Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-27
NOT A CANDIDATE
Mayor Gaynor Declines to
Come Out for Governor of
New York.
WOULD RATHER BE MAYOR
However, He Does Not Say What He
Would Do Were Nomination
Thrust Upon Him.

New York, Sept 27.-Mayor Gaynor
issued last night his first formal
statement, saying that he is not a
candidate for the democratic nomina-
tion for governor. Nowhere in the
statement does the mayor say, how
ever, what course he will pursue in
the event the nomination is thrust
upon him. He indicates that he pre-
fers to serve his full term as mayor,
but at the same time he emphasizes
that he feels no moral obligations to
do so.
Letter to DIX.
The statement, dated St. James. L.
l., is in the form of a letter TO John
A. Dix chairman Of the democratic
state committee, and is as follows.
Il have further considered the mat
ter as you requested when you called
on me here with Mr.. Mack last Wednes-
day, but can only reiterate to you that
am not a candidate for nomination
for governor. This must have been
we'll known all along, for have writ
ten It to many people during the last
six months. l am not Influenced in
my course by assertions made here
and there that made an agreement
or compact during the mayoralty cam
paign TO serve out the four years If
elected.
Refused to Make n Pledge.
'T did say OF my own motion, and
at the request of no one, that 1 pur-
posed to devote the next four years to
the service of the city. But this only
started a hue and cry against me that
should make a pledge or compact
to that effect, which 1 refused to do.
And If l had made a pledge, that
could not prevent the voters from
electing me to some other office.
81 am well aware that there are
some large things which governor
could readily do for the city of New
York, by oversight and legitimate in
terference. which the mayor Of that
city cannot do without much time and
difficulty. if at all Among them I
may mention the planning and con-
struction of a comprehensive system
of subways, with a single fare over
the whole system, which, in the dis
cordance or duality of government, or
both. now existing in that city, is a
difficult and protracted matter.
Second Only to Presidency.
Nevertheless my wish to remain as
mayor is such that do not become
a candidate for nominaricn for COVER
nor. May 1 add that as a matter Of
fact, the office of mayor of the city
of New York, considering the power
and the constant occasion for the ex-
ercjse of the highest functions of free !
lodged in it, is seCord TO
no office in this country save one.
MANY tell me and write me that |
in taking this cour,e l give UP my fu-
ture. But l shall not take myself or
my future into consideration. None of
US has future, but only the present |
And If I thought l had a future /
should he content to intrust it 10 the |
people of the city of New York
Wants Progressive Candidate.
"T trust that the convention will |
some one who is not a mere
dealer, in the political commonplaces
and iingles of the last % or 30 years,
but who has kept pace and grown with
The times, and whose absorbing pur-
pose will be to make the government
Of the state in all it's branches, gen.
eral and local, intelligent, honest AMI
decent, and to lift 1t up and make II
IN object lesson to the whole nation.
f to do this he has to be more or less
we will all forgive such
If kept fairly within
he law.
"W. J. Gaynor,
John A. Dix, Esq, chairman, etc"