The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-08-26


the sixth OF the kind made on
prominent Americans while oc-
cupying public office.
Presidents Lincoln. Garfield and Nc
Kinley we're victims OF assassins, as
were the elder Carter H. Harrison
while mayor OF Chicago and Governor
William Il. Goebel OF Kentucky. An
unsuccessful plot was laid to STAY
James II. Peabody while go, ernor of
Colorado, and Frank Steunenberg was
gubernatorial chair.
Gaynor Born on Farm.
Mayor Gaynor's career was that of
n farmer boy who rose by sheer force
and ambition to an enviable position
at the bar, on the bench and In poll
tics. His success as an executive was
marked I'm the comparatively short
time he ruled New York before James
j. Gallagher threw the nation into ex-
element by shooting the Gotham
mayor on the deck of the German
liner
Mayor Gaynor started his political
career early on the basis of the old
fashioned town meeting, and on the
efficiency Of that factor In the system
OF popular government he based his
confidence all through his career right
up to his election as mayor of New
York. during his campaign for which
he repeatedly said to his audiences In
Brooklyn
why should l answer the lies they
tell about me-tell about me to you
my neighbors, who know meT
First Purifies Flatbush.
He found himself as young man, a
countryman from up state, in the old
town of Flatbush, where corruption
ruled and forty saloons did business
with only one license. He went to his
neighbors and so far worked upon
their feelings for righteousness sake
a generation before Mr.. Roosevelt had
made the phrase from the Bible popu-
lar with voters-that they supported
him I'm a successful effort to down the
old Flatbush political ring and force
He moved to Brooklyn and found
there the old Hugh Mclaughlin ma
chine mulcting the city by the ancient
and present method of selling to the
municipality private property at an
exorbitant price-$1. 100000 for wa
ter supply plant which the ring mem-
bers had purchased for 1885,, 0O0-and
appealing to the people, his neighbors,
against ring which had been regard
ed as all powerful he beat the ring
through the popular suffrage.
He found John Y. McKane doing at
Coney Island what he had seen done
In Flatbush and in Brooklyn, and, de-
nounCing him IN appeals TO the public,
he beat him at the polls and sent him
and sixteen of his followers to Jail
At the time of the Columbian Cele-
bration he found more bands charged
for than could be got together in New
York and Brooklyn. He published the
knowledge of the graft and challenged
the bills that were presented, but the
ring, still powerful, got bill through
the legislature authorizing the payment
of the eXorbitant claims. Gaynor went
TO the governor and got the bill vetoed
Serves on Bench.
He declined office on several occa-
sions after some of these successes,
but ran for justice Of the supreme
court after the Mclaughlin machine
had been started on the run, and his
triumphant election with the Brooklyn
city ticket led to the final overthrow OF
that machine.
While on the bench he continued hts
political activities both as citizen and
magistrate. not hesitating to appeal to
the popular attention even against the
practices Of his fellow justices, al
though not attacking them personally.
He set forth that 1t was on the ground
or popular rights that he interviewed to
protect George Duffy from the police
In the imbrogllo which resulted in
Mayor McClellan's dismissal OF Police
Commissioner Bingham, and within 4
few months he was nominated for
mayor of New York
Upon resigninS as supreme court JUS
dce to qualify himself to run he said;
81 had thought TO pass my life in my
present exalted office, but man pro-
poses and God disposes, and / am con-
tent. | must now resign in order to be
eligible under the constitution to re-
ceive votes for mayor. | hope l shall
never regret 1t, for am acting solely
from sense Of duty"
Appeals to People.
Since his election as mayor, address
ing the larger community either d.
rectly or through letters to subordl-
mates or by his own physical acts, he
has appealed to the people at large ex-
actly as he had done earlier albeit he
could scarcely command the direct
medium of his old fashioned town
meeting.
"Nagging at me does no good; come
and help me. My job Is not easy" he