The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-10
VAN WYCK'S BIG JUMP
BACHELOR "MAN ABOUT TOWN. New
Err DREAMED OF THE MAYOR Atty.
his Unique Wfne-Opening Campaign
Him the "YeIIow Dog" Candidate.
New York Press.


appellation to the ticket nominated and
elected by Tammany and its adherents.
Croker said: This is a Democratic year.
Even yellow dog on the Democratic ticket
would be elected" Naturally, any man
named to lead the ticket, after that charac-
terization, would succeed to the title of
yellow Dog. Judge Van Wyck didn't
mind the yellow dog appelation half as
much as he did the opprobious term of 1.-The
French ball ticket He didn't like that.
because he believes to-day as firmly as he
did seven years ago that he right in his
difference with Schmittberger, then SER
geant now captain. .u
Far from being a yellow dog. Judge Van
Wyck is, as men CO. royal good fellow"
Even the most partisan Republican can adj
nit that now. though few honest men were
willing to deny it at the height of the Bit
terest local campaign that New York ever
has seen. Our fight was not much
against Van Wyck-he really cut only a
slight figure in the canvass; Tammany as
represented by Croker was the real foe.
Van Wyck's weakness was that he was
unknown the day before he was nominated
for mayor This is true in spite of the fact
that he had held office for more than eight
years. But, in spite of his comparatively
obscure public record, Judge Van Wyck
was pretty well known in the social set that
is best described in New York by the vague
and indefinite term of men about town.
1t was because of his obligation to this set
that he attended tine French ball nearly
seven years ago. Not so much because he
cared for the incidental dissipation, but, like
thousands of others who go to that affair,
because he felt that, to be in touch with
metropolitan life, he would have to be able
10 say that he was there" The chief evil
dence that would go to show that he
full that night is the fact that since then
he has not tasted liquor IN any form. The
mere testimony of a policeman was not so
damning to mans reputation in those
days as it is to-day no matter how high
a position on the force he may have held.
1t is as good fellow, first of all, then,
that the first mayor of Greater New York is
known. This characteristic had an odd eff
feet on the local campaign that up to this
time has been almost entirely overlooked.
Van Wyck made the most of his one strong
point. He did not make speeches, to be
sure; but the reason for that was that he
felt, not being used to speaking in public,
he could not compete with the other candi-
dates, all of whom had been accustomed
nearly all their lives to talking in public.
He preferred to campaign in the style that
came easiest to him; so he entertained.
while the other candidates were hustling
over the four wide portions that make up
the great city, Judge Van Wyck was sitting
comfortably in his luxurious quarters in the
Bartholdi receiving those of his friends
the voters These, after they had drunk
his wine and smoked his delicious perfec-
tos, went out and did the hustling.
UNIQUE CAMPAIGN METHODS.
1t was the most unique method of cam
paigning ever adopted in any election in
New York. There have been others in
which candidates opened kegs" of beer,
and sometimes to the favored few wine"
But nobody ever before made that form of
ca mn icrnin no of fpa t11rf Of
his canvass.
Not all who called at the Bartholdi got d
taste of that wine by any means. Only
those who -ex-Mayor Hugh j.. Grant, Van
Wyck's campaign manager, knew to be vote
Trustworthy Tammany cohorts. got that
far. But for the really desirable ones there
was wine enough to swim in. And all
wine now day and night on all sides of the
candidate, he never tasted so much as one
glass. This kind of campaigning is not so
easy as it sounds. Most of the candidates
who conduct a speaking canvass began
about Z o'clock in the evening and were
done by midnight. Van Wyck began his
wine campaign soon after noon and
lucky to get to bed by o'clock in the
morning. In other words, his working day
was nearly twice long that of the
other three or four candidates
Little is known of the life of Mayor-elect
Van Wyck. We all know from his name
alone that he is Knickerbocker. We
know that he is a bachelor of about forty
seven years of age; that he is about five
feet six inches in height; that he rides a BIZ
cycle; that he has been judge of the City
Court for eight years; that he has brother
in Brooklyn who is also justice (Supreme
Court, and that he is not college man."
He is, however valedictorian He was Sc
lected by President Barnard, of Columbia,
for that position when he was graduated
from the Law School in 1870. In the cleo
ton, therefore, of Judge Van Wyck as the
first mayor of Greater New York that much
condemned parsonage, the valedictorian, has
been indicated forever.
In every school of any pretensions what
ever once year class is graduated The
brightest pupil on such occasions looms up
before the limelight as the proud and en-
Wed valedictorian, fairly worshiped by the
rest of his classmates, and, having deliV-
cred his address, goes forth to sink into an
undiSturbed oblivion. Van Wyck is the one
shining exception to the rule. He nearly at
tanned oblivion, but escaped 1t to take rank
with Presidents whose names have become
part of our national history: with statesmen
whose fame shines as beacon lights for the
lessons in patriotism of our juvenile minds:
with governors the memory of whose deeds
are their monuments. Never again may 1t
portent of a public or literary nonentity.
Van Wyck has proved that valedictorian
may be great man-that is where MAORI
ties are the criterion.
FROM CITY JUDGE TO MAYOR.
AS a judge he has attracted compare
lively little attention, but the court over
which he presdes-he is called the chief
judge because he has served longer than
any of the others-is petty court. 1t tries
civil actions in which the amount in htiga-
ton is not more than $1,000 Therefore few
important cases have come before him.
From city court judgeship to the posi-
ton of mayor is a most tremendous stride.
In Judge Van Wycks case the physical
effort will be only short walk. 1t will not
mean climbing or going down an extra
stair Instead of turning to the right when
he enters the rejuvenated City Hall on
Jan / he will merely turn to the left.
His new office will be on the same floor,
only at the other end of the building. He
NAV from force of habit, having become
accustomed in eight years to going to the
right to his chambers, make a start in the
wrong direction, but it will be a difficulty
that will be easy to overcome. And then
there will be plenty of political friends to
bar the way and steer him to the right
office If the crowd that have attended his
footsteps in the City Hall since election is
a criterion of what may be there after
the mayor assumes his office.
Already these hungry Tammany heelers
swarm all over the first floor of the build
ing, binding and choking as 1t is with the
dirt and dust from the repairs now going
on. 1t required a fearful physical effort on
the part of the mayor-elect to get through
that crowdng, pushing throng on the two
days that he tried to attend court after
election. Late Thursday he gave 1t up and
fled from town to get away from the fawn-
ing and flattering mob of obsequous once
seekers Before noon of Wednesday his
RIGHT hand and arm gave out. Wearied and