The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-28
POTTER WON'T Lead
He Prefers to Fight Vice in
the Ranks.
Abram Hewitt BIam's the Mayor For Present
Conditions in New York Committee
Of IS to be Appointed.
(By the ASSOCIATED Press. }


| New York, Nov. PA gathering of
| business men resulted from the call for a
conference at the Chamber of Commerce
today. The features of the meeting were
the practical retirement of Bishop Potter
| from the front rank of the movement an
address by Abram S. Hewitt, in which he
said that the responsibility for the pres
ent condition of affairs in New York city
rested on the MAYOR and the unanimous
adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee of fifteen
be appointed for the purpose of attempt
ing to bring to account those responsible
for the present condition of affairs.
| Bishop Potter, in a letter explaining his
absence from the meeting, wrote as fol-
| lows:
81 shall not be able, owing to trustee
meeting, to attend the meeting OF the
Chamber of Commerce today, nor think,
| ought to add. should l do so if / were
free.
1.-THE aim of such meeting should be,
primarily to unity the forces on the side
of law, decency and the protection of the
weak in this community. But in such an
effort an ecclesiastic is not the best in
strument. His particular Affiliations
make him distinctly not persona grata to
| priests and ministers (and some times
| people) of other communions, wits whom
the odium theologicum is still very ac-
| tive sentiment. The clergy may fifty eX-
ercise the prophetic office of rousing,
warning, entreating, but in social and
political movements. their best service
will be in the ranks. where. as in times
of stress and siege, they may patrol,
mount guard, keep watch, but leave to
others the task of generalship.
GAS to this in the present emergency
| am quite clear. New York wants a
strong committee of three or five trusted
laymen to coordinate forces. sentiment,
purpose; and then, if we can maintain
| the present awakened sense of danger,
the rest will almost accomplish itself"
Charles Stewart Smith presided over
the meeting. Abram S. Hewitt, in the
course of an address. frequently inter-
rupted by applause, said:
1.-THE limit of public abuse has been
reached. Some Of the men on the Tam
many Committee are entitled to our SYM
pathy, but more to our commisseratlon.
If they do their duty they strike fatal
blow at Tammany. and if they do not
they lose their standing in the COM
munity.
"If there had been any sincerity on
Mr.. Cookers part the committee would
never have been appointed The respon-
sibility for the conditions here today be-
longs primarily to the police. In the last
analysis, if things go wrong, the respon-
sibility rests with the mayor
Mr. Hewitt told how he treated i'm
morality when he was mayor.
II sent for Chief of Police Murray" ne
said, land told him that if he could not
close I'D evil resorts to at least cover
them up.
81 told him the places must be closed.
asked Chief Murray if he were rich
man. He said he was worth 100000 and
never had any business but that of police
mar
81 asked him where he got it. He said
he had friends in Wall Street who gave
him opportunities.
'"I had the President of the Police
Board call on me and asked him about
the corruption. He told me to let it alone
I'D only stir up a hornets nest and
blast my political future. He told me
the truth about that.
"Whle | was mayor, for two years, New
York was a respectable city, externally
at least. l had no power but the senu-
ment of the people behind me-
Rev DR.. Paddock, representing Bishop
Potter, said:
81 know of men and women on the
East Side who have gone to the police
with their complaints only to be told to
get out of the district if they did not
like conditions there l know of men and
women who have been driven from their
homes and business by those self same
conditions. They have been threatened
with persecution if they should dare to
come to the pro-cathedral and submit
their complaints. 1 can produce one hun
dred or one thousand witnesses, If their
names be kept from the public until GER
tain beyond doubt that the Tammany
leader has been crushed, for they fear
his tyranny"
The meeting was adjourned to re-as-
semble at the call of the chairman who
will appoint the committee Off fifteen later.