Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-10
FUSION UNITY.
Much Interest in New York
Mayora|ty Campaign.
Good Prospects Of Another Term fol
Low.
Present Administration is Best the City
Ever Had.

months Off the pubic is showing I'M
precedented interest in everything that
appertains to it. This is the state of
affairs highly pleasing to the Fusion
leaders, who regard it as one of the
most favorable signs for the mainte-
nance of reform government.
1t is an axiom of the local politicians
that Tammany's chances of success in
an election are best when the voters
are apathetic. Accepting this as true
and it agrees with the results of
their own observations-the Fusion
leaders say that Tammany this year
may prepare for another defeat, for in
scarcely any quarter is there evidence
of apathy. On the contrary, the dis
cussion of campaign issues and candi-
dates is general-an unusual thing in
midsummer outside a Presidential year.
Andrew j. Boulton, one of the Citi-
zen's Union leaders in Brooklyn, COM
menting on this fact yesterday, said it
augured well for the Fusion ticket. He
looks confidently for another Tammany
defeat.
Mr.. Bolton is not worried about the
differences Of opinion among anti
Tammany leaders on the question of
Mayor Lows denomination. He says
discussion of that and other ques-
tons at this time will have a whole
some effect,
To the question whether he favored
the denomination of the Mayor, Mr..
Bolton replied:
Il am a member of the Citizens
Union, and the Citizens Union is for
Mayor Lows denomination if he de-
sires it. 1 agree with other members
of our organization that Mayor Low
has given a splendid administration,
and Is entitled to a denomination.
am not sure, however, that he cares for
one or would accept it.
Il don't mind saying" added Mr..
Bolton, that personally l believe an
independent Democrat would be a
stronger candidate this year. l believe
the nomination of such man for May
or would bring many additional Demo-
cratic votes to our ticket"
Are you alone in the Citizens Union
in holding that view?"
mo: 1 don't think am
District Attorney Jerome yesterday
was questioned whether he regarded
Mayor Low as the logical candidate of
the Fusion forces this year. He replied
with another question.
What do you mean by the logical
candidate?" he asked.
well, let us say the strongest candi-
date" suggested the reporter. do you
think he is our strongest candidate?"
The Dictrict Attorney said it was
difficult to draw comparison when
there was no other candidate in the
field.
zone thing is certain" he said.
Mayor Low has given US the best ad-
ministration this city ever had, not
excepting even the administrations of
Mayors Hewitt and Havemeyer."
He said that, while he did not agree
always with Mayor Low, it was not a
question of personal likes or dislikes.
You or l may think a man weak or
| timid," said he. 1.-The real question is,
What has he accomplished? He should
be judged by the results
Mr.. Jerome said it was to be hoped
| the Fusion ticket would win this year
| if only to belle the tradition that re-
form never succeeds itself If the hun
cry Tammany horde could be kept out
4 Ill lIlc COiu loI dllotIlCl WV yCtti -, iiC
said. this superstition would be swept
| away and friends of good government
| would work with better courage in
future campaigns.
Speaking again of Mayor Lows adj
| ministration, Mr.. Jerome said it had
| had it's weak points, even it's rotten
ones but as a whole it had been so far
| above anything the city ever had be-
| fore that the weak points were almost
| lost sight of in the presence of it's many
| good ones. In discussing Mayor Low S
| availability, Mr.. Jerome said the May
| or's record as votegetter should not
be forgotten.
| Low" he said, sis a great vote-get-
| ter. That was demonstrated every
| time he ran for office and he has been
candidate four times"
| In the opinion of John De Witt War
ner the question whether Mayor Low OF
an independent Democrat would be the
| stronger candidate must wait for an
| answer until the issues of the campaign
have shaped themselves. He declined
to venture an answer yesterday. OF
the situation generally, he said:
ri believe there are no facts which
| justify either 1amnany or uSion II
being confident, except as a result OF
putting up the best ticket that can be
named, on the most popular platform
that can be framed. l do not recall {
municipal election when so large 6
proportion of those whom l meet, an6
| who assume themselves naturally anG
/ definitely as belonging to one or the
other side, are so avowedly on the
fence
Both as to prospects and the mos
eligible candidates no man can say
/ much until the issues are defined better
than they now seem to be. Of course
as the head of the Fusion administra
ton. there are obvious reasons for re-
| nominating Mayor Low. but the voters
l are not 1ikely to decide this election
by etiquette, and I doubt if the con
i vention will do so.
I'm my opinion, the voters nowaday
are interested most in the extent t,
which the city shall conserve and con
troll it's franchises, or let them be seizet
nv the subway elevated combine tina
has been planning this for years an,
working openly toward it for ST,
months past with prominent allies il
4 both Fusion and Tammany camps l