The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-23
SETH LOW A REPUBLICAN,
HIS IS NOW HE TREATED TIE
PARTY That Ell HIM MAYOR.

PARTI THAT Ell ECTED HIN "hAOH'
Used His once TO nuiid Up n Low Machine
ana Destroy tho Republican Mnchine-
worked TO Defeat . Republican Candidate
for Mnyor-Aiso worked to Defeat hsiaine'
l am n Republican, andI expect to remain one
An assertion repeatedly made BY Seth Lo"'
Here is the major part OF Seth Lows record
as q Republican: In 1850, shortly after ne Dc
came OF age, he Joined a Republican ward asso-
citation in the city Of Brooklyn. In 1881 he was
nominated for Mayor Of tho city. The Rcpub-
licans had nominated q candidate and the lhue'
pendents had nominated a candidate. Zen.
Tracy was the Republican candidate. He and
the Independent candidate stepped aside and
Seth Low took their place as the union candi'
date. Once in office. Seth % built up a
Low machine. NO man was appointed to offlco
who was not n Low man. He dlsregardcd
civil service reform rules and turned out OF Of
fice every man who held u place. no matter how
faithful to tho interests of tho city that man
may have been. lie required from every man
that he appointed a letter OF resignation signed,
but with the date blank. Thus every official in
the city OF Brooklyn was the creature of his
within. Every official that he appointed had 10
belong TO the Low machine, or tho club that was
held over his head by Seth Low in the shape of
his resignation might fall.
II NhS alh " lhlS lidCHllC tIhI hC puiAh ~
he forced tho Republican organization, which
had well nigh been destroyed by him., to re-
nominate him for n second term, He was elect
cd by Republican votes. In the middle OF his
term came the greatest fight in the history or
the Republican party. the fight between Blaine
and Grover Cleveland for the Presidency OF the
United States. In spite OF the fact that he had
been nominated by tho Republican organiza-
tion and elected by the votes of Republicans.
Seth Low resigned from the Republican party
because James g.. Blaine was its candidate for
President. He supported Grover Cleveland.
James G. Blaine was defeated.
In 1885 Seth Low. having for four years been
the beneficiary OF the Republican party. might
reasonably have been expected to support the
candidate of that party to succeed him in office.
A citizens committee, made up OF the Mugwump
Cleveland Democrats of the Seth Low stripe, in
sisted on tho nomination by the Republican
party OF Gen. John Woodward. a Democrat.
Tho Republican party rendered its nomination
as Mr.. Lows successor to Frederick A. Schroe-
der. who was out Of politics and did not want to
accept it.. 1t then nominated Gen. Catlin.
Between these two conventions Seth Low,
then the Mayor by virtue OF Republican
votes. not waiting for the final action
of the Republican Convention. Joined the
Cleveland Mugwump Democrats at n meeting
in the Academy of Music and made a speech in
dorsing Gen. Woodward's nomination by these
men. During tho campaign that followed Seth
Low bitterly attacked the Republican party
and stumped the city for Woodward, the
Democrat. In the papers ut the time it was
said the reason why Seth Low supported Gen.
Woodward in the first instance was that he
hoped TO bring around another situation SINH
lar to the one that resulted in his nomination
the first time. He hoped that Gen. Woodward
- - a. .--1l -.
and that he would secure the nomination for
himself. But the Republican party had had
enough OF Seth Low, and Gen. Woodward was,
like Mr.. Low, not OF the resiSning kind.
Indirectly the people had an opportunity to
express their opinion OF Seth Low. Out of a
total vote of 10000 Seth Lows candidate got
1880. The situation in that year was not the
same as ii is to-day. Then the Democratic party
was united. Its candidate won. While the vote
for the Low-Woodward conspiracy was misera'
bly, small. yet it was sufficient to defeat the
Republican candidate: that is to say, the
votes that Woodward got. added to the
81, 900 votes that Gen. Catlin got, would
have elected Gen. Catlin. So the year at
ter Seth Low defeated James G. Blaine
he defeated the Republican candidate
nominated to succeed himself. II there had
been a Henry George in that year to draw away
Democratic votes from the regular Democratic
candidate, as there is this year to draw away
votes from Tammany Halls French ball candi
date. the Republican candidate would have
been elected in spite Of Seth Low. just as Gen
Tracy will be elected now in spite OF him
Here are the figures Of that year. They are in
teresting:
Whitney. Dem as So
Catiin. Rep 80. So
woodward. So
~ 60 =. - -
candidate for President and supported Grover
Cleveland. In 1892 Seth Low supported Grover
Cleveland. In 1897 Seth Low says he voted TO,
William Mckinley. II he did, his support o
Mckinley consisted only OF his vote. He mad,
no speeches. He contributed nothing to til,
campaign fund.
With this record behind him, Seth Low says
II am a Republican and Iexpect to remain one.