The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-23
SETH Low FOR oxE-MAx POWER.
He would Like 10 he CEnr or the Greater Now
York Just as He Was or BrookIyn.

"N A' NNns vi
I wish to state distinctly that the acceptance Of an
appointment at my hands will he evidence to tho
community that the gentleman accepting 1t has per.
sonally given me the assurance that he will without
delay give mo his resignation whenever / ask It,
Official declaration by Seth Lop after he had been
Mayor Of Brooklyn just ttco DAYS.
o their deputies, their chief executive officers, I
shall expect to he consulted. because they give char.
acter to an administration almost as much as does
Its chiefs, and l have Il right to insist that the ap-
p~ointments shall DO satisfactory to me as well as to
them.-DDicid! declaration" Jy Seth Lolo utter he had
been Mayor Of Brooklyn Just tico days.
Tho first Mayor of the Greater New York has
greater power than has ever been given to any
Mayor OF any city in this country before. When
Seth Low was n member of the commission that
framed the charter for the creator city he
fought persistcntly, and with all his energy
from the first meeting OF the commission to the
last. to place in the hands of tho Mayor auto.
cratic power. He was at that time hoping that
he could capture a nomination for tho place.
He demanded that the Mayor should have not
only the right of appointment, but also the abso-
lutte right OF removal with or without cause at
mis- pleasure. at any time during his administra-
ton. What he could not as n char
ter commissioner he did %compl when no
was Mayor OF the city of Brooklyn in the man.
ner indicated by the two statements quoted
above from his first message TO the Board of
Aldermen two days after he took office.
The personal assurance that Mr.. Low required
from the men he appointed to office was in
writing and it read like this:
BROOKLYN. - lSs-
To The Hon. Seth LOr. Mayor:
hereby tender my resignation as Commissioner Of
the Department Of, the same 10 take effect imme.
diately. --. Commissioner.
II Seth Low were the Mayor OF Now York no
would demand from each man whom he ap-
pointed TO Office a letter similar to the one that
he required from the men whom he appointed TO
Ofilco when he was Mayor OF the city of Brook
Ign. He has not made this declaration in so
many words, but ne boasts that his views now
concerning the running of u city government
are the same as his views were then. That
means. that in addition to the cnormous power
that he has under the charter. he will take to
himself autocratic powers that are delegated by
the law to persons whom he is directed TO APP
point. 1t means the placing in the hands of ono
man absolutely autocratic powerover more than
three millions OF people. II means the placing
IN the hands OF one man power TO col.
lect from the people ana to spend S75, 00O, 900
every year. IL means placing in his hands au.
tocratic power over an army of nearly O,OOO
trained men. which Will compose the police
force OF the greater rilS', IL means making him
ploys 10000 teachers and from 1000 to 5000
persons in other capacities. 1t means one-nRn
power over every department OF the Govern.
ment. 1t means the placing in the hands OF one
man absolute control Of the election system OF
The first Mayor OF the Greater New York
under Seth Lows Ian Of autocTatic rule means
that he viii have more power than the Queen OF
England has over her dominion. and as much
power as the autocrHt of the RussiRs has over
his empire. Seth Low Is AMBITIOUS. lie u also
human. lie might die.