared "They enable the boss to
maintain his power. He can say:
Take certain blocks out of one ward
and put them in such and such "a
ward and we can carry IT, It was
done down below the railroad. Look
at the map and you win see in the
ward lines little notches here and