The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-03
PAGAN HITS DICKINSON AGAIN
JERSEY CITY MAYOR ANSWERS
THE SECRETARYs SUIT.
Tells Of Dieklnsoa's Alleged Connection
win b Pablle service Corporation
and C9ltS Him an 'OKenslVe noss''
-Deelares lie Can Prove His Charges.

and C9lIS Him an .'OTensIye noss,
-Declares- lie Ca Prove His Charges
TRENTON, Mi. May Ain a plea hlet
in the Supreme Court to-day in answer
TO the libel suit for SlOO. 900 by Col. Samue
ID. Dicklnscni Secretary OF State, Mayor
Mark M. Pagan Of Jersey City reiterate,
the charges against Col. Dickinson con.
tanned In a letter TO Coy. Stokes protesting
against his reappointment. The plea elab-
CRATES these charges. which Mayor Pagan
declares were Justiaable because the allega.
tons were matters OF common knowledge
and because in bringing them to the atten-
ton Of the Governor while the appointment
OF a Secretary OF State was pending he
acted in his official capacity OF Mayor OF
Jersey City and rs a citizen and taxpayer
in the performance OF a public duty. Mayor
Pagan asserts that the letter was written
without any malice or intention Of i~njurinR
Col. Dickinson and was not published by
him In any manner. except by forwarding
it to the Governor. He says he had reason
able and probable cause to suspect and did
actually suspect that Cpl, Dickinson was
guilty Of the offences and grievances men,
toned in the letter.
Extracts from the letter are quoted In the
IN@t 'AAACA o@Nho VAN thO hDCl buit bAtOOlu DG
dismissed because OF the truth Of the ale
cations made, which Mayor Pagan asserts
he Is able and ready to prove. The plea
asserts that during the last five years Col.
Dickinson had become identified in the
public mind as "a political boss Of an ofen-
siye type" and had used his political owe
TO advance the interests of the corpora
tions, and particularly OF the Public Service
Corporation. Mayor Pagan asserts that
during u large part Of his term as Secretary
Of State Col. Dickinson was carried on the
payroll Of the Public Service Corporation,
and that he openly used his influence with
Mayor Pagan in behalf of the company and
endeavored in various ways TO induce him
to discontinue the litigation brought to test
the validity Of that oompany's franchises.
According TO the plea the political rela-
lions between Col. Dickinson and Mayor
Pagan were terminated when Mayor Pagan
refused to comply with the demands of
the Public Service Corporation in respect
to certain new franchises which it desired
in Jersey City, Col. Dickinson declaring
hat he would drive. Mayor Pagan from
public life. Inthe last Jersey City m8yoralty
campaign Col. Dickinson, according to
the plea, endeavored to carry out this threat
and mad and now makes no secret OF his
intention to bring about the defeat of the
Mayor this fall IL he Is nominated by the
Republican party. At the last Republican
State convention, it is alleged, Col. Dickin-
son used all his influence to keep Mayor
Pagan and his associates from demanding
an u~nequIvocaI declaration in favor OF
railroad and trolley property. In the
legislative session that followed il is charged
that Col. Dickinson announced publicly
that he would oppose all so-called Pagan"
hills, although every one Of these bills
was admittedly in the public interest.
II is related that the only Republican
Assemblyman from Hudson county, who
was . follower of Col. Dickinson, refused
10 introduce these bills and aided in killing
most Of them At the next session this
record was repeated so far as Col. Diokin-
sons influence went, except where he was
compelled to yield a reluctant assistance
10 such OF the public measures OF Mayor
Pagan and his associates as the Governor
recommended in his annual message. Mayor |
Pagan charges that last year Col. Dickinson
used his power to prevent the denomination
OF every Republican ARsemblyman who
had voted for the Pagan measures. Mayor
Pagan asserts that by these acts Col. Dick
inson had become In the public mind a
type and representative of the boss and
corporation system in politics so that his
appointment under the circumstances could
only % considered as a distinct indorse,
ment by the Governor of that system. The
plea then continues: |
No party interest required Col. Dickinson's |
appointment. Every victory won in Jersey
ttty or Hudson county during his leadership |
has been solely because of the revolt OF Demo-
Gratis against the corporation on boss rule OF
their own party or on the free silver issue,
except only the last two Mayoralty cam
psigns in jersey City. one of which was won
on the corporation issue raised by the de-
PENDANTS administration and against the
advice OF Samuel D. Dickinson. and the other
was won with him as the active ally OF the
Democratic boss. The fitting climax of
his leadership came at the last election. He
controlled every convention, city, county
and Con gressional. and nominated q machine
and boss controlled ticket. He did with
folly proceed to run a cam
paign upon the basis of practically declaring
that no man was q Republican who did not
adhere 10 the boss or machine system in
politics. The logical result was the defeat
Of his ticket by majortties unheard Of ~, 600
IN the county and $4,000 in the city. This
disaster has revealed to everybody the utterly
incompetent character Of his party leader
ship.
In party politics. even according to machine
standards. only results count. and the fact
is that IN Hudson county the plaiotiT g leader
ship. made an issue by HE own act. has
brought the party to q state OF collapse. He.
INC he alone. is directly responsible for the
party division in Hudson county. This is
90 clearly understood IN that county that
his leadership Is at an end.
The plea next deals with the allegations
made by Mayor Pagan, which involved the
private character of Col. Dickinson. AS
justification It asserts that at the time
Of the publication Of the letter and for a
long period heretofore rumors were widely
TO the effect that he had taken
during The summer and at other times
with a married woman who was not his wife.
husband was not present and who
otherwise unaccompanied. According
10 these rumors, the plea says, Col. Dickin-
Son travelled with this woman In some cases
Ne his wife, and asserts that the rumors ,
true. Mayor Pagan says he was in ,
that Gov. Stokes was aware Of such
and had the right to assume that the
Governor had them under investigation.
The plea concludes by saying that Mayor J
Pagan 10 ready 10 verify all the charges and ,
allegations contained In the letter 10 the !
and, therefore. prays for jude-
nerf whether Col. Dickinson ought 10 have {
" maintain his action against Mayor !
!