New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
HIS PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE,

Far be it from me. by any act of mine TO
exclude him from any honor power. But
good faith with the people Of all these boroughs
requires that l say that If l be elected Mayor T
shall, If ! live and preserve my reason remain
Mayor until the S1st day OF December. 1908. and
that shall not before then take upon myself
any nomination or duty inconsistent with the
completest dedication Of all my energy and
strength to the interests OF the people OF this
city until the very last day OF the year 1903
lApplause.
Fellow citizens. have already detained YOU
too long. But there some things which 7
must say, and say plainly. before 1 take nv
seat l renew what In my speech Of acceptan nee
l said by way of condemnation OF sumptuary
legislation and the enforcement of that foolish
and futile mass OF misdemeanor statutes with
which Republican legislation at Albany has
afflicted us. I said that, because am a Demo
crat through and through. believe in personal
liberty. Applause
II have my own feelings-and they are strong
as to what Is right and seemly for me to do
and what is right for me to enforce upon others
by expressions Of my opinion in those family or
religious. or charitable associations where my
personal influence may be exercised. But T prO-
foundly dtstrust the ability of government to
alter the tastes or reform the habits OF its cftt
zens, and / peremptorily regret its efforts 10 do
So lApplause.l In cosmopolitan city like our
own there should be the largest degree OF fnno-
cent liberty consistent with public order
II agree with the prelates and other hunanf-
tarians who have wished to see, within reason
able hours and reasonable areas, on Sunday a
liberty Of social meeting. which. when the rights
and customs OF all others are respected. is IN no
way Inconsistent. is proved In many of the
greatest cities OF the world, with the highest
standard OF public order and decency. APP
plause
Il believe the public schools TO be one Of the
chiefest cares Of the Mayor. When he shall have
made sure that the police and all other effective
means for the preservation OF order and the ad-
ministration OF Justice within his control are
strength to the provision to the utterrnost limit
possible of financial prudence of a seat In the
free schools OF the city for every child who de-
sires to attend them lapplausel. not a seat for a
portion of school day. but a seat for the en-
tire school day. and in a schooroom fifty venti-
lated and ftly lighted and under the auspices of
a teacher the independence and dignity of
whose position should be sacredIy observed.
when this Democratic nomination was first
suggested TO me I insisted that. before IL was
further considered, nothing that had said or
done in public affairs should be overlooked
said tnat If the nomination should come to me,
L should assume that 1t came to me because of
what | had said and what had done. and be-
cause 1t was believed that would infexibly ad-
here to the ideals of public administration which
] had formerly expressed. II is with that un-
derstanding that you have nominated me.
NO GUTTER" HE DECLARED.
"It is with that understanding that you have
not sought from me any pledge of any deScrip-
tion whatsoever, except such statements of policy
Gar different from pledges as TO appointments
or removals from office) as should make openly
in the face of the whole people. l know the
masses of Tammany Hall we'll enough, for they
are like other masses of American men, TO know
that they do not admire man who is a quit
ter" know that you came to me because you
believed that was no "quitter." Nor shall be-
come one tApplause.1 What have been.
and shall remain.
Il know very we'll that the great masses of the
Democrats, whether In Tammany Hall or out of
IL, whatever may be the wishes. real or imag1-
nary. of leaders here or there. indulge in no
sanctimonious or foolish assertion of impossible
perfection. but peremptorily wish that the ad-
ministration of this city government. whatever
IT has been In the past shall be made better. and
that In every future year Ii shall be made better
than 1T shall have been in the preceding year.
However agreeable II might be to some TO
hear me say 1t, the masses OF Democrats,