New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-10
THE FIGHTING MAYOR.
..c.rrrs HOOPER, THE CHIEF EXECU
TIVE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF
BALTIMORE.

~1-rr OF THE MAN WHO HAS DEFIED THE
v.cu1SE LEADERS OF HIS PARTY
HIS VIEWS OF MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENT.
stand which the fighting Mayor OF Balt-
has taken as a reformer. and his efforts 10
80 municipal affairs from politics. to frus-
w.. the plans of the spoilsmen and to place In
w. or,v such men as are known to be worthy
well qualified. has gained for Alcaeus
80 an enviable reputation beyond the num-
ho ,,,,, over which he presides and has made
~ q conspicuous figure in the ranks OF prac-
s'., rsformers His appointments to posi'ions
.so baltimore Board OF Education or the
s-.s;dent Of Johns Hopkins University, Profes-
=, shefoe and other men of known WORTH was
-, last OF his acts in the direction or reiorh
"a the interest which that step aroused added
,,bsr reason which made people anxious 10
..ou something Of the personality or the man.
81. administration of the affairs OF the city snow
=" .1ooner 10 be a man Of ideas. thoroughly
= earnest. and fearless as TO the consequences
=, his reform movement.
viewed by his acts. he appears TO be colossal
..,sonalitv: but he is really the contrary, ana II
-. MAYORS Of the cities of the United states
~. .,ao.d IN n group. the fighting Mayor Of
,.,,,ore would be conspicuous because of his
',.,,o stoture Although his father stood
w.. ,ou or1 weighed about 240 pounds, the
Mayor is only : feet inches in height. lie
,omes Of good stock. and his interest in the wei
e ,ho ci,v of baltimore is an inheritance
,,om his parents who were born there. his
..,ber William T. Hooper occupied leaoins
.a,,,ar &, commercial and manufacturing cir
~. % the CITY. but never held public office, ex-
W. 49, honorary position Of Park Commission
10 ,yos q man of literary taste. and liking
nr the character of Alcaeus suggested the name
~ the son who is now the Mayor of the city.
Mr. Hooper was born in Baltimore on january
. 1870 and was educated at frienos SCHOOL,
where he remained until he was seventeen
wears old Then. instead of going 10 coilese' lie
began the practical part II his career ID! pecoi"
ing an apprentice in one Of the mills "hich
were owned and operated by W. r. Hooper q
Co There he began at the bottom. ana worked
his way IN until he became master OF the
trade and when he was promoted to be man
ager Of the principal mill he went to the place
amply qualified to fiji it. His associates In
business were not slow TO recognize the worth
Of the Young man. and when his father died
IN 1885, and all the property became merged
into a corporation under the title Of the Wood
berry Manufacturing Company. he was chosen
treasurer Of the corporation. and took charge
o. the city offices in Baltimore. With his en-
trance on the discharge of the duties Of that
place his career rs Baltimore business man
began He continued to act as treasurer OF
the company until about FIVE years ago. when
he severed his connection with the corporation
and retired from business a felow-manu-
iacturer in speaking of the concern, said;
About GO per cent Of the worlds product Of
eo,ton duck is made in Baltimore, and the
nucleus of this great industry was the con-
CEN Of which Mr.. Hooper was the treasurer"
ONCE A SCHOOL COMMISSIONER HIMSELF.
The first public Office held by the Mayor was
bat 81 member If the Board of Public School
Commissioners 10 which place he was chosen
n 1855 He represented the Twenty-frst Ward.
which is part Of the new or annexed district
Of the city Of Baltimore. and served in the
Board four years and four months. He had
ample time in the course of his service there to
famarize himself with the modes and meth
DDS Of that department Of the city administra-
ton and il was doubtless during this intiatory
step in municipal politics that he gained the
knowledge and formed the resolutions which led
10 his reform measures in later years. little
before the expiration OF his term of office In the
School Board Mr. Hooper. accompanied by his
ri,e and children made trip to Japan. re-
turning by the way Of the Sandwich Islands;
and they We're in Honolulu at the time of the
Stevens incident
On his return 10 Baltimore Mr. Hooper was
elected to the First Board Of the City Council to
represent the Twenty-second Ward. which is also
part Of the annexed district Up to that time
the ward had been Democratic. but he carried
Il as Republican by a MAJ ~ Of 2iS During
his service in the First Board he became con-
spicuous by his continued and unrelenting oppo-
sIton 20 the practices that were then in vogue.
and made a particularly stubborn fight against
the methods of awarding paving contracts II
was the custom to give these contracts. he
thought without sufficient competition, and to
require too short guarantee from the contract
or, and by means Of his efforts in that direction
the guarantee was extended from two 10 five
years. and competition became more free. AT
that time the Council stood twenty-five Demo-
traits 10 four Republicans. but new era was
about TO dawn. and at the end Of his term Mr..
Hooper was reelected by a majority Of 400. the
Republicans succeeded in electng majority of
the Board and, recognizing in him leader OF
mettle and Of courage he was chosen president
the first Republican TO hold that office
HIS ELECTION TO THE MAYORALTY
The election bore fruit shortly in the form Of
Investigations which disclosed melancholy
t,ate OF affairs and at the next election the
Prime mover in the publication scheme was
CHOSEN Mayor by majority Of about 5000 The
political complexion of the Council was also
hanged az the election. and twenty-sx Repubn-
eaas and seven Democrats were returned Since
uen the Mayor has continued TO act on the lines
which he laid down for himself years ago. and
ohe Of his felow-citzens in speaking Of his SER
wees said He has lifted municipal government
out Of partisan politics. and has protected at all
POINTS the individual and the corporation. He
aas selected men TO office because Of their fit
sess regardless OF their political affiliations He
aas retained old officers because they were eff
aent and worthy regardless Of their politics
.no ne has corrected an abuse under which the
sav suffered and by which contributions were
s'ied on Office holders for the maintenance OF
.Ags and political pulls BY his action I'm these