The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-04


About this time, as the almanacs say, the
politicians begin to gather in knots on hotel
piazzas and in private parlors tn talk about
candidates. In this State the people nre to
vote as usual for number of officers they
are to elect judge of the Conrt of Appeals !;
they must choose Assemblymen they have
number Of local officials to vote for; but
for the citizens Of New York the most i'm
portant and the most interesting question
is, Who shall be the next Mayor?
The Mayor of New York is the chief exec
utiye officer of n population which out
numbers the whole people in several ofthe
States. His functions are unhappily more
strictly limited than they ought to be; still
he has power enough to give dignity ana
great importance to the place and TO make
it worthy of the ablcst men In the CITY,
capable and energetic Mayor, especially
Just at this time, when industry and
commerce are reviving and the pros
perity of the city needs to be
looked after and fostered, can be of great
use, and can make his influence felt for
good in manner which would secure
honorable recognition of his efforts. Mr..
Ely has been an unobjectionable Mayor, and
that is saying Il good deal. He is an upright
and sagacious man, but his best friends
admit that he lacks energy, and it would
be an undoubted advantage to the city il 1t
could secure as his successor-it being
understood that he wishes to retire a man
as honest, as sagacious, but with good
deal more energy and push.
So far we hear of few or no candidates who
arc seriously proposed, and we seize the
occasion, while yet the field is clear, and
before the different political organizations
are committed to candidates Of their own,
to suggest several names Of citizens who are
not only conspicuously known, but whose
particular fitness and capacity we believe
no one will presume to doubt. The gentle
men we shall presently name are not politi-
claus, to be sure. in the narrower sense OF
that word, but they are, as will be acknowl-
edged, politicians in that larger sense IN
which the word is the equivalent of states
man. They have the transcendent merit
for the position which we believe either of
them could SO well fill, that they have
all made a long and constant study
of the citys interests; they are familiar
with it's commercial advantages and neces-
sites; they know where and how its great
ness, wealth. prosperity and solid we'll
being can be increased by judicious man
agement; they have helped to expose the
abuses from which it has suffered, and
were most influential in correcting
those abuses. They have shown them
selves ut ali times and conspicuously
the intelligent and influential friends of
the workingmen of New York. Indeed, we
believe our readers will acknowledge that
there is no possible relation of the Mayor
toward the city and it's people in which the
gentlemen we have in mind will not be at
once admitted to be most fit and proper for
the important place
We propose, then, that the peoples
party--the porty OF honest, intelligent and
energetic municipal administration shall
nominate for the Mayoralty one Of the three
most prominent journalists Of New York
Mr.. Dana. of the San, Mr.. Jones, of the
Times, or Mr.. Reid, of the Tribune. 1t is
often urged that the Mayor of New York
should be man of great business knowl-
edge and capacity, and in this We entirely
agree. We doubt whether three ADLER
business men can be found in New York
than the three gentlemen we have named.
Mr.. Dana took the Su, when it was losing
concern, journal with little influence and
small circulation, and in little more than
month he put fresh life and vigor into
NIL its departments, and with rapidity and
success which prove the greatest skill, built
it up into one of the foremost journals of
the country and secured to it business
prosperity which makes it an enviable prop
erty. 1t is not too much to say that
within six weeks after Mr.. Dana took hold
OF the Sun it was making as much money as
it was losing when its previous proprietors
gave it up to him. Mr.. Jones, of the Times,
assumed control of that journal on Mr..
Raymond's death, and under the discourage
ing supposition, on the part of those who
did not know of his ability, that the
loss of Mr.. Raymond would be fatal
blow to the influence and prosperity
Of the paper. In fact, with less able
man than Mr. Jones to take his place, the
death Of so eminent and industrious q chief
as Mr. Raymond must have proved great
embarrassment to the Times; but the event
showed that under the new management
the paper increased in ability, influence
and business prosperity; and Mr. Raymond's
death, deeply us his loss was doubtless felt
by Mr.. Jones, marks the period of
new and greater career for the Tines. SO,
too, Mr. Reid became the head of the TriJ-
une on the sudden death of its founder
Mr.. Greeley, who had in very particular
manner made that paper the representa-
tive of his individuality. When Mr.. Gree
ley died it was supposed very generally