The Washington times., 1901-10-06
Circulation Statement
The Fight in New York City.

The Fight in New York City.
The letter of acceptance which the
Hon. Seth Low has addressed to the
several organizations, representing all
political parties and factions in New
York City, which have independently
nominated him for the mayoralty, is
exactly the kind of document that
might have been expected from him.
Mr. Low promises, if elected, to stand
by the people, and to give them an ad-
ministration the main purpose of which
will be TO restore home rule in New
York under an executive chosen by the
legal voters of the city, in the place of
a municipal government despotically
controlled by a political boss personally
irresponsible, and who spends most of
his time abroad. Mr.. Low refers to the
widespread belief in New York that the
police department is in league with
criminals and lawbreakers TO the ad-
vantage of the pockets of the Tammany
ring. and pledges himself to break up
so infamous a system. He advocates
better school facilities, better tenement
house conditions, small parks and play
grounds for the poor, reasonable ap-
plication of sumptuary laws to meet the
cosmopolitan conditions of the metrop-
oils, and he declares against the giving
or selling of public franchises, instead
of leasing them for terms of years, as
they are part of the common wealth.
Mr.. Low is frank enough to acknowl-
edge that everything in the way of
needed reform will perhaps be impossi-
BILE within a short term of two years,
following such wasteful administra-
ton as we now have but he promises
that the resources of the city shall be
utilized for the benefit of the public and
not wasted in salaries for sinecure
placemen. and that the Augean stable
will be cleaned as far as possible.
There is not the least reason for
doubling that Mr.. Low, if elected, will
co or attempt everything he says or
promises with all the force of his intel
ngence, manhood, devotion TO the right,
and ripe experience in the affairs of mu-
of the highest type of American citizen
ship. In Office he would be again, what
ne has been seen to be in the past, an
utterly incorruptlble, fearless, and wise
official. He will give the city thor
oughly good, businesslike administra-
tion, and he viii uproot the last vestige
of Crokerism If that can be done, and
probably ii can be. 1t is certain that
were he Mayor of Greater New York, ne
will be free from the domination of any
political boss. national, State, or local
7 IL ri
who has been nominated by Tammany,
is a worthy man and respected citi-
zen. If the integrity and independence
which have marked his public career so
far be criteria, he would, if elected, en-
deavor TO make his administration clean
and unobjectionable, to the extent of
the power that he might find himself
endowed with But 1t may be assumed,
without any reflection upon the charac-
ter or purposes of Mr. Shepard, that he
would not feel himself al liberty to de-
stroy the organization to which his
nomination and election would be due.
He would of necessity continue Tam
many rule. and all that New York has
come =" understand Tammany rule to
mean,
We must admit, as Mr.. Low does,
that in the short time of two years it
would be futile TO expect that all pres
ent causes of complaint could be re-
moved. There are many things wrong
in New York. which cannot be made
right within such brief period, and
some not at all. This was convincingly
taught during the administration of
Mayor Strong. AS long as the rem
nant of the old puritanicaI spirit is suf
ficiently powerful to prevent scientific
regulation Of vice. vice win exist in its
present fiasrancy in centres of popula-
ton like New York, Boston, Philadel-
phia. and Chicago. and continually fur
nish corrupt municipal officials with
the temptation to levy blackmail and
the facilities for collecting it. While
human nature is what 1T is there will
be vice in large cities. 1t cannot be
eradicated. and until it can be saneIy
regulated it will be rampant under any
sort of municipal government.
The question now presented to the
voters of New York, is whether they
prefer a government with Seth Low at
the head of it, free from the influence
of Tammany, and pledged to undertake
the task Of civic reform outlined in his
letter of acceptance, or a Tammany
government, headed by Mr.. Shepard,
who would owe his position to Tam
many alone.