The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-07
FAGAN'S TWILIGHT.
Hoboken's Self Seeking
Mayor on the Edge Of
Political Extinction.
HIS PARTY DISRUPTION SCHEME
Talk About a New Hoboken
City Committee Fruits
of One-Man Power.

1t is reported on the best of authority
that Mayor Lawrence Pagan. of Hoboken,
at the close OF his present term of office
will not seek further fayors at the hands
of the public. Pagan. so the story goes,
has arrived at this determination after
the most meture deliberation. He fully
realizes that he no longer has the conii-
dence of the people, and that he cannot
manipulate the regular Democratic nomi-
nation, which in Hoboken is necessary to
any candidates success. Neither can he
manipulate the nomination of the Ger
man-American verein, which has become
| quite a power in local politics.
Mayor Pagan today is more unpopular
than he was popular three years ago. The
Democratic leaders. city and county have
no use for him. 1t will be impossible for
him to stem the tide that has set in
| against him. The Germans. with whom
he was at one time popular. are no longer
friendly to him. They say that he has
| repeatedly fooled them with promises
| which he never attempted to fulfill. Then
the great body of taxpayers are against
him. Stories of scandal have been so
common OF late that the taxpayers are
thoroughly aroused to the existing state
of affairs. Some are foolish enough to
say that Pagan will again be a candi-
date 1t is impossible to see how he can.
The only nomination he could possibly
secure is the Republican nomination, AS
a matter of fact he has no party. 1t is
an open question whether Hoboken Re-
publicans, who are only a handful, care
to have Pagan identified with them.
Pagan has made many foolish breaks,
but his most serious one, and the one
which is bound to put the quletus on his
political ambitions, was his break with
Robert Davis. the Democratic party
leader. Pagan and a few of his heelers
are talking about organizing a new City
Committee in Hoboken. Pagan wants a
committee Of his own, and with the help
of his organ and the aforesaid few heel
ers. he hopes to upset the present City
Committee. But this hope is a forlorn
onef The task is too Herculean. If he at
tezapts this bold game he will meet his
Waterloo.
With the passing of Pagan and Pagan
ism there will be a great change in TO-
boken. No man ever ruled and COM
munity with the rod of iron that Fagan
ruled Hoboken. During the five years
that he has been Mayor of the city ne has
been an absolute Gar. Now a change is
coming. The biggest kind of a political
revolution is under way. Fagan's
h~enchmen are beginning 70 foresea it
and are trying to get in out of the wei.
They are leaving Pagan as rats do a
sinking ship When Pagan makes his
fight, if he ever does. he will find himself
fighting alone in a losing cause. tagan
cannot be elected to a county office. Rob
ert Davis Will have nothing 10 do with
him. In this respect Mr.. Davis displays
the usual wisdom characteristic of him.
He knows that Pagan has gone to The
end of his political rope Pagan may die
hard, but he will die just The sames and
that at a very early date.
The next Mayor Of Hoboken will repre-
next Common. Council. h Council as
it is at present constituted has four mem-
bers who are opposed to Pagan. To or
ganiZe an anti-Fagan Council all that will
be necessary will be two more CounciliAen
who are against Pagan. 1t looks nowAas
If the entire six Councilmen to be elected
will be anti-Fagan.
Fagans game now, 1t is said. is to nut
some candidate In the field. Fagan's sIp-
port will be fatal to any mans chances.
1t is probable that some prominent Ger
man will be named. If byi the regular
Democratic party and indorsed by the
German-American Verein his election IS
assured, and Pagan will forever be rele-
gated to private life and will be only a
disagreeable memory