Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1908-04-01
To the Tax Payers Association Palsade,

ly upon the receipt of the notification OF the
Secretary, and, after holding a meeting on
Tuesday, March "a, called upon Senator
Wakelee by appointment on Friday afternoon,
March 81, at half-past three. After waiting
nearly ain hour, the Senator received us in his
private office. There were present of the COM
mittee, Mr. Dwiggins Mr.. Logan and Mr..
Carson, Messrs Frew and Frey being unable
to be present.
Upon being informed by the Chairman that
the object of the committees visit was to have
the Senator tell what the chances were tor
the bill to take in the Fort Lee section INTO
Palisades Park, he said quizzically Gentle,
men, | thought you had come to talk to me-
The Chairman remarked that the committee
had come to talk to him at length, and to use
every endeavor to urge him to recommend the
passage of the bill. The Chairman further re-
marked that it was thought the Senator might
have some late word from Trenton regarding
the matter The Senator replied that nothing
had been done, that the matter was IN Stdth
ouo After few Introductory remarks by the
Chairman, Senator Wakelee said
Il would like to please the people OF ran,
SADIE. but by pleasing them it seems would
d;splease all the people of Fort Lee. can
not do that ,
lie added, in effect, that much he would
like to please Palisade, he could not ignore
the 600 or more voters in Fort Lee. lie
added further that he did not owe any more to
Fort Lee than he did to Palisades Park or
Palisade-it was not question OF obligation
to any one of the two borough, but one OF
simple politics. Pressed as to the report that
to take Palisade off Fort Lees map would at
feet politics in Fort Lee, he declared that such
a change would not in any way affect the
present status of the Board of Freeholders,
which was already democratic by majority OF
But he added. Il have made no recon-
mendation because | have not seen the matter
in the same light you gentlemen do. IT
could be shown that it would be a. beneht to
Palisade to make this change, | would not hes
itate to advocate it, but it is my firm OPINION
Z A. Al oh Nn1
get the peach, you expect from fa,lSdues
Park, but lemon instead. | have known
Palisades Park for more than ten years and
am fully acquainted with their affairs, having
been Borough Attorney for two or three
years there. l have seldom known a borough
divided on local matters against itself.
1t took them two years to get SchoolhouSe tor
themselves down there, and | cannot see now
anyone there could in the light of past events
give YOU people $4,000 schoolhouse IN your
district, such as | told you were promised.
l surprised that anyone IN authority there
would promise it.
IF / could be shown that it would be to
Palisades benefit to draw away this section
from Fort Lee, | would favor this measure,
but do not believe Palisade would benefit by
it. and consequently have made no recommen-
dation
The committee. which had been offering
every argument that could be brought to bear,
here expressed the wish that 1t had greater
eloquence to plead its case.
Il would not need eloquence, exclaimed
the Senator. "All | want is facts, facts,
facts!''
The committee reminded him of the very
potent argument of unity-taking away the
troublesome dividing line and joining the mi
nority to the majority the argument of un,
just taxes, and the crying need for school
facilities, and demanded to know if these were
not facts. and forcble ones. But the Senator
replied that he would have to be shown still
further.
At this point it was suggested that the Hud-
son River Realty Companys interests might
largely be considered that they had signed
the petition which the committee presented to
the Senator and that they were heartily in
favor of putting all of Palisade into Palisades
Park; that they had shown this by putting NJ
a substantial sum to further the movement in
covering legitimate expenses
The Senator further said that another OBJ
stacle in the way of the bill at this time
the fact that large number of other bills
were already pending before the Legislature
TO change the boundaries of boroughs and the
Legislature was unwilling to pass them. He
also said it was the desire to keep the ridge"
boroughs separate from the valley" boroughs.
as their interests could not well be merged.
The committee. taking exception to this, in
sisted that there was nothing incongruous in
BUR petition to the Legislature since the meas
ure proposed would practically be the means
Of doing more good to Palisade in financial
Or municipal way than any other action