Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-28
FINANCE TALK
BY M0RGENS0N
City Comptroller Tells of Good
Condition of City's Finances
Under G. O. P. Control

City Comptroller Olaf j. Morgen-
son was the principal speaker at the
weekly meeting of the Perth AM
I boy Republican Club held last night
In the Odd Fellows hall and again
contradicted the statements made
by Senator Thomas Brown at a
sixth ward meeting earlier in the
week. The $4,000 which Senator
Brown asserted was spent by the
Republicans for a street sprinkler,
was in reality voted for by the
Democratic members of the Board
of Aldermen when a Democratic
mayor was in Office and covered the
cost of two sprinklers, not one. Mr.
Morgeuson said. The speaker also
caid that the s155.00O park expen-
diture was voted for by a Demo-
cratic council. not Republican body
In making these statements the
speaker said, Senator Brown was
knocking" certain Democrats.
Mr.. Morgenson then told of the
condition of the city's finances
when the Republicans gained con-
troll. 1t was on the verge of bank
ruptcy. he said. Realizing that
something must be done Mayor
John f. TenBroeck organized the
state law made it mandatory to
have such a body. the comptroller
said.
The speaker pointed out the inn
provements which have been made
since the Republicans took hold and
of the flourishing condition of the
sinking fund today. Mr.. Morgenson
admitted that the city's tax rate is
high but denied that it is the high
est in the county and pointed out
that it is lower than last year. He
gave as the causes for the high tax
rate the erection of new schools. in
creased salaries of school teachers
and police and many improvements.
He also dwelt on the inflated value
of the present day dollar. The pres
ent sound system of financing the
city was explained by the comptrol-
Ter who lauded the Pierson act un-
der which all municipalities must
have been forced to keep under a
certain limit in issuing bonds. In
closing the speaker told of the sin
cere manner in which Alderman
Riedy has carried out his work as
alderman in applying the appropria-
tions where they will do the most
good to his constituents. The sixth
ward alderman. he said, has been
constantly on the job and deserves
the vote of confidence of those liv-
ing in that ward.
Another proof or the condition
of the city's finances, brought out
by the comptroller, was the fact
that city bonds when sold at auction,
bring forth unusually high premiums
when compared with the prices other
bonds bring. If the finances OF the
IL,
these banking and bonding houses
would not be so willing to pay big
premiums for the Perth Amboy
bonds, he said.
The meeting, which was well at
tended by women and men Repub-
licans, was presided over by John
Hanson, Sr., the clubs vice presi-
dent. The president, Morgan +.
Larson, candidate for state senator,
was unable to be present, he speak
ing at a large Dunellen meeting last
night. Other county candidates
were also with Mr.. Larson. In the
absence of these candidates several
short talks were made by some OF
those present who are active In pol
itics. Alderman Benjamin A. Riedy
said few words in behalf OF his
candidacy in the sixth ward in which
the night before in regard TO Sena-
tor Browns efforts to make water
run up hill" in the sixth ward.
Mrs. w. w. Oliver made a special
appeal to the voters to support their
candidate for surrogate, Charles
Forman, of New Brunswick, at the
polls this year. She reviewed briefly
the debate and discussions held over
the office of surrogate in order 10
decide whether this position should
be elective or appointiye. She urged
the voters to not only vote for Mr..
Larson for senator but TO go on
down the Republican column, not
Mr.. Forman.
John Pfeiffer, county chairman,
Samuel G. Garretson. Mayor William
C. Wilson and City Attorney Leo
all spoke during the
course of the night, touching upon
the necessity of getting out the reg
istered voted a week from Tuesday
and supporting the Republican cam
didates on the county and city tick