The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-10-19
WHERE WAS
FACAN I?
Republicans Didn't Dare
Show Their Candidate
at Elks Hall.
MURPHY LORD HIGH FROST
The Newark Man Gives the
Ladies Who Clappsd
Hands for Him an Icy
Icy Douche.
new JERSEY WASN'T IN IT
All the Takers Lamented Nc
Kinley. But Kept State
Issues Beyond Long
Range.

naiiSOs
The most conspicuous feature OF the
Republican mass meeting at Elks' Han
last night, at which Franklin Murphy
spoke, was the absence of the Republican
candidate for Mayor. Mark NJ. Pagan.
Here was one of the largest mass meet
ings the Republicans expected to hold in
this city, one to which the candidate for
the highest office on their ticket was in
vited, and the man they put up for Mayor
did not show up to greet him.
Those acquainted with the political ma
chinery Of the Republican party in this
county knew too well why Fagan was
counted out. He was simply pushed aside
because the party managers were
ashamed to produce him. His unfitness
for the Office Of Mayor is not only known
to everybody but has become common
talk. Sammy Dickinson realizes Fagan's
weakness and he is making every effort to
keep the gentleman who wants to be
Mayor from appearing in public 1t was
said at the beginning of the meeting that
AGr. Fagan would be present later, but
| this statement was only intended to mis-
lead those who expected him. As mat
| ter of fact Fagan was never intended to
| be included among the speakers. Not the
least mention was made of his name in
| the announcements of the meeting. lie
was ignored completely.
While the political drama was in pro-
gress Sam Dickinson and a few Of his
lieutenants stood behind the stage ready
: to nail Fagan should he try TO sneak in
Then when some of Fagans friends IN
the audience asked where he was, Chair
man Frank Hall announced that COM
mittee had gone out to look for him. This
worked for awhile and then Pagan 8
friends became anxious again.
Chairman Hall had to make another
explanation. He said that the committee
had reported that Mr.. Pagan could not
be found. There was a sort of bewfl-
dered expression on the faces in the au-
dience and a little while after Fagan's
friends left the meeting in disgust.
The mass meeting was a sad disap-
pointment to those who expected to hear
something about the government of New
Jersey the county of Hudson or the city
of Jersey City, or, in other words some
thing relative and not Irrelevant to the
campaign in which the people Of this
State are engaged. Without an exception
the speakers confined themselves to ma
tional affairs The death of Mckinley,
Abraham Lincoln and the War of the
Rebellion, protection and free trade, the
Isthmian Canal, the national credit. the
international banking system. the Battle
of Santiago, Dewey at Manila, the de-
struction of the battleship Maine. and in
fact everything that once concerned the
1ex. AZ sba !,
I of Mckinley was of course selected as
the leading topic because it would nat
uraly gain the sympathy Of the people.
but why the other topics were brought up
| was a mystery to everybody. Republic
canism in this State was absolutely avoid
| ed, because it was treacherous subject
/ to handle.
| Most people went to the hall just to
have look at Franklin Murphy, it being
his first public appearance II this county
since the opening of the casRpaign. A
great many were women. Mrs. Murphy
was there and he made a speech. That
the people were assembled merely out of
curiosity to see him was evident from the
fact that when he left the hall the au-
dience, or the greater part of it, left also
| When Mr.. Murphy had flown there were
more seats in the hall vacant than occu-
| pied.
| Even George L. Record, who has some
| sort of reputation, could not hold the
| people In their seats. 1t was whispered
! that Mr.. Record was going to tell some-
| thing about his challenge to Senator Hud-
!, speth, but Records challenges are becom-
! ing mouldy chestnuts. 1t is said that ne
! has seNeral more OF them, The first was
| such hopeless failure that the others are
| destined to remain in his inside pocket
| The meeting was called to order by Jonn
j. Edwin, who introduced President Frank
! RI. Hall of the Eighth Ward Republican
Club as chairman.
1t vas evident from Mr.. Halls remarks
lthat the programme had been prearrangee
ana that the meeting was to be purely q
| Mckinley gathering. He began with s1ich
rearks as s9rhe spirit Of William McKin-
! ley lives in Theodore Roosevelt, 'AIcKin-
ley said that comparison of ideas WAS
/ always education'' and MCKINLEY as rep
resentativp Of the principles Of the rsepuh-
iHcan party.
Congressman Charles n. Fowler Of
| Elizabeth was the next sneaker. He did
lnot mention the n&me Of the State Of
New Jersey once in his discourse. He
spoke about crops abroad, the anding Of
! the Pilgrims Greece, Rome. Frederick
1.-the Great. Charlemaigne, 1spoleon.
/ washington. Lincoln and Mckinley He
wandered back forty years in. the coun-
try 4 political history. Then he came
| back again and surprised everybody by
announcing tliat he would make Just one
| al,usaoa ID the State issues His hearers
! listened atfcn9ively, but 70 their disap-