The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-17
n Counsels.

Tho more sensible men In the Citizens
Union, or the committee Of volunteers
known as such, have decided to delay the
nomination Of Mr.. SETH Low for Mayor
until they have secured specific evidence Of
n general popular demand for his candi
dacy. Tha is wise, and It Is decent also. 1t
is simply meeting the condition imposed
by Mr.. Low himself when he wrote very
decidedly that he would not run unless
there appeared to be such a demand
Accordingly, the Citizens Union Com
mittee will undertake to test public senti-
ment as to Mr.. Lows candidacy by in.
viting the opinions of citizens individually,
and by holding mass meetings in his favor.
In this way it may get a considerable body
of evidence indicative Of public feeling.
OF course only by an election is the prepon.
derance of public sentiment determinable.
1t has happened oftentimes that a party
which has held great and enthusiastic and
confident meetings during a campaign has
been beaten overwhelmingly at the election.
If it Is proposed to nominate a candi-
date without the assistance Of a repre-
sentative convention which binds a par
ty to the ticket, there can be no other
way of gauging public sentiment than
that proposed by this Citizens Union
Committee. In order to obtain the wish
of individual citizens a blank form, we
understand, is to be sent out, asking If
Mr.. Low is preferred. Such Il method
could be only partially successful. The
great mass of people are accustomed to
vote for the candidates Of their party, and
accordingly even those in favor of Mr.. Low
would be likely to respond to such a request
merely that they would like to see him
such candidate. An expression Of that sort
would only indicate that his nomination
would be satisfactory if it was made by the
writer's party.
1t is creditable in this Citizens Union
that it has rejected the counsels Of the rash
advisers who urged it to go ahead on
its own responsibility and make the nomi-
nation under the assumption hat the COM
mittee is itself public opinion. 1t is more
becoming to consult the people about that
matter, and it is safer, too.
A too early nomination of Mr.. Low would
be likely to prove fatal to his hopes. The
people would grow tired of his candidacy If
his campaign was pushed by the hustling
Goo Coos throughout July and August,
a period of the year when in the hot
test national campaign there is always
a lull. Mr.. Low Is a sagacious man, ex-
perienced in politics, and he must know
how great is the danger of the cooling
of popular zeal for a candidate when he is
put forward precipitately and premature
ly and contrary to the lessons taught by
actual experience in political campaigning.
The conventions for nominating munic-
ipal tickets are not delayed until the au-
tumn or until six or eight weeks before the
elections simply because of the caprice of
politicians, but because the delay has been
proved to be desirable practically. 1t is a
concession to human nature.
Mr.. Low is a man of dignity, universally
known, and he does not need the adver-
tisement of an early nomination. His rep.
utation would be injured only by his
consenting to thrust himself forward
for the purpose of taking possession
of the field and forestalling public opin,
ion. He is in no hurry, and there is
no reason for anybody being in a hur.
ry. He and every other opponent OF
the Organized Tammany simply want to
be assured that he is the man most likely
to beat and overthrow hat now dangerous
organization. To obtain such assurance II
is necessary to wait for public opinion
to express itself. Deliberation will only
strengthen his candidacy, if there is in
that the strength of which he requires to be
convinced before consenting to run.
1t is enough that Mr.. Low has announced
his readiness to be a candidate if the oppo
sition to Tammany Hall desires him as
such. No formal nomination is necessary
now, nor can it be of service to him
and may be injurious both to hin
and the cause he wishes to further
To doubt II the demand for him will hole
out until the usual time for nominating
candidates is to question his actual qualif
cations and to cast a reflection on the sin
certify of his motives.
Coasting-Bicycle Instructors.