New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-24

Metz Didn't Want IT,
81 told them l didn't want it, SAID
Metz. that wanted to go to EUROPE,
nd that my business interests woulo
not hermit me to take once again
Pint they said they would draft me-
anyway"
.Tt isn't exactly fair" broke In NC
Cooev. who had been doing everything
in his power to get Metz on the ticket.
to demand this sacrifice OF Metz out
he IS willing to make it. They ought
10 have named him for Mayor
!, was reported that Arthur :.
Somers OF Brooklyn, would he CHOSEN
II Metz declined to stand for Con-
,ro,lcr After everything had been
carefully staged John r. Calvin OF the
Beard Of Water Supply, chairman OF
tho committee. opened the meeting
Re made a speech after the manner
of temporary chairmen Of the oldtlme
conventions. To him had been assigned
the task of iaying John Purroy Mitchei
and the fusion movement In general
He struck the keynote of the proceed
ngs and aroused great enthusiasm
when he said in ending;
.! feel sure that in your deibera-
tons to-day YOU will select tried ana
true Democrats, who VIII conduct
dienifed campaign of principle that
viii arouse the enthusiasm of every
,ovaI Democrat. and who. after their
triumphant election. Will conduct the
affairs of this great city along sane
orderly and business fnes-with none
Of the brass band methods OF profess
sional reformers."
Calls Opposition irresponsible
In opening the chairman referred to
the fact that the committee was or
ranjzed in accordance with law ana
was meeting to represent the enrolled
Democrats who had legally elected
them.
The authority you hold from sucn
great body Of your fellow Demo-
Gratis" he added. lis in strong contrast
with the lack Of responsibility with
which the opposition ticket was placed
in the field. The so-called fusion com
mittee of T. self-appointed and self
7nointed patriots was created by six
men, who got together for the specihc
purpose of creating and controlling Il
larger committee, TO select fusion can
6idates. but no one yet knows the
identity of the person who called them
together"
Calvin said he had taken upon him
self the task OF looking up the activl-
ties of the fusion committee, ana mao
found it composed mostly of corpora
ton lawyers, real estate SPECTATORS
political self seekers and perennial
enemies of the Democratic party. lie
went on TO say that the members OF
the fusion city ticket seemed to be all
a, odds on various questions OF public
policy. lie termed Mitchell purely an
opportunist," and added:
His acceptance OF Hearst as his po-
Htical adviser and his willingness to
follow Hearst in the big matters that |
come before the Board Of Estimate,
and his avowed socialistio tendencies |
Rave caused the taxpayers OF the city
to look upon him as dangerous man
20 put into the responsible office OF
Mayor"
The speaker criticised the work OF |
the present fusion administration, and |
said that fusion was only cloak under |
which certain members of II were try |
ing TO get into office for another term. |
Again this cry Of -partisanship,
he said. Many thoughtful citizens be- |
lieve that party administration would |
be infinitely preferable to a mongrel |
administration made UP Of individuals |
responsible to no one but themselves"
Economy, Platform Keynote.
AT the evening session there were |
women in the galleries The first bust |
ness was the presentation Of the plat |
form by James D. Bell, OF Kings, chair |
man Of the committee. 1t was adopted |
as a matter of form.
The platform bases its main appeal
for support on q promise of economy in
administration and declares that fusion
government has been failure. Lower
taxes home rule and subway extension
also occupy a prominent place In the
party's pledge. 1t says;
The bonded debt Of the city should
not be increased, except for the abso-
lutely essential improvements. Every
unnecessary item should be eliminated
from the annual budget The Board
~ Estimate and the Board Of Alder
men are charged by law with the re-
sponsibiIity for the city's current ex-
penditures. Both these bodies during
the last four years were controlled by
fusion majorities. They have increased
the funded debt OF the city by over
$500. 100000.
Responsible party government will
solve our civic problems. spirit OF
eo-operation and sincere desire to
nerve the public interest should be
paramount to selfish personal ambi-
ton"
The platform suggests that new !
sources of revenue be devised 10 lessen |
the tax on real estate Further extern |
sion of vocational training in the public !
schools and wider use Of school build
jnes as social centres is also promised.
The extension Of the high pressure
fire mains and the enforcement OF the