Morning journal and courier., 1883-11-02
The Brooklyn n1ayoralty Contest.

The Brooklyn MayoraIty Contest. I Mayer Low's AdmInIafratf0n--A Policy I of Business Principles, Non-Partfsan- ship and Home Rule-EducationaI I'm terests-Raptd Transit, Etc.-A Fine Record.
 BROOKLYN. Got. 30. 4 To the Editor of the JOURNAL. AND COURIER: l In my last letter I spoke of the form of government existing in Brooklyn before Mayor Low was placed at the head of the affairs of the city, and sketched briefly the ! new law increasing the powers of the chief ! executive, which went into effect as MT. Low went into office. I propose now to review Unnecessarily incompletely and briefly, how ever) his administration of the trust reposed I in him by his fellow citizens, for it is upon l his record that his friends base their claim J that he is entitled to reelection, and upon l his past that he himself fearlessly stakes his political reputation. No man ever attained
 the mayorafty, it is safe to say, less fettered | by political promises, less untrammelled in every way. Mayor Low refused to scatter broadcast the honeyed pledges of place and profit to faithful henchmen that are custo- | marily expected from a candidate for office | and are customariIy bestowed. He had no promises to redeem, save one, and that was ! of public nature. He pledged himself to discharge the duties of his office, if elected,
 according to his best ability, in the interest of the city, without regard to party, but upon \ business principles. He also assured the ! people of his intended adherence to home rule doctrines. That was the only platform. His constituents framed none They left him free. They knew their man. They | trusted him to walk alone. So they nonina- | ted him, and what is more, elected him. \ They builded well. He has retained their confidence. At the recent Republican con \ vention the sentiment of the majority of the better class of citizens independent of party was well voiced in a resolution which was presented by the general committee. They | heartily endorsed the administration of May ! or Low, he having fully justified the confi- ! dence with which he was elected by Repub-. | lican convention to carry out the provisions of the new charter. ''The economy, fidelity and non -partisanship to which he pledged himself have been fulfilled to the letter, and
 have challenged the admiration and secured \ the support of political opponents" Mayor Low early gave evidence of his se- | rious intention to apply "business princi- ples'' to municipal affairs. He was member of the well known house of A. A. Low &
 Sons, of New York. The business was heavy, the senior partners growing old, the juniors, of whom Seth Low was the chief, were bear l ing the brunt of the work. His position was lucrative, his attachments to the business strong. But he believed that no man can serve two masters and serve both equally well. He believed that in ordinary business life a man must devote himself to his busi- ness if he would make success of it. He thought the same was true of municipal af- fairs If they are to be conducted eeonomi- cally and well, the head of the house must give his attention continuously to them So he gave up his New York business and ceased to have an active connection with the firm. From the moment of his induction into of flee he devoted himself entirely to the city's interests. This principle of business he in culceted into the heads of departments by
 exaoting from his nominees an assurance that
 they would give up their time wholly to the city. And they did. There were men pub lie spirited enough to support the mayor in his determination to have good government
 In the next place he refused to interfere with his heads of departments in the matter of appointments of subordinates. He ap- pointsd the heads with the understanding 1 that they should be responsible to him and | left them free to appoint whomsoever they l pleased. We have his own word for it, in 8 recent speech, that he had never asked for the appointment of a man in any place, And we can believe him. There are plenty of of l fee seekers who can tell of their ill-luck in i attempting to persuade him to use his influ- | 
 Such conduct Rstonished the "old sojers' of | the party at first. They did not know their | man. Astonishment in time developed into | admiration.
 Again, he showed his fidelity to his princi- | pies by disregarding political affiliations in l the selection of his heads of departments. l He regarded himself, as he was, as the candi- | date of the people. He had been brought l out against ''bossism." The votes of both | Repub bIicans and Democrats had elected him. | "I have never appeared" he said in his | speech at the late Republican convention, l after his nomination by the citizens had been | ratified by the regular party convention, ton | any public occasion or done any official acts | when represented in my own thought or | could represent less than the whole people of | this city. 1 have found able assistants and | wise counselors among men who differ from me in party views" This is true. There are Democratic heads of departments as well l as Republicans, Democratic assessors and Democrats on the Board of Education. In national affairs NIT. Low is Repu blican, but he has always maintained, and lived up to his declarations, that questions of national or State politics have no proper place ln the selection of candidates for municipal offices or in the practical administration of munich pal business.
 By this determination to govern Brooklyn for it's own good, and not for party's prof it. Mir. Low has greatly increased the eff ciency of the city's employees. Politics do aot enter into their appointments. Rsmo- vals do not take place for political causes. Faithful henchmen are not given sinecures. are not required to support this or that party, but are like ordinary employees they have their duties and draw their pay without political deductions by way of az sessments. He further increased the effieien- y of the service by his example. The poll. ieians about the City Hall were astonished 70 see Mir Low after his election come to his office at nine in the morning; at least those politicians were who were about that early. They were more astonished to see him keep t up. It has been said that no mayor was ,ver in his chair more than the present one. He comes early and stays as long as the pub ic duties require his presence. He is not an lbSentee.
 The mayor has taken great interest in tho ,ducational interests of the city. The city vas miserably provided with school accom- nodations. Daring the four years 1878, s79, 1880 and 1881, only $229, 2T3 had been for new school buildings. In S82, the first year of Mayor Lows term. sIbO GOO was appropriated, and in 1883 b2SO. GOO, or $430. .00O in two years. This represents increased accommodation for | , 500 to 5 ,O0O more scholars in the public cbools. Mayor Low favored these appro- ,riations and secured them, because he was opposed to the old policy of saving money t the expense of the health and lives of 1 and because he favored giving eve- 7 child in the city an equal chance for ood education. In 1883 also $75, ,0oO was l oted by Mayor Low for free books in the 1 I ,ublic schools.
 As to taxes, the rate in 18S2 Mayor Lows rst year, was $2.33, the lowest rate in twen- y years. In 1883 the rate is g 34, exclu- I i've of increased amounts imposed by State nd county authorities, over whom the may r has no control The city debt during layor Lows term has, 1t is said, decreased ], ,05S. 792.
 Such are some of the features of Mayor .ow's administration. As was said at Ger aan campaign meeting the other night, "his imple recoFd as mayor is the most admira- le campaign document that can be pub shed, and 1t is style of campaign doou. { 1ent that no previous mayor of Brooklyn \ Tould have dared to publish"
 What MT. Hendrix, his opponent, stands n must be reserved for another letter. I
 o. E. L.
 Smoking in Mexico.
 IC,rrespondence Indianapolis Journal
 While waiting for coffee, and afterwards { uring pauses in the conversation, the gen 2 emen of the famiIy-and not infrequently