The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-11
BOLDLY
REPLIES TO
CHALLENGE
Says He Would Support Only
a NOn-bOssed and Clean
Republican for Mayor.
Especial to the Evening start

ioptNiuf " ee fthtH 80
JERSEY CITY. July 11.-Mayor Mark
M. Pagan today made public his reply
to the followers of Colonel S. ID. Dickin-
son who nave interrogated him through
several clubs as to whether he would
support the Republican nominee for
Mayor If he was defeated for renomina-
ton. The Mayor states that If he is
defeated for denomination and the man
named Is not a creature of the party
boss and will pledge himself to continue
the fight for the reforms that he stands
for, that he will support that candi-
date, provided that his character n
political affiliations indicate that he
will not place party and corporation
interests above those of the people.
The Mayors letter is addressed to
Winfield c. Dunn. president CT the
Minkakwa Club. In it he says In part.
1 acknowledge receipt of your letter OF
July /, In which you ask me whether |
would support the candidate of the Repub-
lican convention for Mayor of Jersey City
In The event that | am not such candi-
date. The proper answer TO your question
requires that | should first state the rea-
son which compelled me to become a can
didate for this nomination, When ! first
became Mayor of Jersey City l discovered
that nearly all the great corporations
having property in the city had managed
to escape their just share of taxation,
either through the c~onnivance OF previous
officials or because OF unjust State laws
which these corporations had had passed
at Trenton. In so far as the law allowed
| remedIed this injustice by increasing
taxes upon these privileged corporations,
and / commenced an agitation for a
changc In the laws which would compei
these companies to pay the same taxes as
other citizens are compelled to pay,
.Iu, anVauannna1 ~ fight for n SIMMER
method Of nominating candidates In oredr
that the hold Of the corporations upon
our political system might be more easily
broken. Among the ANY reforms along
this line which | have sought at trenton
| mention the following;
l.. A law providing for the local taxation
Of all railroad real estate.
,. A law compelling the Public Service
Corporation TO pay taxes upon its enor=
mously valuable franchises.
3. A law giving Jersey City the right 10
sell water to the West Hudson towns
4. A law providing for the direct vote
system Of making party nominations.
To my amazement | discovered that all
these reforms so obviously, in the interest
of our people were secretly but very ef-
fectively opposed by the Republican State
leaders. including the Republican boss or
this county. and all the members OF the
Legislature who protested allegiance 70
this boss were either actively opposed 70
these reforms or Indifferent to them. This
experience convinces me that to a large
degree oar state party OtBdhiNdttOh1f ohH
without any question whatever, our county
and city organizations both Republican
and Democratic have fallen under the con
troll Of men who pretend to be Republi-
cans and Democrats respectively, but who
are really neither. They are simply the
paid retainer Of the corporations.
| shall strive by every hcnorable mems
to be nominated as the candidate or the
Republican party for Mayor OF Jersey
City. If | am defeated nj the party pri-
maries and another man Is selected as the
party STANDARD -bearer. who VIII ubhcl
state that he Is opposed to the boss sys-
tenn; that II elected he will carry Oh the
contests which / have inaugnrated tQ make
the great corporations paw their full share
of taxes; that he will strive 70 secure me
adoption by the party and the enactment
into law Of the specific REFORMS ! nave
mentioned and that as Mayor he VIII
Ignore the orders given by any boss on
behalf Of aav corrorftions; and II his past
career ana his reputation are such as 70
warrant the belief that he viii stand py
these pie 1ges IL successful, then VII
cheerfllly support MIN at the polls. ~
however. he il a man whose character
and past political Affiliations indicate that
he will obey the orders OF the Repub-
Ilean boss. and act IN the interests Of the
corporations instead OF In the Interest OF
the people, then | shall publicly proclaim
belief that ne will 50 act. and VIII re~
fuse to support him.
|