The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-23
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A PUGILIST'S PLATFORM
JOHN l.. SULLIVAN A CANDID ATE
FOR MAYOR OF BOSTON.
His Declaration of PrincipIes-The @
"Big Fellow" Would Try to In
augurnte Many Reforms.

BOSTON, Aug. 22-John L. Sullivan,
whose candidacy for mayor of Boston was
announced a few days ago, has established
a press bureau and is conducting a literary
campaign In his first official statement
John L., after noting the interest which his
candidacy has evoked says:
Il suppose that no statesman in the United
States is as well able as 1 am to stand pat
merely on his own record. 1 draw q
crowd any day by merely putting my face
out of a door, and it is no display
egotism if I say that I got tired long ago
of having crowds run after me and cheer
me.
by that 1 don't mean to disparage the
admiration of the American people. l shall
always appreciate that.
But, as Mr.. Quincy would say, it begins
to pail on me. and l am blase. That last
word is French. learned it while 1 was
training at Boulogne. 1t means that you
have had enough of thing
Now about being mayor. What are my
qualifications? L shall try to make that
part short for l think 1 have friends
enough to speak for me- But l can truth
fully say what follows, and not seem i'm
modest, each word being well known to one
and all.
when 1 come to making speeches I'll
have no trouble in making myself heard. L
can talk to 5000 people out of one corner
of my MOUTH did it often in London
and l never yet saw a crowd that made it
necessary for me to use my whole voice.
Oratory is largely d matter of lung power.
and L do not think my rivals would have
any easy time.
What is more, when it comes to speak
ing III be saved the trouble of Interrupt
ti0ns. III announce that after the speech
I'll give a private interview to all inter
rupters. I'll impress my audience.
If 1 am ever mayor of Boston, or any
other town, does anybody think there would
hn ilAarx wr~i+b 1rV, r~1%1xr
man ever said he could bribe John L. SUI
Ivan, and the alderman that tried to get
anything past me would be an ambulance
case, no matter what dude critics might
4 would make evil doing in office a real
terror. | would put in the best men | could
find. and would select men with a record
for honesty and brains. 1 could size up
applicants for office pretty easily, too,
IF | ask a man if he is on the level, and
look him straight in the eye, he is pretty
sure to come out with the truth. 1 would
that l would bar dudes, Chinese, Dagoes
and all unfit men generally.
Il would hear everybody's complaint and
90 the best 1 could to set things right but
l would discourage chronic l1ickers.
81 believe in one American citizen letting
another enjoy life in his own way, and I'd
have no use for the crank that won't let
another man drink because he is not
thirsty Liberty is my motto; each one to
get his fun in his own way, without both
ering others.
''I'1 be a marked exception and not say
n,
sure the American people will thank me
for that. However let me mention that if
any silver dollars come my way I'll not
turn 'em down. / have no race prejudice
about dollars, either.
II believe in the policemen doing their
duty and at the same time demanding and
getting the respect that is due them. The
police do not have as good a time as many
people think. 1t is no fun handling all the
drunken man thinks he is right, and a po-
hceman must be saint not to lose his
ia pay the fremen better. I'd find
places for small children to play. I'm no
Socialist-I've handled million dollars in
my time-but it makes me tired to see a
city spending millions on paths for horse
back and bicycle riders and hollering an
archy if any man asks for land that chill
If you want to stop the growth Of
thieves. treat poor little children right.
interest in them. and don't let them grow
up with a feeling that the world is down
ANY man that drives away a boy for
PLAYING baseball on Sunday or any other
day. I'd just chase block or two myself
to show him how il feels.
I'D try TO do something for poor women
that have to earn a living. For instance,
If a man came to me for permission to
build a street-car line I'd say to him: VIII
YOU give passes to poor washerwomen and
sewing girls and all women that can prove
they are poor and live deCently?'
IF he said yes I'd let him build his road
and I'd like TO see him get rich on it, If he
said no. Id turn him down.
Everybody talks - especially ignorant
dudes afraid of the dark-about how TO
stop vice in big cities. The way TO keep
women out of trouble is not to drive them
to il. Any man who doubts that half a
chance for an honest living would keep our
women strPdght has a poor opinion of
American girls. and he ought TO be kicked.
"Tf am ever mayor OF Boston my motto
will be: Treat the poor right. Give the un-
der dog chance. Tax the man that can
afford 10 paw. Help the poor women and
girls that Will be mothers Of the next crop
Of citizens. Scare the thieves. Do every
thing in the open.
a man chosen by his fellow-citizens to
protect their interests ought 10 be proud
as the captain Of ship in charge of pas
sengers and ought to ask for nothing but
the glory OF it,"