The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-20
VAN WYCK'S LETTER IS OUT.
MADE UP OF THE WELL-WoRN TAN
MANI LoCAL ISSUE MATERNAL.

Mr.. CroEer'n Candidate Says That the welfare
or tho People Will Etc Ills ole Care tr
re II Eiectcd-He Will strive for That
with Every Power OF TITS Mind and body.
Robert A. Van Wyck, the candidate of Richard
Croker for Mayor. issued last night his letter OF
acceptance of the nomination. The letter, 1t is
said, was framed with the assistance of Richard
Croker, ox-Mayor Grant, and Lawyer John N.
Bowers, who was frequently drafted into the
service whom Mayor Grant had State papers to
write. Here are some OF the 1900 words in tho
letter:
1.-THE duty before the first Mayor OF the city
of Now York. rs it Is to be after the beginning of
tho coming year, is Of a magnitude too vast to
be undertaken Without misgivings by any man
Of mind enough TO comprehend the problems 1t
involves. To approach tho task in any other
spirit than that of American liberty, coupled
with n realizing sense of the cosmopolitan char.
actcr of tho population to be served, would, in
my judgment, be to err fundamentally.
The temper OF mind which BELTS tc villager
or the inhabitant OF towns in which there is but
ono typo OF citizenship to deal with. is littlo
fitted for tho work before us. At all events.
should the people reposc their confidence in me,
l will cndcavor to act with that largcncss of
view which consi iers tho rights OF every man
regardless of race, creed, or color.
"A successful administration Of the affairs OF
this municipality must depend in great measure
upon the honesty and efficiency of the officials
appointed by the Mayor. In this regard l shall.
If elected. exercise the greatest care to provide,
in all the departments, for such intelligent and
honest supervision and direction us will secure
to tho public not only n wise and efficient ser.
vice. but us well the return to them OF u dollars
worth for every dollar expended.
TO make OF the several boroughs n homo
gcneous city requires that. in the control Of the
administration OF affairs. there should DO n gov.
eminent responsible and responsive to the
people. 1t should be honest, efficient and
liberal. 1t should be guided By sound political
principles. securing a more perfect discharge Of
public duty than is possible under such condi-
lions as have imposed upon us the fnCtious, dis.
cordant and demoralizing administration from
the misdeods and negligenCcs Of which oil Gle
ments OF our citizenship nave suffered"
Mr.. Van Wyck then goes into figures to show
now nuch mere nc Strong adininisiratLon has
cost than That OF the TaininIny Mayors who pre-
coded him. He does not carry his comparison
to the extent of showing the relative benefits
tinues with talk about the utter disregard OF
the rights and convenience Of the public " in the
complete surrender of our roadbeds to corpora
tions and contractors" He qualities this by
Sa3yiWHSI;, Min , nror.r onnor.,,,r nina. ,,,v,r. ,o
given for the prosecution Of public work, and
while no unnecessary delay should be permitted
in its completion, this docs not mean that entire
streets ana avenues are to be delivered over to
the exclusive use or public and private con-
tract RS; that for miles the stores and shops In
the most prominent OF our thorouGhfarcs are to
be practically shut out from business; that our
citizens arc TO be denied any hut the most diff.
cult access to their homes: that in some cases
traffic between the various poin b of our
city be made impossible. ami in all cases
difficult and dangerous, and that the health OF
the entire community should be impCrilled and
injuriousiy affected 10y open trenches wherever
the people may turn. Such o condition of tho
result from gross inciiiclcncy. 1t can be at.
tributed to only one other cause. and that is
criminal disregard of the public comfort and
safety, and any n ministration responsible
therefor must stand discreditcd before the COM
munity."
The candidate then reverts to the familiar
cry OF home rule and abuses the ltcpu hlican
Legislature for the alleged violations OF this
principle. He again refers to the cosmopolitan
constituency Of this city which he says should
ference with its purely domestic concerns. as at
Temps to dictate even its harmless customs,
uraiiy to tho "Itaincs law" issue. OF this law
he says. among other things:
1T has only succeeded; by Dispensing with
%saiutary restraints which heretofore protected
the reputable dealer from the open rivalry of
the dive Keeper. 1t employs the spy and ncccs.
states methods which can never be approved
by men who believe in the Democratic theory of
government. | favor its prompt repeal"
The reference to that plank of the platform
regarding insufficient school accommodations is
Mayor Giiroy had as much dificnity with that
question ms has the present administration
MIR. Van W yck says he does not wish to re-
proach any one for this condition OF affairs in
the past, but to make Il pledge for the future.
He pledges himself 10 rapid transit, more
bridges and more ferries, and then he Jumps the
rest OF the platform regarding the necessity for
minor public improvements. and says he favorS
them all: but he selects bicycle paths for this
especial mention:
deem it proper to make special mention.
in this relation. OF the pressing necessity for
proper bicycle paths, ana 10 add that. il elect, d.
! shall make it my duty to have them con.
structcd."
4 paragraph is devoted to dollar gas and an.
other to the subjec: of water front improve
ment. Then he asserts that home rule" carries
with IL the other issue Of personal liberty
which forms n part OF the platform. This is his
uttcrancc regarding trusts:
All unlawful combinations which deny 10
any or all OF our citizens a free field of competi.
ton must be suppressed. The municipality It.
self should both own and control its franchises
and where now such franchises are operated
under grants TO corporations n fair charge. and
that only, for the service rendered or conven'
fence furnished should be permitted
The Eight-hOur law plank in the Tammany
platform. Mr.. Van Wyck says, he takes TO mean
that contractors doing work for the city shal,
be required TO pay the same rate of wages paid
b., the municipality. Tho letter concludes a:
follows:
Let mo add. in conclusion, that. should the
people intBust me with the grave rcsponsibility
OF the Mayoralty. | shall make the promotion Of
their welfare, to the exclusion of all antagonis
tic ends. the object to be striven for with every
power of my mind and body"