Palisadian., 1923-08-31
C0RKER FACES White IN FORT LEE;
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
TO HAVE OLD-FASHIONED CONTEST
Both Parties Name Candidates-The Old Crowd Still
Srong-White Hesitant, Dif6dent Almost Coy, Posi-
lively Hasn't Got the Time, but Accepts Urgent
Plea-Corker Willing Enough-Kerwein Gets Nomi-
nation by Hair-Not Issue Yet Named

The voters of Fort Lee will have
an opportunity of voting for full
set of borough officers at the coming
election. Both parties have had pub
lie meetings at which tickets were
completed. Last week Wm j. Ma
honey, chairman. the Democrats met
at the Whiteman street school, There
was good attendance and as no one
would come forward Councilman
Aikens placed the name of ex-Mayor
Edward White in nomination.
Nothing doing! Mr.. White said he
appreciated the mpliment-indeed
he did. Nothing could be more ap-
pealing than the kind offer to make
him Mayor again, but he just couldn't
do it-he really couldn't; his bust
ness would not permit such thing.
You positively just must excuse him.
But the crowd wouldn't have it
that way. you've just got to do it,
Ed" someone said.
NO sir, can't, can't! Don't ask
me. l hate to refuse, but l must
Then Mr.. Aikens begged again that
we'll, it isn't necessary to tell further
what happened. So Mr.. White is on
the ticket for Mayor The other Off
GERS nominated were: Edward Cava-
naugh, assessor; Otto Stoll, collector;
Harry Cook and John Vogel, council
men.
At the Republican meeting Tues
urhn
called it to order, asked for nomina-
tions for chairman, and Charles T.
Logan, editor of the Palisadian, was
chosen. He thanked the audience for
the compliment of being called to
preside and made a short address,
saying among other things:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
l don't know what influence was
exerted to bring me up here tonight
to act as chairman of this meeting.
l really have not any business to be
here in point of fact 1t was a case
CT being drafted. The longer | live
in this borough, the more convinced
am that it is past finding out. Not
that the people here are different
from those of other communities, but
Fort Lee is Injured by instinct to poll
tics. l think really that all Fort Lee
babies as soon as they learn to lisp
their first words are taught politics.
Everybody here is a politician. You
may laugh at this, but don't do it.
1t is a serious matter. | think that
the actual facts in the case are that
Fort Lee knows more real politics
and can put more things over than
Trenton or Washington. The social
side of Fort Lee is very agreeable
to me- l like the people and l think
that in many of the circles of this
borough the simple tastes of the resi-
dents are very appealing to my ideals.
There are many interesting romances
and charms of personality about peo-
pie who live here that are not only
unusual but very interesting.
But, getting back to this mysterious
thing surrounding the political atmos-
there here, l feel that it is surcharged
with mystery. That is, it is mystery
to those who do not know how things
come about. Well, most things
around here don't come about. They
just happen. 1t does not make any
difference what right thinking people
want-it never happens their way
have been in the borough over 1872
years and from the beginning up to
now l have been fooled. l built a
house in Palisade at the cost of $11,
900 in 1905. "How much will the
tax on this property be?" l asked
Henry Douglas who built the house
and sold the property. "Oh, $40 or
$50 Not over $50 anyhow" he said.
That first year my tax was $40 and
it has been going up and up and up
until now it has gone into the clouds
and is nearly seven times $40. | have
thought out every way possible to get
things changed so that these discon-
certing moments would not come to
me and these inequalities in our gov
ernmental affairs would not exist.
Those of you who have kept track of
such matters understand, of course,
quite we'll that assessments have long
been mussed up | used to be a men,
her of the Borough Club and at one
time they appointed an equalization
committee to fix values on some basis
of equality and justice. For long
time the celebrated 9 acres of Sanford
Ross property bore an assessment of
S25,00O Everybody knew that it was
worth more than ten times that sum.
The Borough Club raised it to $94.-
600, which was acceptable to the
County Board, but you know when
property is assessed it is legal to go
before that august body and if you
have a smart attorney make an ap-
peal and get the figures reduced IN
many cases. You know what hap
pened to that historic Sanford Ross
property assessment move. The as
sessment went to smash so suddenly
and so fast that the county commits
Continued on page 2