New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-10
MR LOWS POSITION.

We approach with some diflidencc the en-
pressloiiS Of a difference Of opinion with our
amlablc contemporary and esteemed coad)utor
In the work of municipal reform. THE New
York Evening Post" as 10 the significance OF
Mr. Seth Lows recent letter TO the Citizens
Union The construction which The Tribune
in common with the press Of the city generally
has put upon that communication is that Mt
Low himself is much more anxious for the sue
cess of the movement Of which he Is the recog
nized exponent than for any honor that might
accrue to himself therefrom. That has seemed
TO us to be the plain rendering Of his letter Win
no reading between the lines. And. as mat
ter of fact, with the knowledge The Tribune mas
Of Mr. Low, from his public career and the man
ncr in which he has conducted himself in regard
TO public affairs we are rather Of the opinion
that there Is no reading between the lines in his
public utterances. What he says he believes;
and he SAYS IL with uttermost frankncss with
out concealment or reservation. When. accord
inCly. he saws to the gentlemen who offer him
the nomination for Mayor on behalf OF body
un0uestionably honest and sincere, but just a
trnc nchoate and unorganized. that he does not
think he is warranted in accepting their NOM
nation at the present time. and that he must
have much more evidence than he now has of
the popular desire to make ii seem to him
public duty to become a candidate, we nave
to believe not only that he means what he says.
but that in his Judgment. the time Is not ripe
either for his nomination for the Office or for his
acceptance of It.
We have consequently to disagree with the
conclusion of our evening contemporary that
he will consent to stand" If nominated by the
Citizens Union at this early stage Of the m,!-
nicipal campaign. Mr.. Lows attitude-if we
understand IT. and we think we dds very much
further from anxiety than it is from reluctance
or even willingness. We believe that he is
absolutely sincere and. pnsellsh in his desire
for the success Of the rdL.-c Of which he has
been made without any effort. even desire of
his own, the most conspicuous exponent. and
that he would sooner sacrifice all his own am
bltion. If he has any. than have anything done
in mistaken devotion to his own interest that
could in the slightest degree mperil the cause
he represents. We are quite sure that in this
view we do not oversate the case or miSreprc-
sent the attitude of Mr.. Low. He deprecates
haste not because ii may imperil his own pros
poets. but simply because in the end ii may
cndanger the cause he stands for. Is there any
reason why he should not be taken at his
word? Is there any reason for doubling his
own wisdom and discretion in a matter Of so
much importance. not only to himself but TO
the cause which he sats much higher than
any personal ambition: He consents to stand.
saws our contemporary. 1.-THE Evening Post"
and that is enough. Let us nominate him ont
of hand. and compel everybody 10 come to him
as the universal choice. But he himself says
wait and see whether il is the popular desire.
That is all Nothing is lost by waiting. Every
thing may he imperilled by haste. If Mr.. Low
has the good sense. discretion and intelligent
Judgment that we think he has. and that qualify
him to be not only the candidate. but the actual
Mayor Of the Greater New-York. he must be
competent to judge concerning the processes pre-
urinary to his nomination. Why not defer TO
his Judgment? Why not let him say whether
this hurried procedure is or is not wise:
IN short is there any reason for haste in this
matter except TO give some sort Of prestige 10
people who care less for the success Of the cause
than they do for their own prominence: