Evening star., 1949-05-14
Sic Transit Boss Huque

tuesdays election results being what
they are, this Is sad moment in the career
Of former Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey
City. At the age Of seventy three, slipping
the bitter brew Of defeat as one of the
last Of the Nations rough -and-tumble
political bosses, he can hardly hope to
rise to power again. For all practical
purposes, his bailiwtck now seems lost to
him forever.
What has happened is that the voters
have overwhelmingly. repudiated him by
electing an opposition ticket to form
new City Commission of five members, who
will choose a mayor from among them
selves. Mr.. Hague himself was not a
candidate, but his thirty-two- -year-old ma
chine-which once was thing Of unbeat
able toughness-made what amounted to
q life-or death bid with a slate headed by
Mayor Frank Hague Eggers, his nephew
The bid having failed, his prestige and
power Just do not seem to exist any longer
In either q local, State or national sense,
though he proposes to stay in politics.
Mr.. Hague's downfall may be attributed
10 many factors. For one thing, lot of
people in Jersey City, including some of
his own lieutenants, did not like his
"dynastic" highhandedness two years ago
when he resigned as mayor and gave the
office to his nephew without benefit of an
election. For another thing, despite con-
siderable administrative efficiency under
his rule, there was a generally fedup feel
Ing against his lord-and-master attitude
and his levying Of "tax" for campaign
expenditures" on the salaries of Hudson
County's employees. All this, and a good
deal more besides, made fne campaign
fodder for the winning freedom Ticket"
headed by John v. Kenny, the prospective
new mayor.
According to people well acquainted with
the situation, Mr.. Kenny-a rich con-
tractor who served the BOSS" as a key
ward leader until falling out last year
has come out on top because of being a
genuinely popular campaigner who cap
italixed on the machine issue in a way
that won him the bulk of labor and other
decisive groups. Considering his past
association with Mr.. Hague, however, ex-
perts in the politics of Jersey City are
not disposed to say that his election has
automatically opened the way to great and
shining municipal reforms, though he has
hailed his victory as victory over cor
ruption. Nevertheless, whatever its effect
may prove to be in terms Of civic virtue,
they feel IL will result in wholesome
Improvement, If only because 1t breaks the
back Of Mr.. Hague's long and unedifying
rule.
Even before Tuesdays blow, Of course,
the Hague machine had been creaking,
having steadily lost strength In recent
years until confined pretty much to
Jersey City. Moreover, ever since its
master-who Is still vice chairman of the
Democratic National Committee-tried to
head OF the Truman nomination last sum-
mer, he has been something less than q
fayorite in administration circles here in
washington. Needless to say, therefore,
especially in view OF what has Just hap
pened to him, he has precious little left
of his old power and glory as key figure
In presidential politics.
Sad as all this may be for the man
himself, however, his loss may be said TO
be Jersey City's gain. Indeed, in the sense
that big time political bossism is an infec-
ton harmful to our overall democratic