New-York tribune., 1907-09-04

makes II known that all other Republicans men
toned for the nomination will now withdraw
This insures hts nomination by reclamation by
the Republican City Convention next Saturday
STATEMENT ANNOUNCING CANDIDACY.
Mr Burton will run for the mayoralty on
platform practically of his own making IN his
statement he binds the convention 10 favor i'm
mediate settlement OF the street railway contro-
versy and TO declare against domination by the
street railway interests The statement follows:
I will accept the nomination for Mayor of the
city Of Cleveland provided assurance is given:
First-That the platform of the party and
those who are TO be its candidates viii clearly
show the absence of any alliance or ANIMATION
with any public service corporation street ran
way or other, and that the problem OF the re-
latons OF the municipality to these companies
can under my leadership, be settled by the OF
nCials elected with supreme regard LOT lle III
eecons-That the delegates in the convention
next Saturday will cooperate with me IN noIhl-
mating a good representative ticket In this con-
dtion l desire TO express myself with reference
TO the caucus next Thursday. There Is an uh-
usual degree OF competition in many "a[dS AoI
the selection of councilmen and delegates.
sincerely hope that the respective contests VIII
be conducted with decorum and with no se'H-
bance anywhere OF disorder or fraud
II is nv understanding that others whose
names have been mentioned for the mayoralty
1oroi1aticn have kindly consented to waive their
claims in case my name is prevented to the He-
publican convention.
citation OF the friendliness which has been as
plaved for me by petitions. letters and In other
ways and with a feeling that the step "h''ii
I am king is a duty.
have received letters from President Roose-
Welt and Secretary Taft. and have talked dea Wle9
Secretary Garfield. whose opinions nave dlueu
me in reaching a decision At an early GATE the
views of each of them may be made pubic
ISSUES IN THE CONTEST.
The resulting contest for the mayoralty is
certain N be spectacular In the extreme The all
absorbing issue, the Democrats say, viii be the
threecent fare on the street railroads OF CIeve-
land The Republicans intend though. to bring
to the front the enormous increase IN the
,,unIcjnaI debt since Mr. Johnson has been
Nravor with what they declare TO be no ma
terial benefit to the city resulting therefrom
They will produce figures TO show that if the
nresent plans of the Johnson administration are
carried out this debt now approximating about
s30O00OOO. will be doubled within the next five
years The city already. the State Supreme
Court has decided, has exceeded its debt limit
and the Republican orators will ask the voters
the pertinent question whether 1t is not now
time TO call a halt and have conservative
business administration
RIVALS AT POLLS FOUR TIMES.
This will make the fourth time that Mr.. Bur-
ton and Mr.. Johnson have been rivals at the
polls and the Republicans augur well for next
November from the fact that in two out Of three
of the contests already decided Mr. Burton has
been the victor.
He was elected to the 51st Congress over Mr..
Johnson by majority of 616 but defeated
for reelection by a majority of $3.50. He did
not run for the SD Congress. but returned to
the 54th by the emphatic majority of 4.7OS over
Mr.. Johnson. He has remained in Washington
as the representative of the 2lst Ohio district
ever since, gaining national prominence as the
chairman of the House Rivers and Harbors
Committee. Such has been his growing popular
ity in Cleveland that in the last two Congress
sional elections the Democrats. upon the ad-
vice of Mayor Johnson himself have refused to
name candidate against him.
The fear the Democrats have for Mr.. Burton
is shown best by the attitude of the City Hall
officials since the movement for his nomina-
ton gained formative shape week ago. They
declared for publication that he needed
in Congress, and his friends should not allow
him to imperil his political future in
test purely municipal They even held out TO
him the prospect of becoming United States
Senator by a coalition of the anti-Foraker and
anti-Dick Republicans. Some prominent Demo-
Gratis who know him well. it is said even went
to him personally with these arguments, but it
has proved of no avail
RESOLUTIONS BY REPUBLICANS.
The Republicans for many months have been
irving to unite on a candidate for the mayoralty.
The leaders could find but Mr.. Burton
who was satisfactory TO all factions. but he
repeatedly refused to run. Finally. last Tues
dav it was decided to let him hear from the
public and within two days the Republican
clubs in eleven out of the twenty-six wards of
the city had passed resolutions appealing to him
Continued second page.