Palisadian., 1923-06-01
MARIN| IN frey SPEECH CONDEMNS
APPOINTMENT OF POST AS PIECE
OF POLITICAL MANIPULATION
Politics Pure and Simple" He Declares; Segrst Cadien
Schweitzer, Dietrich All Exchange Words; Lawlor
Didn't Want Job, Schweitzer Insists.

Following a discussion regarding
the extension of time when tax bills
should become due at the regular
meeting of the Mayor and Council of
Cliffside Park last Monday night,
Councilman Marini took advantage
of the occasion to express his con-
demnation of the methods employed
in the recent appointment of "A. L.
Post as collector.
Mr.. Marini addressed most of his
remarks to Mr.. Siegrist, president OF
the board. He said that a special
meeting was called on sort notice,
and he arrived about the time the
meetings usually started, only to find
that the meeting was nearly over,
having started very promptly He
said the appointment of Mr.. Post by
resolution was the worst piece of po-
litical manipulation in the history of
the borough, and that Mr.. Siegrist,
who always spoke for the majority
as though he himself was the majori-
ty, deserved condemnation for this
recent action. He stated also that
the system Of bossism had asserted
itself and there was only one man in
Cliffside Park who could have gotten
the job, and that was Mr.. Siegrist's
choice, H. l.. Post. Mr.. Marini con-
tinued that, if God Almighty should
have come down from the heavens,
he could not have been appointed in
place of the man chosen. He recalled
the fact that John Lawlors name had
been proposed, but the vote was mo,
and he added that it must have been
pretty hard for some of the Council
men to vote mo-" but somebody
pulled the wires. He openly accused
Mr.. Siegrist of the abuse of power,
however, but admitted that Post was
fully qualified to hold the position,
yet there were other men just as
capable as Mr.. Post. He said that it
was obvious that Mr.. Post was ac-
tive in politics.
Marini said if that was Siegrist' s
" lut tAcCutlNc COLlcIcACS WHcu MI
Post was proposed and objected to
by the Mayor because he was on the
Sinking Fund Commission, which was
not so, for he never took the oath of
Office and therefore was free to ac-
cept the position.
Marini said if thae was Siegrist's
answer it was very poor one.
The Mayor took part in the discus.
sion at this point and read the notice
he received, signed by Councilmen
Meyer and Siegrist, calling for spe-
cial meeting. He said if he had pick
ed 100 men no one would have been
confirmed but Mr.. Post, and Mr.. Sic
grist as much as told him so at one
time.
Mr.. Siegrist admitted that Post was
his choice.
Mr. Marini thundered that it was
not the purpose of the existing laws
to hold up borough business thirty
days. at was politics, pure and sim
ple," he declared.
Councilman Schweitzer told Mr.
Marini that Mr.. Post was a five-man
choice and not one-man choice. He
said that Lawlor never made appli.
cation for the position, and in fact
didn't want it.
The Mayor in reply said that a
Councilman had suggested him as a
compromise, but Schweitzer insisted
that the Mayor had no right to use
his name.
Mr.. Dietrich explained that he had
suggested Mr.. Lawlor, but did not
know if Mr.. Lawlor himself had been
Mr.. Lawlor was his first choice and
Mr.. Post his second, hence his vote
of "yea" on both names.
Mr.. Schweitzer reminded Mr.. Ma
rini of the days when he (MarinD
was with the majority, and said he
could not recall the time when he did
not vote with them.
After things had quieted down a
bit Mr.. Post asked that an adding
machine and letter file be bought
for use in the collectors office. All
agreed both were necessary, and a
committee was appointed to handle
the matter, of which Mr.. Siegrist
was made a member. He was hesi-
tant about accepting, saying with a
ring of sarcasm that he might abuse
the power, but Mr.. Marini assured
the senior councilman that it was
all right, because he had his permis,
sion.
ction was takan incrnasinp the
collectors bond for $4,000 to $12,-
500.
Little Bobby" Beans was operated
ON for annandicitis in New York