New-York tribune., 1907-11-25
BOSTON CAMPAIGN HOT.
MAYORS DOOM SOUNDED.
Everything Points to the Election of
Postmaster Hubbard.

Boston Nov "a (SpeciaD.-QuietIy, but none the
less effectually. opposition has been developing
against the reelection of Mayor John F. Fitzgerald
for another term the opposition coming only
from the other parties but from within the ranks
of his own party as well. While il is hard to pre-
dict at this time just what the outcome will be
election day. the opinion is freely expressed that
Fitzgerald will be defeated. and by a plurality
greater than ever Democratic mayoraIty candi-
date was defeated by in this city. His doom was
sounded at the state election when Governor Guild
pOed such heavy plurality in Boston, which is
Democratic stronghold and has never figured In
Republican estimates of their probable vote.
The most significant fact of the whole campaign
since the election is the official tabulation.
which shows that more than fourteen thousand
Democrats refused to vote for Fitzserad's nomina-
tion I'm the city primaries. The total Democratic
vote S. 400 Fitzgerald received 215S votes. and
a. 300 Democratic BLANKS cast COulthurst re-
ceived 500 votes. This makes 15lOO votes to tally
against the Mayor, besides the Republican vote
which makes more than enough to carry the city
for Hbbard the Republican nominee. There were
43 out Of CouIthursts total who had scratched out
Fitzgerad's name to write in Coulthursts Fitz-
gerald ran behind the winning Democratic alder
manic candidate in every precinct.
Fitzgerald now bames Henry NJ Whitney for
the great defeat sustained by the Democrats In
Boston at the state election The latter has made
answer, but his answer will be made at the
polls week from tomorrow. prominent hehh-
ber of NTorans compalgn committee also tntimates
election day with all the strength of his large foi-
lowing.
There has been none of the blare OF trumpets,
burning of red fire and procession of automobiles
from ward to ward in a cloud of dust that marked
Fitzgeralds first campaign for the mayoralty- lie
has been kept busy explaining charges made oy the
Republicans and Independence Leaguers OF ex-
travagance and alleged graft in the two years OF
his administration just closing On top OF All
these and on the of election comes the re-
port of the commission appointed to investigate
into the condition Of the cty's finances and OF
the handling of the city's funds This report mis-
an entire newspaper page of seven columns ana
tells in great detail how the city IS bled by con-
tractors 1t sharply criticses the Fitzgerald ad-
mnstration and gives it black eye which viii
not have lost its color before election day.
The finance commissions report has created
sensation. but more OF sensation than the
revelations which have come to light from day
to day. witness after witness has been placed
on the stand and examined 1t shows how the
hands of department heads tied by the Mayor
assuming control of all contracts, with resultant
heavy loss to the city and complete decentralization
of the city's executive business. Two cases OF
contractors. the celebrated coal contract of
Alderman Woods and the Deer Island contract of
Representative Linehan. are to be given TO the
District Attorney for action
Ten recommendations made by the commits
sion for the future chief OF which existing
laws regarding municipal construction work should
be strengthened amended. 1t IS also recon-
mended that no percentage contracts should be
made except in cases Of peculiar difficulty. and
that heads OF departments should be protected
from demands of the city council or members or
the Legislature. While the report Is lonss tt IS
not radical 1t does not compare in strength with
the New York insurance investigation report and
to the minds of many does not go far enough
either in its arraignment of the city administration
or in its recommendations In a word, 1t is con-
sldered too mild though in sense n whitewash
With such man as Governor Hughes District
Attorney Folk to dig into the criminal phases OF
II, however, wonders could be done with the evil
dence obtained. 1t remains to be seen how Moran
viii deal with it and the man who has declared
himself responsible for the entire administration
of the citys affalrs-John +. Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald in his address promised to lay before
the public the legislative record OF Postmaster
Hibbard as the 'heuchman of Senator Lodge
but so far has failed to make good mis- promise
with anything definite. His latest proposition is
public service commission legally empowered
10 handle utilities problems. and particularly to
deal with the Boston elevated company. He wants
the power over Boston street railways taken from
the Railroad Commission which. he thinks. has
more than enough to handle now, and control or
the telephone and telegraph companies within the
city taken from the Highway Commission, and SINH
lar arrangements for control Of the gas and cleo
trc corporations taken from the present state
mission. He has attacked the Hart administration
has endeavored to enlist Morans support by prom
ising in return support for the latters governor
ship candidacy, and has appealed to city employees
might prove a potent argument for votes were 1t
for the fact that hundreds have been laid off
from time TO time 10 meet some political exigency
when the scarchlght of publicity has played too
strongly on department These men are tired
of being hired and fred to keep Fitzgeralds
ship trimmed for all favorable winds.
On the other hand. Postmaster Hibbard has been
Saving wood" While not making a great -four
ish. he has spoken IN nearly every ward at rallies
and has got right down to business in his speeches
He has been enthusiastically received and has
gone down among the people" He has met them
with outstretched hand and genial greeting not
dsdaining to shake hands with the lowliest of his
auditors. He has declared in his speeches that
he the harness of party and his admin
istration, II he is elected. will be a nou-partisan
He declares that he will select the best men
obtainable TO ill the offices over which he has
appontive power, and he Will cut down all the
useless expenses which have piled up under years
of Democratic msrule
Perhaps the best summary of the platform on
which Hibbard stands is contained in his state
ment of caucus expenses filed with the city clerk:
Nothing received. nothing paid. nothing prom
ised"
While the Good Government Association has not
come out I'm favor of Hibbard 1t has condemned
Fitzgerald and four of its strongest leaders have
united to support the Republican candidate. They
are Dr. Morton F. Prince. Louis Brandes William !
II. Slocum and John Shepard With Samuel r.
Capen. Guy Murche. George b. Upham and James
w. Austin. they organized a campaign suhscrption
committee solicit funds to help the work OF
electing Hibbard. W. Prentiss Parker is rounding
up the younger voters for Hibbard A large num-
Der of young Democrats who have been alienatetk
from the Fitzgerald standard say they will vote
for Hbbard. The Couthurst fight bv the Inde
pendence League will take many more of the
Democratic element.
CITY NEWS IN BRIEF.
George Bland. tho baggage man who was ar
rested on Saturday. charged with stealing articles
from bag shipped on a New York. New Haven &