Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-08-07
INTERESTING FOR FORT LEE.

The interesting interview published
elsewhere with Mayor George Hill of
the borough of Fort Lee furnishes
much food for thought. The mayor
admits he has his hands full and that
there are many difficult problems to
solve goes without saying. He even
goes so far as to say that the work
demanded of his office is far more
than he bargained for. Also, he says
he believes the labOrer is worthy of
his hire, and that any man running
the business of the borough sould re-
-ceive proper compensation. Mayor
Hill went into office, however, merely
at the instigation of his many friends
who supposed he would gladly serve
as others have for many years under
the present borough system without
pay. He does not seek it for himself,
but when asked if he would favor
commission government under the
present New Jersey laws, says very
free yes-if the people want it. That
is the fair spirit And in this connec
ton it is fair to assume that Mayor
Hill means what he says and would
not attempt to fool the people were
they to elect to have commission.
There is no doubt but that with the
present greatly increased cost of taxes
any means that are fair and honorable
should be tried to relieve the people
of the burdens of taxation. The great
trouble with the present system of
borough government is it's many in
CAPABILITIES. Try as one may, these bad
features creep in here and there, and
apparently there is little chance of
Graduating them until newer and
better system of business government
is established. The very best borough
government that ever was is nothing
more than makeshift. This is said
without the slightest intent at reflect
ing with the many honest men con-
nected with borough systems all over
New Jersey. 1t is the system that is
bad, not the men who run Them Start
ed as sort of family affair, where
friends and neighbors got together for
the common good and elected some
righteous son of the community to
guide and direct it's affairs, the plan
finally drifted into the worst form of
petty politics. Time was right here
feeling has been stirred up at the gen.
eral local elections, when opposing cam
didateS would seek to "show up one
side or the other in local scramble
for office. And scramble it was. One
candidate would say: 81 deserve your
support if for no other reason than
that l did so and so, which proves me
to be more worthy of this office than
Jones, who is running against me-"
Where is the altruism in that? Where
are the old ideals that tempted men
to go out and serve with ardor and
honor, when politics was the last
thought to actuate a man? Alas!
those days are over. Today the av-
erage borough election is far more in
sinuating, more exciting far more bit
ter, far more strenuous than ma
tional election.
If Mayor Hill will undertake to
place commission government before
the people he will be doing not only
a gracious thing, but something as
worthy of his fine character as any
thing he ever undertook, or ever will
undertake. With three reputable men,
none of them politicians, but just plain
business men, and then a business
manager responsible to the commits
sion, the trick will be turned that will
give the people the greatest of all
their long felt wants. This is a day
of business progress, not only in the
commercial world, but in government
affairs as well.
Start the petition, Mayor Hill. with
hearty good will for the public in
terest-for the interest of all. There
is little doubt but that commission
could not fail of carrying with this
form of putting it before the people.