Evening star., 1905-11-04

F1hNO1S FSCLElLhNANp xSE@0aDLNi NOSohshA
ly politics. 1t was while he was engaged
in chronicling the doings of the politicians
that he formed acquaintanceships with va
rious politicians, which led to his selection
as treasurer for the Brooklyn bridge. Like
many another newspaper man, he simply
graduated into politics without any special
effort on his own part. and politics mas
been the field of his activities ever since
He was put In his first political position
sixteen years ago. From time to time dur
ing this period he has known some pretty
bitter enemies. but not even the most V1ru-
lent have ever questioned Mr.. McClellan's
personal honesty. Mr.. Mcclellan admits
that he is regular" and adds that he be
lieves In organization. AS for his enemies
assertions that he is subservient to the will
of the Organization" his friends point to
various OF his acts as mayor which, they
say, indicate he possesses VIII of his own.
Mr. Mcclellan was doing the financial
district for his paper when he was told of
his appointment to the treasurership of the
New York and Brooklyn bridge. The news
was a decided surprise to him; three years
later his surprise was even greater when.
called into the presence of Richard Croker.
that far-known leader of Tammany said to
him.
II am going to have you nominated for
president OF the board of aldermen
He was not only nominated; he was
elected by the largest majority of any can
didate on the ticket, and when Mayor Gill
roy left the city for the first time after
taking office Mr.. Mcclellan, at twenty
eight, found himself the youngest acting
mayor New York ever had. The record is
still his. and ten years later he became the
youngest mayor the city has had In many
a year. In the interim occurred his various
terms as representative in Congress; In
fact, since his appointment as treasurer of
the New York and Brooklyn bridge he has
held office continually, all except the first
being elective.
No one denies that Mcclellan has fire.
quently been materially helped in his polit-
ical career by reason of the wide circle of
friends and acquaintances that his distin-
guished father enjoyed; the mayor him
self would be the last person to make such
a disclaimer. Especially have his fathers
army friends and the soldiers that fought
under him done yeomens work for the sec
ond Little Mac" Many G. A r. men at
the mayoralty election two years ago, it Is
said, voted for a democrat for the first
time in their lives.
Not only that-never a day passes that
some time-beaten veteran who fought under
Mcclellan in the peninsular campaign or at
to pay his respects to the son of the old
leader
Like his father. the mayor delights in be-
ing in the open as much as his duties will
permit.
His favorite form of physical recreation
is the good old-fashioned one of walking.
Every morning, when the weather is good,
he walks from his residence on Washing
ton square to the city hall, about mile
and a half. and when the days work is
over he walks back again, frequently TAX
ing roundabout way, that he may be out
longer. He is good walker and can swing
over the ground at a four-mile clip with
out apparently exerting himself in the least.
On Saturday afternoons it is the mayors
custom to slip out of town for over Sunday,
and large part of the time that he is away
Is spent in bicycling. About a month ago
he went to Princeton, and in the morning
did siXty-eight miles over the roads that
became famous to him during his college
days, which came to an end with his grad
uation nineteen years ago last summer
The mayor is a devotee OF the bicycle for
two reasons-it appeals to him as being a
good means of exercise, and by using It
hard and often he manages to keep down
his avoirdupois, which has shown q de-
cided tendency to increase in spite of the
worry incident to being the executive head
for over 100000 people.
Although Mr.. Mcclellan owns an automo-
ism to be his own chauffeur at times, he
has not conceived so ardent a passion for
the machine to lead him to talk of ii
TO the exclusion of the weather and all the
other topics of polite and natural conver-
sation. When he goes out in his automo-
bile he is usually accompanied by Mrs Nc
Clellan.
1t is while he is taking his recreation
that the youthful look for which the
mayor has been locally remarked is evil
dent in all It's boyishness. Then the tension
OF muscles. caused by official care. departs
from his face, and despite the fact that his
hair has become half gray within the last
two years, he looks more the budding
young man than the staid mayor of the
metropolis.
But when he gets in his bicycling cos
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., sweater and can
his general appearance is actually boyish
One day last summer, while he was blew
cling in Long Branch. he overheard this
dialogue as he passed two men standing
at street corner:
Who's the kid on the wheel you lust
nodded TOP?
You dub. don't you know that's the
mayor Of New York;"
So much for the unofficial Mcclellan:
perhaps the official Mcclellan is best seen
IN one OF the various board meetings over
which 1t is necessary for the mayor of
New York to preside with alarming fire.
auency.