The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-15
The LOtOS Club Dinner to Mayor Cooper
and What Came of II.
HOW and WHERE THE IDEA ORIGINATED.
The Inside History Of the
Invitations.
WHAT KELLY, COOPER And REID HAVE 10 SAY.

and the Cooper union" Obviously this exuberance
offeeing induced by the HERALD report of Comp
troer Kellys charming after midnight speech in the
hung supper of Lotos Club when the
new Chief Magistrate honored by a dinner. at
which assisted only the gay and festive members
of that social organization. but many solid men,
Jacile princeps of whom the city's financial
head. Several theories have been preached
since that memorable night as to the oc-
casion of so much knghtly bearing, so great
gush of feeling, so notable departure from the
ordinary taciturnity of the Tammany chief One is to
the effect that like wise diplomatist Mr. Kelly was
discounting the troubles ahead looking out for
breakers and using the opportunity, as the venerable
father of the Mayor does his well known air cushion,
make things easy for himself; second is that the
whole afair-supper, speakers, audience and publicity
of the proceedings-was put up job in the interest
of deal; and the third theory is that. as Mr.
Kelly is honest man and faithful public officer,
he glad of chance to say in the presence OF his
new chief that far official duties are concerned
he would do his best to make the Cooper rsgime a
success and credit to the city.
WHAT THE COMPTROLLER SAYS.
The Finance Department of the city occupies the
greater part Of the second story Of the extraordinary
architectural abomination known the New
County Court House." The approaches to it are
marble and dirt There is generally light enough in
the corridors and the stairs for the public to
any respected fellow citizen as he slips on the mud
pasted tiles gracefully slides bumpity bump down
the wet and dismal stairs. The Comptrollers Office
proper consists OF two large rooms In one or them
sits Deputy Comptroller Storrs where he keep his
In the other. as rule. from twenty to hundred
equally faithful henchmen stand, sit and wait,
hoping for the suspicious hour when they too may
do some figuring. IN one corner of this second
room the late Chamberlain, Mr. Peter Brains
sweeny parttioned off small enclosure in which he
and his late lamented brother "Jim sat and
ceived the multitude. When Mr. Sweeny retired Mr..
Andrew H Green succeeded to the apartment. and
now it is become at once the home OF the present
Comptroller and the sanctum sanctorum OF Tam
many Hall.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Kelly graciously welcomed
a HERALD reporter and beamed good naturally at
him as he warmed his hands by the fierce flames
crate, shielded by huge brass fender.
Outside there were two scores. of people
impatient to get in On the table there were at
least four scores of from people who had been
in or couldn't get in Fem o rock. with his
sve head uarely set on his well developed
the Comptroller smiled and waited.
THAT was rather good speech you made at the
Cooper dinner. Mr. Kelly
"How did it happen that You attended the dinner?'
..This way. Several friends-gentlemen who
thought it would be graceful compliment to the
new Mayor, and went. That's ALL
"Did Mr.. Cooper know you were to be PRESENT."
'.That cant tell. or course knew he would be
there, the dinner in his honor 1t is the Gus
Oakley Hail.
rangement with Mr.. COOPER
mot at all. 1 hadn't seen Mr.. Cooper. except
once, believe, and then casually"
'Then ii was an honest expression of your actual
feeling?"
precisely. Why not? He is Mayor of the city,
not of party. He is responsible for the city gov
eminent II he fails in any way land Isincerely trust
he will mott his failure is reelection the rest of
MS. 1t is not my duty alone. but my desire, to aid
him, far official intercourse is concerned, in
every possible way. His success means the success
of and ALL his failure carries disaster in its train
to all the city officials. 1t is inevitably The
who is responsible will have praise censure he
succeeds fails and all who associated with him
share the the other wish him all the good
fortune could wish any man."
THINKS or THE MAYOR
'Have you known Mr.. Cooper any length of
timer
.Oh, yes many years. We were in Tammany Hall
together in eighteen hundred and fifty something"
"What do you think of him p
well Mr. Cooper is a sensitive, upright, careful,
honest man. believe he means to do his duty to
the best of his ability
HAS the era of good feeling to which the HERALD
calls attention any political significance ??
None whatever"
what then 2"
common sense and nothing else. There can be
in permitting political differences to affect
Official relations honestly believe Mr.. Cooper will
do the best he can, and know shall have special
personal relations with him, but my official inter-
course must necessarily be constant, and it is my
earnest desire to cooperate with him in the best in
terests of the city. Of which he is the chief mags
frate. meant all said"
And what you said about exMayor Ely as well p
'well, Ely likes that sort of thing you know. He's
fond of little fun. 1t wakes him up and gives him
stext by the way are you interviewing mey,
In sense, yes in another. The HERALD
desires to inform the people as to exact feeling
toward the new Mayor and whether you mean now
'oh, that's it. Well, you can say that went to
the Lotos dinner with pleasure. responded to the
toast with equal pleasure and reiterate every word
then said believe in the good faith of Mr.. Cooper.
and know he will do the best he have
sponsibie position here, and in it shall in all sim
cority give the new Mayor my cordial and
hearty support. II that is what the HERALD means
by era Of good feeling emphaticay indorse it,"
great to overflow the rooms, spread out into the
hall and finally penetrate the greater apartment.
where among Others perched gracefully in Jacksons
municipal seat was the Hon. Henry q. Stebbins with
troller' private Office. Mr. Kelly continuing said:-
''rhis is a subject in which thousands of people
well as the great constituency OF the HERALD feel
great interest and IL you will kindly from
further talk about 1t will begin the practical part by
going at once to work" Then he laughed, struck
OF Joel o. Stevens said to the doorkeeper show Mr.
Stevens in" and the scene closed with the door.
WORD WITH THE MAYOR.
II may be doubted If there ever q slippery
substance invented than that which the city
Hall Park aud stains the marble steps that lead to the
dirty corridors which in turn conduct hundreds OF
daily visitors to the May glass DOORS Experience
the holy Of Official holes II is daieult to catch
glimpse of the Comptroller. aud IL Is next to i'm
possible to catch the Mayor. Fortunately.
expert pckets and outposts, that flags
or cards of truce can be forwarded in the
course of time, and IL one succeeds in reaching the
desk of Private Secretary Morrison he is tolcrably
certain of seeing the Mayor at all events OF know
ing why he cannot. The Mayor has suite OF rooms.
Ia the outer room modest wait. In the next
more pushing callers encounter policeman and
messenger. The latter opens into large apart
ment the walls OF which hung with immense gilt
frames bordering full length portraits of the great
and good men In brass buttons yellow brooches and
hair powder, who, ia other days, abored in divers
spheres for their countrys glory and at the
ritys expense. This is the room in which the
Mayor listens to rhetorical taxpayers,
res such OF his fellow citizens
determined TO run that risk and INDUCES in
ormo wood FIRE by which he toass the Official shins.
Beyond this IL more private room, where he
signs warrants, takes lunch and rests from more
acting labor
MAYOR COOPER SAYS.
Mayor Cooper, man of medium height, sandy as
to hair beard and complexion and very complaisant
in manner, paused i'm the signing of anxousy ex-
pectcd warrants yesterday afternoon, lowered his
glasses for moment and leaned fire screen, with