Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-09-04
SETH LOW ACCEPTS
Nomination for Mayoralty Of
Greater New York.
Of Course He Doesn't Want It, But
Can't Resist Temptation.
Northeast Harbor All Pulled Up Over the
Honor Of the Event.

Northeast Harbor. Sept. 3-President
Seth Low of Columbia University, to-
day accepted the nomination of the
Citizens Union as candidate for mayor
of Greater New York. He was officially
notified of his nomination at his cottage
here, by J. c. Clark, special messen-
ger of the Citizens Union, just before
IL o'clock. There was no ceremony at
tending the affair. Mr.. Clark simply
said:
"Mr. Low: have the honor on behalf
of the Citizens Union, to tender you
the nomination for Greater New York ;"
He then read the letter of notification
from the Union. to which Mr.. Low
listened attentively. The letter reads
as follows:
New York. Sept. l. 1897.
Hon. Seth Low. Northeast Harbor Me:
Dear Sir-in accordance with the
wishes of n large body of voters of the
city of New York who desire that the
chief magistrate of the city may be free
from all partisan obligations and who
seek to obtain the principle embodied in
the constitutional provisions separating
national and state from local elections
dress of the constitutional convention,
that the business affairs of our great
municipal corporation may be managed
upon their own merits, uncontrolled by
national and state politics. we have the
honor In behalf of these voters number
ing upwards of l27.Vo and including resi-
dents of all the boroughs comprising the
city. to tender you the nomination Of
mayor of the city of New York
Very respectfully.
I
OF the Boroughs Of Manhattan.
When the reading was finished Pres
ident Low said:
Mr.. Clark: l am deeply moved by the
papers you have just read to me.
realize the solemnity of the call that
is made upon me. and my decision has
been reached not lightly or thought
lessly, but soberly and in fear of God.
BY way of reply l have prepared a
statement to the public which will be
followed in few days by a formal
letter of acceptance.
President Low then read the follow
.ng document.
AS soon as | can, | shall prepare q
letter formally accepting the nomina-
tion for mayor of New York offered ME
by the Citizens Union. acting on behalf
Of it's own membership of 25.00o citizens
and also on behalf of 1o2. 900 other citi-
zens, who without regard to party
affiliations. have expressed. over their
own signatures. the desire that / should
he nominated and elected.
I'm my view, the nomination has thus
been virtually already made by the
people. No patriot. under such circum
stances, could decline to stand, unless
lie were prepared to discourage, even
in local matters, all spontaneous move
nents by the people outside of the linn
tations of party.
There seems to be an important at
taching to the order of nomination at
this juncture on the part of those APP
parently inclined to be controlled by
his expression of the popular desire.
hat personally, / fail fully to under
stand. What seems to me vital is that
hose who nominate me should under
stand my position in the campaign and
he spirit in which / shall administer
The government of the city in the event
# election. On these points. my letter
to the Citizens Union of June !. sup
plies most of the information that is
necessary. What is lacking ! shall try
to supply in my formal letter accepting
this proffered nomination.
Political campaigns are, in this re-
spect. like real battles. They are seldom
ought out on the plans originally laid
1own. The situation with which / am
called upon to deal is essentially differ
mt from that which contemplated in
81.
changed conditions and all who are
oncerned must make their choice in
he presence of conditions as they are,
not as they may wish they We're.
Il am not 50 vain as to believe that
he unprecedented expression of popu-
ar confidence on which my candidacy
IS based, and for which l am more
grateful than 1 am able to say, is in
my overwhelming sense a personal tri
pute only. / think it rather means that
he people of the city as they contem-
1late all that is at stake, are deeply
moved by the desire that, when the
sreat city begins its new career it shall
10 SO with a mandate from the voters
% the officials of the city that the well
fare of the city, not of any party, is to
De their first concern.
For that principal / am known to
stand; for it shall stand be my friends
few or many Because The Citizens
Union stands for this principle, and be-
,ause l am in sympathy with its gem
eral purposes. I shall gladly accept it's
nomination, and l shall welcome all
support from any quarter that recog-
l1ZeS the position that l occupy"
The final sentence of President Lows |
statements ended the formality Of pre-
'entation and acceptance of the nom- |
nation. The entire proceedings occu-
oied only a short time and at the close |
resident Low announced that he would |
prepare and make public his letter of |
by the middle of next week |
Messenger Clark left on his return to |
New York, this afternoon.