The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-28

Election and tho Candidates for
Mayor.
The failure Of the Reform Legislature, as the
Senate and Assembly of 1872 are funnily
enough denominated, to make any change In
our much-abused Tammany city charter,
brings the municipal election upon rs in No
vember next under the existing laws, stimuli
taneously with the Presidential and State cleo
tons. As the national canvass promises to be
spirited and exciting, especially in this city,
where one Of the nominees for the Presidency
resides, and where the most valuable patronage
of the other is located, we are likely to have
an unprecedentedly large VOTE reaching prob
ably nearly one hundred and forty thousand
If there should be any great popular ooncen-
tration on either Of the principal candidates it
would be likely to carry with it the whole
ticket on the same side-State, Congressional,
legislative and municipal; but If the people
should be indifferent or pretty equally divided
on the Presidential question, then the impor-
lance Of our municipal Offices will attract the
attention Of our citizens, and the general in
terest will be transferred to the local nomina-
tons. A year ago the political champions of
reform pledged themselves to give us charter
election in the spring, so that our municipal
affairs might be separated from the turmoil of
general election; but this promise shared the
fate of majority of political promises, and at
the close of our Legislative session we were left
in precisely the same position we occupied
when we listened to the voice of the charmer
The principal charter officer to be elected
this year is the Mayor of the city. AS the
Mayor has the appointment of the several
heads of departments as their terms fall in or
as vacancies occur, it is important that the
person selected for that position should be
honest and competent That is to say, that he
should not be identified with any of the late
municipal schemes Of plumber and should
thoroughly understand the interests of the city.
-Four candidates have been prominently men
tioned-Colonel Henry G. Stebbins, and John
@. Kane, one Of the Commissioners of Docks,
and Senator James OBrien and Charles E.
Loew. We classify them thus, Stebbins and
Kane on one side and O. Brien and Loew on
the other, not because they represent different
political interests byt because they are candi-
dates Of separate and distinct types Colonel
Stebbins is well known as citizen of position
and high personal character. In his former and
his present association with the Central Park
Commission he has displayed proper appre-
citation of the importance of liberal encourage
ment of those great works of public improve
ment SO essential to the proper development
of the wealth and prosperity of the city. His
refined taste and courteous manners would do
honor to the position of the chief officer Of the
metropolis, and the commercial and financial
circles would feel that their interests would be
safe in his hands. Mr.. John G. Kane is also
representative of the wealth, intelligence and
commerce of the city, possessing easy fortune
and unexceptionable personal character As
Commissioner of Docks under the city
government he shares the high reputa-
ton won by that department for enter
prise, integrity and liberal appreciation
of the future destiny of the metropolis.
Senator James O'Brien is an active
energetic and untiring worker and natural
executive officer. Probably no man in New
York is more intimately acquainted with the
machinery Of the city government or 80 COM
petent to detect any faults or misconduct in
its management. He was the pioneer
and general-in-chief of the reform
movement Of last year; he originated
the exposure Of the municipal plunderers
and won the victory by which they were finally
overthrown. For three years prior to the cleo
ton preceding the political whirlwind he held
the important and responsible Office Of Sheriff
of New York, and it is significant that during
the whole of the Tammany fight, when his ene-
mics held in their hands the records of his
official term, not a charge was made against
his integrity or competency. In the State
Senate he stood almost alone in his fidelity to
the reform movement. On the first working
day of the session he opened the war against
the old Erie Ring, and although abandoned by
many of those who were, like himself, pledged
to its overthrow, and only lukewarmly sup
ported by others, he fought it through to a sue
cessful issue. On all other reform ques-
tons he was faithful among the faithless, and
left behind him at the close of the session the
best record Of the Senatorial circle. Charles
E. Loew is at present the County Clerk of
New York He has been an active, energetic
worker as Tammany politician, and, like
Senator OBrien, is well known among the
ward politicians.
Senator O Brien's nomination would be pop
ular among the masses as well as among the
reformers He understands the political man.
agement Of the wards, and as friend and as
sociate of the workingmen would rally them
generally to his standard. He is lion among
the Irish, and is also, singularly enough, ex-
ceedingly popular with the Germans, to whom
he has always acted fairly as politician. Last
year he nominated General Sigel for Register,
and told his Irish friends that he wanted no
mans vote who would not cast ballot for the
German as well, so that he would be supported