The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-14
SETH LOWS ACCEPTANCE.
He States What He Would DO al
Mayor of New York.


New York, Sept. 14.-The following is
Seth Lows formal letter OF acceptance
| OF the nomination of the Citizens Union:
| Messrs. Joseph Larocque and Others. A Ct
| ing on Behalf of the Citizens Union,
York:
| the nomination that you offer me in your
communication OF September /. So far as
the expression OF popular desire which &C
1 will be lifelong inspir alton, and strong
impulse, In the event of my election, TO fui-
fill the expectations OF those for whom yon
speak. takeit for granted that this nomi,
nation is offered subject to the expressed
condition stated in my letter to commit
| tee. OF the Citizens Union, dated June Z,
which letter was used as the basis OF your
| canvass, and In which said that could
accept no nomin alton IL there We're attached
70 IT any obligation, expressed or Implied.
1 N the official oath as mayor TO make the
interests OF the city the paramount concern
| in the dischar ge of every duty.
l am a Republican,, ana l expect to re-
main one; but am completely in sympathy
| with the purpose OF the Citizens Union TO
secure mayor for the great city who shall
| he free from all partisan obligations"
| Such a mayor, il elected, ! shall certainly
be. In making appointments 1t shall be
ey s eh single to- the ' public e good. The pat
homage Of the city shall not be used, SO
Tar as II is in the mayors power TO pre-
/ vent IL, I0r purpose Oh
ening or weakening one party or another,
or any faction OF any party. i shall try
to make an administration That VIII DE
honest, broad-Ininded, efficient and bust
ness-like, and considerable or the interests
or every citizen.
The civil service laws of the State shall
be impartially enforced 'by such methods
as viii insure practicable and reasonaDle
test OF fitness and the selection or subor di-
nate Officers upon their merits, Prospect
i've of political influence, 50 as TO afford
E,s. -. fyaa rrvtf
gard to race, religious belief, or political
utilization" 1t shall be my endeayor 10
build up in all parts of the public service a
spirit of honest pride, based upon the we'll
settled conviction on the part of every per
son in the city's employ, that, so long as
his services are needed, and he renders
them faithfully and well, no influence
In the city shall be able to turn him out;
while the moment he fails In his duty, no
influence shall be strong enough to keep
him in.
Nothing is more vital to. the welfare of
the city, as / conceive, than that IL be
allowed by the legislature TO shape its
U purely 'e iocai " wanld wish the " great
city 10 bear it's part proudly in all the
concerns OF the Empire state, and Will
ingly to bear its share OF the burdens 81
the State. but, as concerns the citys
local affairs. IL is not ~ much part OF
the State as it is the home OF the inhaol,
taIts. III l am elected i shan contend
sturdiy for the City's right, In such
As To the public franchises, the Greater
New York charter practically etnbodies
the doctrine that the city shall not part
with the owner ship of franchises, but
shall lease them for limited periods, suo-
lect TO occasional revision or the terms.
I think legislation should be bad, however,
in addition to the charter, that VIII en-
able the city to treat every consent 10 a
change OF power by street railroads as a
new franchise. 1t Is utterly unreasonable
that because of defective legislation these
valuable grants should continue 70 be given
away without compensation 10 the cty.
As matters now stand these consents are
granted 10y the street railroad commission,
aud the city Is deprived of all opportunity
TO secure return for them, either by way
OF a money pa ynent or by imposing con-
ditions calculated To secure d service thor
oug.ly in the interest Of the public,
am heartily in favor OF carrying TO as
speedy completion as possible the munich
pal rapid transit system for which the
people Of the present city of New YORK
voted in November. Ss4. and. II elected.
I shall do everything in my power To facll-
itate communicat ion between the various
buroughs of the great city by means OF
bridges. tunnels and ferries. Nothing WI
do 40 much as a complete system OF inter
communication TO unity the people of
all the boroughs into one munich ality,
and to secure for all parts OF the city
tie maximum advantages of consolida tion
should gladly interest myself heartily IN
the schools and all thai concerns the hlgher
life of the people. aud Should strive ear
nestly to promote every municipal interest
that max ca for the CONNIE rcial aud business
prosperity of the city and the welfare of
tile citizens. The harbor and water front
woul,l command my especial care. believe
that the labor laws of the state, as they
apply to the city, should he administered
in the letter and in the spirit This is the
laborer's right. aud, IN my Judgment IL Is
eininently in the t-rest or the city.
No campaign In the city OF New YORK
turning on local issues can lie conducted,
i'm the present condition of excise legisla-
ton, without some reference to the excise
question. The Raines law, in my belief,
cont aims the germ of an excise system far
better than that which IL Supplanted, I'm
That il has relieved the liquor traffic Of
the arbitrary cont-ol of excise boards. aud
has substituted for this grant OF explicit
rights that can he enforced at la w. Where
the Raines law fails as applied to New
York, 1t fails because il does not ia he into
account the public sentiment of the city
New York, while charac.eristCally ali
American CITY is also. as the Germans say.
q world city. tits cosmopolitan In fact and
oosinopolit an I'm sentiment. Men or every
sort of upbringlnE must be able To live
in such a city happily and naturally. of
course with due regard u the rights AMI
con, lotions OF others.
Legislators on this subject should never
forget that the excise law stands mid
way between the laws that everybody be
lieves in and the dead laws that nobody
believes in, nd that the effective public
sentiment behind it, locally. is the only
permanent force on which To- depend IN
its administration. For this reason, in my
opinion, an excise law SO Tar as IL al
PIE. should reflect the pubic opinion of |
the city. On such points. In case OF radf-
cal differences OF opinion. | should take
the appeal to the people themselves. In |
a community like this know OF no better |
way To secure for an excise law the sup
port OF a public sentiment that VIII sus-
tain it's even enforcement.
The city OF New York VIII have popula-
ton larger than that of most of the states
OF the Union, and larger than that OF all The |
cnlouies combined when they issued their
Declaration of Independence The wish |
OF tbose for whom YOU speak. as l under
sand IL. il especially to secure fDr this itn-
perial city the opportunity TO start upon its |
new career under an admins; alton pledged |
TO make the interests OF the city its SUI /
prene care. Such a purpose ought 10 ap-
peal 10 the civic pride OF every citizen. /
/ could wish that the popular movement /
Which YOU represent iad designated some /
other man 20 lead In the great struggle. 1
fur In such "A cause IL would have teen a /
pleasure 70 serve IN the ranks. But In my /
fellow citizens see fit 90 intrust the ardUous
tasA % me, ! shall serve them loyally with Il