Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-11-05

OF government and as in a republican form OF government,
such as we have, the people themselves govern, politics
ought to attract the most honest and capable men for office.
Unfortunately this is not the case. High class men VIII not
stand for the Misrepresentation and false statements that are
continually being made by opponents. The tactics adopted
by some stump speakers in order to WIN votes are OF the
basest sort, yet there are always people ready to believe any
thing, and for that matter, a clever speaker can so often dis
tort the facts, saying some things and emitting Others, that
the truth is often difficult to find.
Democratic campaign orators, for instance, have seen
fit to criticize the land that was bought in the sixth ward,
for park purposes. The Evening News was a strong ad-
vocate of that purchase at the time 1t was MADE. Inc
Evening News has been a persistent advocate OF parks lor
many years. The Democratic party was in control oil the
civ government when the property in the sixth ward was
bought and the Democratic party was in control OF the
CITY when other tracts of land in other parts Of the city were
bought for park purposes. 1t is a credit to the Demoorauc
partv that it is responsible for these purchases.
When these tracts were bought it was a case of look
ing into the future as well as considering the present.
There was no intention of making parks OF the various
tracts all at once. AS a matter OF fact, only three tracts
have actually been developed. Two OF these are OVERLOOK
ing The water where the whole city can go to enjoy the
view. AS it is impossible to take the water to other parts
ST the city, the other parts OF the city have TO come 10
where the water is and so the parks have been provided In
order that the people from all section, as well a $ those
who live along the Bluff, can enjoy this wonderful attrac-
ton that the city has.
The other park that has been developed is the Wash
ington park on New Brunswick avenue on the old poor
farm, tract beyond the hospital. Here a beautiful spot has
been established for the people who have not the time or
who are not able to go from the northern and western Sec
ton of the city to the waterfront.
The tract on Amboy avenue in the rear Of ST. 'Mary's
cemetery was bought with the idea of future development.
IT was realized that it was low and would require a great
heal of S1lling 1t would take a long time to fill it gradually,
as is being done, or it would involve vast expense to grade
it all at once. When it is realized that some OF the most
beautiful lawns along Water street were made possible by
filling in with ashes and garbage, to be covered later with
a top soil and sodded, it is possible to visualize the future
Of the sixth ward tract.
AS for excessive prices, being paid, it is safe to say
that NOT one of the tracks that have been bought by the city
for parks could have been bought at present day Tor any
where near the prices paid when the purchases were made.
It surely is petty stuff when stump speakers cannot find
better material than such misleading statements as are
being made about the parks to boost their candidates.
Another misleading attack being made by Democratic
sfump speakers is in regard to the construction OF the reser-
voir for this city. 1t is doubtful if there was ever a cleaner
and better piece of municipal work done for any city. Whle
il is commonly referred TO as a million dollar proposltlon,
in reality the bond issue for the reservoir was for 81 ,2Oo,-
600. When the Job was completed and the totals handed In,
The records in the comptrorer's office show a balance left
over amounting to si40.94. Few public works, indeed, can
show such a record. But the attack is mainly at Morgan p.
! arson who was the engineer in charge of the construction,
because he was city engineer at the time yet received
SOS. 900 for engineering services IN connection WIN 'e
work. The idea is to attempt to dlscredlt MI. Larson III
his candidacy for state senator.
Fred w. DeVoe, Mr.. Larson's opponent, and Senator
Brown. one Of Mr.. DEVICES principal speakers in the cam
paign, are both lawyers. AS attorneys they both know that
any ordinary salary they might receive for beng city at
tornev for any municipality would not cover any large extra
legal procedure where many assistant were necessary and
a vast amount of their time was required. AS lawyers en-
gagged to do special legal work for any municipality that
thew Nigh represent professionally, they would naturally
expect an extra fee.
Out of the S65. 900 that Mr.. Larson received as special
engineer for constructing the reservoir he had to pay the
salaries of eight or ten men. Some OF these men were
engineers themselves and necessarily received engineers
paw. Some of them were experts in cement who tested the
oapanf hefore the contractor was allowed to use 1T In order
TO see that the city was getting all that it was paying for.
Others were pipe inspectors and checkers of materials that
went into the construction of the big basin. The construction
of this reservoir covered a period of eight or ten months. All
this time a big force of assistants had TO be on the job, and
this force of assistants was paid by Mr.. Larson out of the
fee he got from the city.
Mr.. Larson is 10 fool. If there had been anything that
could honestly have been brought against him in this reser-
xo;r matter he would have had sense enough not to become
a caadidate for office thereby inviting exposure of his meth
DDS. His record is clean in every particular and the cam