New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-11
CITIZENS TO SET PACE.
TO NAME NAN For MAYOR.
Say Lo12 Can Run If
He Wants To.

The executive committee OF the Citizens
Union will meet on Thursday night of this week
for its preliminary discussion cf the fall carl-
paign. 1t was learned yesterday that R. Fulton
Cutting, president of the Citizens Union organ
ization, has been unof1cialy informed by prom
inent Republicans interested in the fusion move
ment that the Republican organization will as
sumo the same attitude it did two years ago
and allow the Citizens Union to set the pace.
1t learned yesterday. too that Mr.. Cutting
had intimated very clearly to the friends Of
Mayor Low that it should not be assumed that
because the Low administration was meeting
with praise from all sides that Mayor Low
certainly would be renominated. 1t is said that
Mr.. Cutting has told certain OF his former con-
ferrees in the fusion campaign that the supreme
test of candidates was their availability. and
that the bullseye to be aimed at the selec-
tion of the man who could poll a sufficient
number of votes TO win.
The attitude of the leaders in the Republican
county organization is that if Mayor Low
wants a denomination they willing to give
II 10 him. That does not mean. however thai
the men who will be likely to be chosen as the
organizations conferrees in the campaign think
that the Mayor can poll more votes than any
other man that can be selected. It is no secret
among prominent local Republicans that there
is a strong sentiment in favor of choosing
a member of the Republican executive COM
mittee, in referring to the situation yesterday
said to a Tribune reporter:
Mayor Low can have a denomination If he
wants it. He has only to say the word, and 1t
will be all over far selecting the head
Of the ticket is concerned. Moreover, he would,
if reelected. be able to accomplish better re-
suits than any other that could be named
He has a happy faculty of getting along with
the Democratic members Of the Board Of Est-
innate and Apportionment, thus making posi-
BILE the maximum of accomplishment along con-
structive lines It is doubtful If any other man
in the same position would be able to exercise
a like degree of tact. After all that is said. this
fact remains: The fight is going to be a bitter
one. Tammany realizing its danger doubtless
will put up a good ticket
Many perfectly honest and candid men, know
ing the sordidness Of politics, doubt whether the
Mayor would poll the maximum of anti-Tam-
many votes The men who looking for
something and did not get it will be against
his renomina ton. 1t is doubtful about holding
these men by appealing to their consciences.
They might be perfectly conscious that Mayor
Low would make an Incompatible record as
Mayor, but at the time from selfish mo-
tives, they might vote against him, because of
the feeling that they would be able TO drag
Off something if Tammany won.
Therefore il is that President Cutting has a
harder task than he had before There Will be
conferrees who will tell him bluntly that an in
dependent Democrat would be stronger this fall
than independent Republican So far as the
Repu blcan conferrees concerned, they viii
be prepared TO say exactly what they think,
whether II hurts not. They think, and doubt
less will take the ground, that If the Mayor
wants a renomnat ton he is entitled to it"
Just what the executive committee of the
union will talk about on Thursday night is i'm
possible to say The committee itself does not
know. The routine business to he considered
probably will include the issuing of a call for
the city and borough conventions The Repub
lican City Convention is called for Monday,
September 21. The unions convention is likely
he Immediately afteTward
There will be formal discussion Of cam
didates at the meeting on Thursday night.
Probably that subject will remain untouched
until the first conference of the conferrees. In
Brooklyn there still is talk about Justice Gay
nor as a mayoralty candidate, and in Manhat-
tan II is regarded somewhat significant that
some of Mr.. Cuttings friends talking about
District Attorney Jerome a candidate. The
''straws' indicate that Mr.. Cutting and his ad-
visers will insist upoE leaving the question
open until the discussion of availability"
has beer thoroughly thrashed out.