The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-10-25

rights, free speech and the free
press" Hague told the Chamber
of Commerce in 1898. EVERY time
I hear these words say to myself:
"That man is Communist You
never heard real American talk
in that manner"
Six months later he proposed,
in federal court, an American ST.
IBERIA in Alaska, to which native
born Americans who did not be-
lieve in the present American
form of government would be
banished.
HOW TO GROW UP
AND BECOME MAYOR
eff you will keep clean and work
hard and stay honest, like your
mayor, you can grow up like him
and be respected as the first citizen
of your CITY," he told a gathering Of
children.
Hague's success has been adj
vanced by other things in addition
to cleanliness. Votes, for instance,
like that in 1897 when he was re-
elected mayor 110,743 to 1898.
Jersey City and Hudson county
do not use voting machines. There
is no genuine. secret ballot. Voters
whole loyalty is suspected find it
difficult to reject the assistance of
Hague lieutenants in marking their
ballots. If, perchance, there still
is doubt, crosses are erased from
opposite the names of anti-Hague
candidates, and redrawn where
they will do more good.
Registration lists in Jersey City
alone are padded to an extent es-
timated conservatively at $4,000
names. Votes are cast in the
names of former residents long
since removed of inmates of asy-
lums and hospitals, of persons on
their deathbed, of men and women
resting in their graves.
OPPONENTS
LAND IN JAIL
Two years ago a legislative COM
mittee began trying to get possess
sion of election books, to determine
by comparison of voters signatures
whether Governor Harry Moore was
elected through brazen fraud in
Hudson county.
The committees sergeant-at-arms
was elected forcibly from the cleo
ton offices. State police, subject to
Moore's orders, refused toy assist.
Election officials would not turn
over the books.
ct dare you to come in Jersey
City, or any other city in the
county, and proceed with your re-
count" challenged Boss Hague.
jeff Burkett ran against Hague
for mayor in 1929 and came within
Is, 900 votes of winning. He contin-
ued criticizing Hague. He tried TO
speak in Journal Square. He was
plastered with eggs and oyer-rlpe
vegetables, beaten with fists and
clubs and jailed six months for dis
turbing the peace.
John R. Longo tried to run on an
anti-Hague ticket. He was sent to
Jail for nine months.
Norman Thomas tried to speak
for civil liberties. He was run out
of town.
HOW TO LIVE
WELL ON $4,000
Born in 1875 in a ramshackle
shack in Jersey City's poorest slum
"the Horseshoe" which borders the
Erie Railroad tracks in the eastern
part of the city, Frank Hague was
one of eight children of an honest,
Woodworking immigrant Irish black
smith.
He was expelled from school at
10 as incorrigible. His first JOB,
which he now describes as "meniaP
was as blacksmith's helper in the
Erie shops. He found swinging
sledge too hard, so he spent his
time building up a political follow
ing among shopmen sucient to make
him useful to the city's Democratic
organization.
At 10 he was elected constable
of the second ward and for his
POLITICAL organizing ability was
made attendant in the county court
house at $25 a week.
Today his town home is an elab-
crate 14-room duplex apartment,
with a cook, two maids, a nurse
and a chauffeur, in the Duncan
Apartments, the best building in
the best section of the city. He Is
principal owner Of the building.
The regular rental on his apart
ment is $1,000 a year. He pays
$4,000.
1t is almost a howell beside his
magnificent summer cottage at
Deal.
In winter Hague patronizes the
best hotels in Florida. Before the
war he went annually to Europe, in
firSt-class suites, using the radio
phone to keep in touch with his
duchy. He CANDLES heavily at Sara
toga and at Hialeah. He pays in
cash from bankroll held together
with a rubber band.
How does he do it, on $4,000 a
year?
A New Jersey man wo asked
that question was taken by city
detectives into the city hall base
ment, beaten two hours with night
sticks, and jailed for six months
for disorderly conduct.
In Jersey City, they don't ask
anymore.
NEXT: The KeIly-Nash ma
chine.