New-York tribune., 1901-05-26
PRAISE FOR UNIONS STAND
SOME CRITICISM. HOWEVER, OF GER
MAN-AMERICANS' PLAN FOR NOM
MATING ASSEABLYNIEN.

lOI iIuHCIpdl REFORM as uTeIy ana efcoufaSiHS.
1t was believed to indicate that a large per-
centage Of the German-American voters would
be found supporting the anti-Tammany ticket
this fall There was expressed hearty approval
/ of the declarations of the German American Re
form Union that candidates for all municipal
offices, including the Mayoralty, should be men
of steadfast character and superior reputation"
that candidates for the Assembly should be OF
the kind and that all the candidates
should be men who owe allegiance to no po-
litical machine"
Members Of important committees of the Citl-
zens Union said they fully believed that the j
leaders among the German Americans In the city |
were in earnest In their opposition to Tammany
Hall. and would be found in complete harmony
with organizations that to make the fight for
honest municipal government in the coming
campaign They approved the resolutions passed
by the German American Reform Union. they
said, with the exception of the statement that
"the union believes that in Republican Assembly
districts Republicans he nominated, and I'm
Democratic Assembly districts Democrats be
named" That statement, some of the Citizens
Union men said. seemed to be inconsistent with
the non partisan character of the resolutions
VIEWS OF MR.. HEWITT.
Abram S. Hewitt said yesterday that he fully
concurred in the propositions laid down in the
resolutions of the German American Reform
Union in regard to the candidate for the
mayoralty, and in regard to candidates for the
assembly. 1T goes without saying, he added,
that If ever to have an honest and
efficient city government it must be placed in
the hands of who will not prefer mere
party advantages to the interests of the munich
pality. There is relation between national
politics and the government OF the city of New
York In the same manner the members of the
assembly ought to be who above mere
partisan considerations in dealing with ques
tons which affect the city. 1t does not matter
in my judgment whether Democrats or Repubi-
elected to municipal offices or to the
Legislature far as the welfare of the city is
concerned. Honest and capable re-
quired. and this is what I understand the Ger
man. American Reform Union desires. l am
in hearty sympathy with them in their Efforts"
Carl Schurz gave his opinion of the resolutions
OF the union. saying II think that those resolu-
tions embody very sound principles, and | deem
1t eminently desirable that all citizens Of New
York who opposed to Tammany misrule as
we'll as to the exploitation of our municipal con-
Germs for selfish purposes by any other political
organization, should unite for common action on
the basis of such principles"
DR.. f. r. L. Gould, one Of the Citizens Union
leaders. said he agreed heartily with the resou-
tions of the German-American Reform Union so
far as they declared for men of high character
as candidates for public office. who would not
allow their offices to be for the benefit of any
political organization. Il think. however" he
said. that the statement that Republicans
should be run candidates for the AS
sembly in Republican districts and Demo |
Gratis in Democratic districts Is premature |
and not entirely in harmony with the rest
or the resolutions The requirement as to
the non-partisan character OF candidates
should N idnta
and Aldermen. 1t is not yet time to talk about
candidates. What should be done now is to per !
feet the union OF all organizations opposed to |
Tammany. Talk about candidates will come
later"
DR.. Gould said 1t might happen that IN some
Of the Assembly districts the forces opposed 10 !
Tammany could not agree on candidates for As
semblymen and Aldermen. and the Citizens
Union, the German American Reform Union |
and other organizations rnight have to run third |
candidates against both the Republican and |
Democratic candidates
Herman Ridder. OF the New Yorker Staats-
Zeitung" said that while It was yet too early |
to discuss the next municipal election he !
thought the time had arrived when the pre- |
liminary work of bringing the anti-Tammany
people together should he well under way. He |
said that the German Americans could be de-
pended upon to do their share of relieving the |
city of its present unrighteousness. He believed
that the meeting Friday night of the German
American Reform Union amply demonstrated
that fact.
THE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT PLAN
When asked TO explain further that section of
the resolutions offered by the union which re- !
lates TO the nomination OF Republicans in Re |
publican Assembly districts and Democrats in |
Democratic Assembly districts Mr.. Ridder said |
we believe that the nominations to the Assem- |
bly, should be made in the same way that CITY |
and county nominations are made; that the re- |
form combination should nominate Republicans |
in the Republican Assembly districts, and that |
in safe Democratic districts they should nomi- |
nate anti-machine or reform Democrats We |
hope that the result of such combination will !
secure a good government for the city The Re- /
publican machine should not he strengthened nv |
throwing TO it safe Democratic districts which |
would be the if the anti-machne Democrats
vote with the Republicans for the Republican
candidates"
Colonel Willis L. Ogden chairman Of the ex
ecutive committee of the Citizens Union of
Brooklyn, in a conversation regarding the deca- |
ration of the union said: Everyone can com |
mend the first section Of the resolutions passed |
at that meeting to the effect that candidates for
the Mayoralty and other Offices should be only |
men of steadfast character and superior reputa-
ton. There should he wise consideration how |
ever, of the suggestions in the resolutions re- |
garding the selection of Assemblymen that in |
Republican Assembly districts Republicans he |
nominated and in Democratic Assembly districts
Democrats be named. If every district ,vas !
divided by a three-quarters vote for one nartv
the other 1t might be feasible, in roa n, |
and the character Of the nominees should detar
mine whom the reputable part of the community |
very desirable part of the community We wal !
come their support most heartily, and believe