The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-25
MAYOR WEAVER HERE FOR AID
CONFERS WITH ELIHU ROOT on
AGGRESSIVE MEASURES.
MIR. Root Going to Philadelphia on Monday
to Tackle tho Injunction sutts-1he
Mayor Has Up HIS sleeve Several Sur
prises That Arc Legally Feasibls.


Mayor Has Up His sleeve Several Sur
prises That Arc Legally Feasible.
John Weaver. Philadelphia Sunday
school superintendent Mayor, came over
to New York yesterday afternoon to got
advice from his counsel, Elihu Root. With
Mayor Weaver came James Gay Gordon.
who has been the Mayors legal adviser IN
Philadelphia. They spent an hour and
half in talking to Mr. Root, and then went
back to Philadelphia on the 1855 p. NJ. train.
They said that a comprehensive plan OF
action had been agreed upon and that Mr.
Root would appear on Monday for Mr..
Weaver in the initial proceedings in the legal
fight there to see whether the Mayor Is the
real head Of the city government or not.
Mayor Weaver landed in New York at
twenty-five minutes past O'Clock. With
him and Mr.. Gordon was former District
Attorney George s, Graham. The Mayor
said that Mr.. Graham had not come along
with him Intentionally, but that they had
met on the train and journeyed together
because they were good friends. Mr.
Graham left Mayor Weaver and Mr.. Cor
don at Broadway and Wall street and went
uptown. The Mayor and his counsel
walked down to Nassau street. up to Cedar
| street and entered the door Of the Mutual
Life Building at SIS Cedar street. This en-
trance is the most indirect possible by
which Mr.. Roots Office may be reached
it is necessary to change elevators to get to
the fourteenth floor where Mr.. Roots
rooms are.
Walking over from the ferry Mr.. Weaver
said to q reporter who had pickle him up:
ave are here to consult with Mr.. Root.
We are in hard fight; it is SO hard that
have been surprised repeatedly at the OBJ
stinacy and the boldness Of the opposition.
But am in it to fight to finish. There
will be no surrender. The question is
whether or not Philadelphia shall have
its public affairs ruled by the man who has
been elected to direct them, or whether
that man shall be mere corporate tool.
I'VE have to win. The city cannot be
beaten in fight like this, although 1t IL
possible for the brute force of those who
are trying to plumber the city to make some
Roadway against US at the start. For
tunately the lines have been publicly drawn
and there is no opportunity. as matters
stand now, to disguise them. The people
are reused to an intense degree and are
on the watch to put every man in the class
In which he belongs. No one could ever
have believed that the opposition would
ever be as insensible to popular indigna-
ton and as greedy in the face Of public
disapproval as it has been. But this much
is certain nothing they can do will force
those of us who are on the city's side to
change our present attitude
Mr.. Weaver was asked whether his visit
to New York was due to fear that he
= lt-A,.
factory interview with Mr.. Root in Phila-
delphia, as matter now stands He smiled
the question of.
After the Mayor and Mr. Gordon had
gone into Mr.. Roots Office. which II with
his former partners, Winthrop and Shmson,
they we're completely lost. Inquirers were
told that Mr.. Root was not in, that Mayor
Weaver and Mr.. Gordon had gone out.
There arc five different sets Of elevators
in the Mutual Life Building, and no one
who did not know could dare say that these
statements were not true. At half past
six o'clock Mr.. Root came out OF an office
on his own floor, but at some distance
from those which bear his name on the
door. He said.
Il have been in consultation for an hour
and half or so with Mayor Weaver OF
anu ms COullScl' cuNiSC NoaeoAA~
We have talked over the situation in which
the Mayor finds himself in regard to the
gas lease and also in regard to the injuno-
ton issued to prevent his removal OF certain
ofticeholIers. We formed pretty definite
plan of procedure, which l will not now
discuss"
A few minutes later Mayor Weaver and
Mr.. Gordon were found in corridor OF the
Z I. raN M
They talked freely enough when they found
that they had missed the 7:20 train to Phila-
delphia and had lots OF time.
Mayor Weaver showed telegram from
LYMAN Abbott congratulating him on hD
leadership of the fight against corporate
graft and brazen plundering and said that
it was but one of hundreds of similar tele-
grams he had received from the friends
of clean municipal government all over
the country. Besides the ethical aspect
of the present Philadelphia fight. he said
there was the legal aspect. This was so
important that when he realized how many
close and delicate points were 10 be raised
by the army of eminent lawyers whom his
enemies in Philadelphia had raised up
against him he had asked Elihu Root to be
his counsel He had hoped for a week
that Mr.. Root would ne able 10 Ret over TO
Philadelphia. Mr., Root had been alto
gether too busy to make the trip and at
last, confronted with the emergency caused
by the injunctions forbidding the removals
of the department heads who were work.
ing with the dominant organizations, he
determined to get over here and see Mr..
Root as soon as possible, so that no step
might be taken hereafter without the guild
ance Of the former War Secretary,
Mr.. Gordon said: AS result OF the
Mayors consultation with Mr. Root 1t has
been determined that Mr. Root will appear
in Philadelphia on Monday. will appear
with him, as willthe representatives Of sew
eral of the civic bodies, some Of which will,
I believe, be represented by New York
counsel. Tho injunction proceedings raise
the issues in the present fight squarely
against one another for the first time.
From now out the fight will be fight in
the courts, and every step will be legal.
We have gone into the matter far enough,
think, not only to have anticipated every
move that the other side may make, but to
ha ready to act appressiyely,