Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-08-01
NOT OPPOSED TO
CITY OWNERSHIP
CANNON CLAIMS
Also States That He Is Not Big
Enough to Act AS Dorsey's
Mouthpiece

In a written statement today to
the EVENING NEWS County
Clerk B. M. Cannon answers
County Collector F. William Hill
ker, Republican candidate for
county clerk, .on the Municipal
light plant issue and also takes oc-
casion to reply to the "un-Ameri-
canism' charge made by Mr.. Hill
ker, Robert Carson and the Re-
publicans in general.
The statement follows:
read with some interest in last
nights issue of the EVENING NEWS
County Collector Hilker's attack on
Mayor Dorsey and myself. There
was only one conclusion that could
reach in trying to find reason for
1t and that conclusion was to the
effect that Mr.. Hilker Is short on
campaign material and is trying to
rlanufacture some.
The Perth Amboy public is well
aware of Mayor Dorsey's qualifica-
tions and well knows that he needs
no moUthpiece He Is well able to
fight his own battles and conduct his
own affairs. He has built up big
business and his business success is
the diploma of his fitness to take
good care of himself-as Mr.. Hilker
Is well aware. AS for me, I am not
big enough to qualify as Mr.. Dorsey g
mouthpiece.
have been an advocate of munl-
cipal ownership for years. and did
my little bit to boost the present
light plant when 1t was being agitat-
ed. I now sincerely hope that it will
prove to be the bonanza that Mr..
Hilker claims it will, as that will be
an incentive for, the people to take
over more public utilities.
still favor municipal ownership
and will continue to until I get pretty
substantial reasons for changing my
mind. Take our Water Department.
I feel quite sure that we are getting
better service than we could expect
from a privately operated plant and
I am very positive that the employees
are better paid and treated than they
would be If the same plant was
privately operated. And for the same
reason I would today favor a muni-
cipaI gas plant as / feel quite sure
that we would be getting better
grade of gas than we now get.
In the past strongly favored gov
ernment ownership but Mr.. Burle-
sons management of the telephone
and telegraph service, coupled with
his niggardly treatment of employees,
has cured me Of that thought for the
present at least
Let me say to the public that
never in action or word have done
anything that might in any way re-
feet discreditably on our light plant.
was started by alderman Wilson
calling on Mayor Dorsey at City Hall
on Wednesday morning at about 10
o'clock and asking the mayor now
he stood on an additional $4,000 to
be applied to the light plant. Mr..
Woodward, reporter for the EVEN
1~ING NEWS. was present ana very
naturally made news item OUT oi
On that morning I left this city
e quarter of 9 o'clock, fully two
hours previous to the talk between
tba MAYOR and Alderman WILSON,
From that hour I did not see nor
hear from the mayor for the rest OF
the day, nor did in any way com
municate either directly or indirectiy
with him, nor did I know anytnlns
!. about the controversy until my re-
turn home on Wednesday night,
when I read the article touching on
r. IN the EVENING NEWS.
have never at any time ulscuss-
ad with the mayor or anyone else
tba condition of the light plant.
knew absolutely nothing apout ne one
proposed expenditure OF the s1o,ooo
or in fact anything ABOUT tne con,
.,,a,.sv until. as I said before, my
trovs home on Wednesday night
ud then learned Of it through the
an,,,n,n al, of the EVENING NEWS.
e. Mr. Hilker, If there Is any poi-
.ssosS1, ~, 40 noIIfiage it comes from your
aItticaI batteries, not mine oely
,,or to bring forth anyone VINO nas
ever heard me utter Woro assi,s' IN,
the light plant or lts hanas : r,i,, o q
The fact is I can't recall ever hayiiis
discussed the merits or demerlts Oh
~ liant since the day 1t was start
"a The people voted for II, my
eriards and myself voted for II, anu
sincerely hope that we dld noI
,,,aha mistake. That 1t may hVe
long and prosper. -, - no m
It is very nonsensicai TOT ua,sS me i.
make any reply 70 tn ~, nm :
Ana1ican to run for third term.
p,,+ do want to call Mr.. Hilker
sttsnt,on to the fact that bob Car
aor ,a making a joke of his siogai,
If surely Is huge joke when Dou
accuses me of being un,Amer1csst, ne r,s, !
for seeking thru term ,h sor 90 many
YEARS rea q and SO many terms. Surely
ys.1a,s, yeals WON'T seek a third term IN
congress. mun Ard by the way did nc, mot
sBob" hold down the berth Of COL
lector of the port tor tnre sas.h s' tarrs,
h hmt Theodore strong saved "Bob's''
americanism by having Asa Francis
appointed to the berth
Now. Mr.. Hiiker, I have no 10 mten, r,,
tion to retire from the race anu m,,ass mon
unless there be a substantial request
from , the members of the Democra-
lie party to do 50. So don't waste waste,
YOUR time by saving tnat you Wi,
yetire il do. 1t makes absoluteiy
NO difference to me w wneens1 !. w wiiI,ns I
10 take my chances