The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-10
'7JSLAW AGAINST CORRUPTION
,oW ASKS IF WE'LL GO BACK 70
ORGANIZED LAWLESSNESS.
Genuine Fusion Never Yet beaten. He Tells
the Notiners-Reviews Ills Administers.
tion In His Letter OF Acceptance and
Challenges Comparison With 1t.

Nayor Low sent his acceptance to the
Republican and fusion notification COM
mittees Yesterday afternoon in a letter
which, in small type, would occupy little
less than three columns of The sun. Tho
letter reviews conditions under Tammany--
organized lawlessness," the Mayor calls
tbem-and contrasts these with the state
Of things initiated by his administration.
at is often pointed OUT" he says, shat
Tammany has never been beaten twice in
succession, but it must not be forgotten
that no fusion has ever before outlived q
single term. Neither has any genuine
fusion ever been beaten. 1t is our antag-
onists, therefore, and not we. who have to
confront the unusual situation"
OF the general change in conditions he
writes
The SYSTEM which pervaded the entire
Administration In greater or less degree. has
sSp re% S''t Blaokma and that mercenary
spirit which breeds dishonesty in the public
service have ceased to be part OF the govern
mental system. Is the city willing to chance
the snake has now been scotched: or will 1t
make assurance doubly sure by continuing
in power those who have so far successfully
This administration, however. has no need
to rest its case simply on evils abated. 1t
iearlessly cha lenEes comparison for efficiency.
department by department, with the adj
mnistration it displaced.
Summarizing the work Of his administra-
ton, Mayor Low then dwells on these
results:
The Law Department has changed deficit
Of Sl4o0o0 year to profit Of 340O.0OO
The, Police, Department has improved In
discipline and efficiency.
Tho Water Department. has increased the
income from water rates by g.. 0O0. 600 q year.
and has stopped the waste Of water in Man
haitian to the extent Of 1000. 900 gallons q
The Street Cleaning Department has kept
up the standard set and has made improve
ments, notably in the cleaning Of Brooklyn
streets and utilizing waste.
The parks have been well kept and small
parks have been opened with free hand.
The Charities Department has improved
and has established hospital for con-
sumptyes.
The Department of Correction has finished
under Tammany. has renovated its old build
Harris Island
Of its it's supplies and cut down the total loss s0 Of
sSsl6 365 from fires in 1901 to so, 99S, 562 In
1907? If such efficiency is maintained, the
Mayor thinks that insurance rates will de-
crease.
The Department Of Bridges has pushed the
Williamsburg bridge to completion and has
perfected plans for, the Blackwell's Island
and Manhattan bridges.
The Dock Depart thent has reduced expenses
and increased its income. has improved the
North River front, has secured u munich
which the city may. condemn land under
or his predecessor paid. plus the cost Of
fhe Department Of Education has made
Il certain that "the school accommodations
Of the city will be more nearly abreast OF
the demand than ever before in genera
The lrs.,th Department has cut down
the death rate Of 20 n thousand in 1901 to
MONTHS Of 1908 ndcae rate at OF. OF only MY f of
this year, i has stamped out SMALLPOX
hs srh0q aoase department. has
insisted upon obedience to the law, in the
erection OF new buildings and has done all
that was possible in correcting abuses in old
buildings.
Of Comptroller Grout the Mayor writes
this
The Comptroller. in his department. has
made brilliant contribution to the success OF
Comptroller. had allied himself with Tam
have wish To change it word % Of m
shall at any time belittle the value to the city
OF the services of the Comptroller during the
permits to no man the opportunity for un-
tramelled service such as he has heretofore
been able to give.
THE large increase in the city's borrow
ing capacity" he says, has also enabled
the Borough Presidents to build public
baths and public comfort stations. The
Board Of Estimate has been completely
under the control of fusion members, but
1t has de alt much more generously with the
boroughs under the control OF Tammany
presidents than these boroughs were dealt
with by the previous Tammany admins
tration.' As to finances:
The city was received from the hands Of
Tammany with q borrowing capacity Of
ns1ssse of he '4S ss'f S orss Il s
On the other hand. the tity had been COM
mitted fully Or partiai1lYSoto d p1ollS improve
creasing the water, mains. for dock con-
sructon for street pa ddv,nG ior Local I'm, I'M
took too hold Of this problem uraceously and
found solution rs Of t in the both e It's
raises by taxation this year o,eo0.0 900 less
than it raised last year. and it is now also in q
position to provide for its current growth
and to carry forward its great public works
without embarrassment. Incidentally. the
assessment of real estate at full value has
done more than any other possible thing to
remove the inequalities OF assessment ana
Of fus so ~ RIM, r The .admlnistra-
ton may fairly claim that in dealing. with
the finances OF the city 1t has cOntribu
beyond computation TO the present and
future welfare Of the city.
If men fear that these policies are likely TO
result in extravaganza, as some say, tho
citizens can easily avert this DANCE by keep
Ing the administration OF the CITY IN me
nerccnary spirit which breeds dishonesty
in the public service.
This administration. also. has stood stoutly
in defence Of the public interest IN every
result the total income Of the city from rail-
road franchises has been increased during
these two years by so per cent
Finally the Mayor says:
The last two years have been a period Of
great development in the transportation
facilities of the city. and, at every point.
this administration has secured better terms
for tho city than 1t has eyer been able to , Sc g
the public interests have been thus carefully
guarded the great corporations have been
dealt with so fairly that more than s75 900 900
are about to be spent in the city by such
port0ton facilities.
The fusion demand now. as in the last
campaign, H. " for, government OF law, as
dstin gushed from the inequalities the favor
b.ackmail; l2) for a government in the interest
Of the public treasury. as against govern
mNat dominated by that mercenary spirit
that breeds dishonesty In the public service;
Interest Of its own citizens as against gov
eminent that IL swayed this way or that
by the supposed interests OF national pol
tics
plosa ,hia lot ar ,rit IA no su o. IN that