The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-28
Tho Campaign of q Vowel.

Since we presented in cold Arabic numer-
ais the statistics of the first personal pro-
noun in one of Mr.. SETH Lows earlier
speeches, that candidate has strained his
syntax and tortured the forms of phrase
ology to avoid as far as possible
the use of the words I, me, my,
and myself. 1t is a case where avoidance
is confession. The consciousness of detec-
ton and the elaborate effort to conceal that
which no art can hide. make a spectacle il
anything more significant than the unre-
strained utterance of the ego.
For although Mr.. Low now shirks the
pronoun me and lodges the pronoun my
self and whips the pronoun I around the
stump in manifest fear that they will be
counted and tabulated, the calculating
egotism that is the most conspicuous trait
Of his character is not the less apparent
in all of his speeches. He proceeds from
hall to hall and from platform to platform
hugging the third vowel under his cloak
and close to his bosom. 1t protrudes, how
ever. 1t Is as much in evidence as the nose
on his face. 1t stands behind every sentence
Of his remarks as printed in the news
papers. 1t fills every corner which his
Wv Soh SoSh ~ BoCo w IudU
the Hon. SETH Low goes. He could no
more escape from it, if he wanted to, than
he could escape from his skin.
Never before, in ancient or modern his
tory, has there been anything like the ex.
hibition of complacent and selfish egotism
which the President of Columbia Univer-
sity is now making to the people of New
York. His appeal for votes, reduced to its
simplest terms, is just this:
"a year ago, according to my truthful
IL sometimes too outspoken friend, WILL
LIAM LYsoNG STRONG, I made up my mind
that election as he first Mayor of the
Greater New York was O desirable deco
ration for my career. Possibly I may
have ideas beyond that. but no matter
at present. My vanity coveted this toy,
and I resolved then to play any part that
might be necessary to enable me to obtain
1t for myself. I was willing to pose as a re-
luctant patriot, or to pose as the bold and
r~esolute leader of a forlorn hope, accord
Ing to circumstances. I was prepared to
stand on any platform that in turn stood
upon the one-legged vowel. I was ready to
represent any set of principles which the
voters could be persuaded to accept as rep
resenting Me. Unifying force, loyal repre-
sentative Of friends few or many, &C.
complished expert in the science of
municipal government, champion of
the idea Of direct nomination by the
people, instrument for the overthrow of
party organization in city politics-any
character was welcome that facilitated my
entrance into the field and involved my re-
naming there. The shifting phases of the
campaign since June, and my aptness in
adapting myself to the varying conditions
OF the situation afford sufficient proof, I
hope, of the sincerity of my desire to be
Mayor.
II want this office. I want it 30 badly
that 1 am willing not only to accommodate
my set of principles and issues to the main
chance, but also to use avail.
able methHd of furthering my ambition. I
have proved this to you. Did I not
consent to profit by q fraudulent list of
voters. stuffed in part with bogus names and
consisting in part Of signatures obtained
under false pretences7 Did I not go 80 far
as to Islander my old friend Gen. TRACY, to
whom 1 was formerly indebted for the
only real qualification in the way of poli.
tics which my vanity had previously pro-
cured2 Am I not up to the ears in deals,
bargains and understandings with all
parties except the party which I
find it most necessary to break down
In order that I may mount, namely,
the Republican party2 1 have been
styled a Republican. Could there be any
better evidence of the absolute sincerity Of
my desire to be Mayor thar this readiness
of mine to stab the Republican party,
to destroy 1t If need be, in order to
win my W election2 Have l hesitated
an instant about jeoparding the tremen-
dous interests of which the Republican
party is the appointed guardians Am 1
allowing those interests to weigh a feath.
er's weight against my personal vanity2 I
stoop to conquer; could any egotist have
stopped lower2
"This ought to convince you, my fellow
citizens, that I an in earnest. Can
you doubt it2 Can you doubt that
when 1 present myself before you this
evening as the only genuine represen-
tative of good government, the only
candidate capable of giving this city
good government, the superior of Gen.
TRACY in intellect, experience, and moral
purpose, the moral and sociological supe.
rior of VAN WICK, a better friend of
the downtrodden than HENRY GEORGE,
a more liberal thinker on the subject OF
beer than any of them, l I'M expressing
the profound and unalterable conviction of
my own mind2
Vote, therefore, for me and my vowel.
1t is a slender, graceful, and perpendicular
vowel, and it means all the world to me-"
The Last Roorback.