New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-04
DIR. CUTTINGS LETTERS.
Says the Controller Kno1cs 1t Is a
Choice Betreen Good ard EIH.

In his reply to MI CIRCUITS letter justifying
his course in accepting the Tammany nominal
ton for Controller r. Fulton Cutting did not
mlnce matters In plain. unmistakable Ian
grage. his letter, given out yesterday. tells Mr..
Grout that he has proved unequal 70 the sit
uation": that he knew clearly what he was
doing when ne chose T 4mmany against good
government. and that his antagonist 10 Tam
II any Hall. foroiby expressed in 1901, had SEN
sibIy diminished While not calling Mr.. Grout
gutter in that precise term. gutter and
squealer'' represent the sentiment Of the letter,
couched in Mr.. Cuttings most delicate phrase
ology. He tells the Controller that the safe
guarding of the city's finances is as nothing to
the state of utter decentralization which would
follow on d Tammany Mayor. and finally de-
clares that the Citizens Union could never &C
cept Mr.. Grout and his methods. To Mr.. Fornes
he said. CURLY and Enthusiastically. Get Of"
Mr. Grout would not discuss the letter yester-
day. neither would he answer any questions
about his future procedure.
Appended the two letters;
October 8, 1908.
Hon. Edward NJ Grout. No $50 Broadway. City
My Dear Sir: Your letter OF the lst INST.
contains an admirable exposition, IN part, OF
the political principles for which the Cltlzens
Union contends. but this fact causes me onIy
the greater regret that you have proved your
self unequal to the situation Apparently you
nave DlllQeu your eyes 10 Juc uLSdSl4ONo
fects upon the good government movement H.
volved in the election of Tammany Mayor
1t is true Mr.. Croker is no longer here IN tne
body. and that peveTy has been elected rom
Tammany Hall. but Mr.. Nixon has also been
practically elected while Murphy and Tim
Sullivan remain. If an organization dominated
by such men (be it Democratic or RepuDhcaD
be trusted to administer the AFFAIRS or TINS
city. the Citizens Union has no function TO fulhl
The absence OF emphatic 0nt1-I arrTnany al
titude in our candidates would only leave the
voter TO infer that Tammany Hail has been re-
formed by adversely. and might now give the
city q good administration. thus presenting a
choice between two good things. instead OF the
real choice. which is between good and evil
Nobody knows better than YOU do that IL Is a
choice between good and evil. and that clearly
TO bring home to the voter the gulf between
them, you must not only praise the good, but
also denounce the evil.
Nobody knows better than you do that the
hard names which you yourself called Tammany
Hall were, and now, deserved, and that il is
not a question of calling names, but of telling
the truth Indehniteness upon This subject
coupled with the nomination by Tammany Hall.
administrations record and might sacrifice the
head OF the ticket to your personal advantage
Had you been true to the fusion cause vot,
could have answered by letter IN a single SEN
tence.
You say / regard the certain reelection ~
Fornes and yourself with the wellnieh assursd
election OF Mr.. SwanStrOm and Mr. Cron,v-alI''
as nothing for good government" You state
my view cO-rectly-the safeguarding OF the
city's finances is no barrier 70 the demoraliza-
tion of the public service. the restoration ~
the gambler and the blackmaiIer and the Gym
ical indifference to social betterment which
would inevitable follow the election OF a Tam
many Mayor. Murphy is willing to paw the
Continued IN second angel