New-York tribune., 1913-07-28
mitchell STIRS Up
RACE FOR MAYORALTY
Wants Fusion Committee to
Examine His Record on
Estimate. Board.
PUBLIC HEARING HIS AIM
Port Collector Asks That His
Rivals Also Be Heard
Members of Bar Indorse
w. F. Schneider.

John Purroy Mitchell Collector of the
/ Port and candidate for the mayoralty,
| wants To go before the fusion committee
and be examined on his record as mem
Der of the Board of Estimate. In let
ter to Chairman Joseph VI. Price of the
executive committee of the Citizens
Municipal Committee, Mr. Mitchell says
his political enemies have been traduc-
ing him in the eyes of the fusionists.
He urges the committee to summon the
other mayoralty candidates either in
dividually or collectively, for similar
examination. Mr.. Mitchell suggests that
the affair be open to the public. His
letter follows
Reports have come 10 me that my rec
ord. views and proposals in respect OF
certain public matters with which have
had TO do while a member of the Board
OF Estimate and Apportionmeut have been
inaccurately stated to some members or
your committee by persons either op-
posed TO me personally or politically or
lacking in adequate information as to
these matters. ! am Informed that these
misstatements have given some members
Of your committee inaccurate and unfair
impressions as TO what my candidacy
would represent were ] nominated
similar misapprehensions as 10 other
candidates for the mayoralty have
doubtless arisen. 1t has been suggested
that il will obviously be impossible IN
the short time available for the various
candidates to be placed In the right light
before those members Of your committee
who have been affected by such unfair
criticisms unless they are given an op-
portunitv Immediately of appearing per-
sonaIIy before your committee and an
swering fully any questions Is 90 such
matters For myself, 1 beg 10 inform
you that ] am not only willing, but I
request to be accorded the opportunity.
! to appear before the fun committee If
possible or at the least before sub
! committee on candidates and the exec
utive committee, 20 discuss any matter
which any member may desire 70
I bring up
81 am willing 10 appear before your
/ committee either at the time at which
| the other candidates are to be heard or
/ separately. and either at a public or an
/ executive session"
/ The Collectors friends say his move
/ will dispe the apparent apathy that has
1 characterized the mayoraty contest and
deal hard blow at all oldtime political
methods. deals" and gum shoe" meth
/ ods. They regard his letter as tor
/ pedo" launched at his critics. Whether
/ the explosion that follows will destroy
! Mr.. Mitchers candidacy or confound his
enemies remains TO be seen, they say.
| Collector Mitchell believes there was no
need for a fusion committee He holds
that the choice for fusion mayoralty
candidate ought to have been left to the
| fusion Board of Estimate-just as a busi-
| ness corporation would select its presi-
dent He said last night he had known
| the fusion committee had been looking
into the records Of the various candidates;
/ therefore he felt they had gathered
! enough material to serve as a basis for
questions they ought to ask the candi-
dates.
The Mitchell boom received some i'm
petus yesterday from the reports that the
real fight for the nomination will be in
/ the Committee of one Hundred and Ten
and not in the Subcommittee. The Col
! lector's friends figure there is a growing
possibility for a deadlock between Dis
trict Attorney Whitman and Borough
! President George McAneny.
Mr Whitman has not returned from his
vacation. The fusonists are therefore
! awaiting his reply TO their inquiry as to
! whether he would serve the entire four
year term if he were elected. Mr.. Nc
/ Anenv and Mr. Mitchell have promised TO
serve the full term.
! Mr. McAneny is preparing his views on
the Progressive platform and may make
them public to-day.
| A movement has been started to get
| both the Progressves and Republicans TO
support George II. Perry as the fusion
candidate for Surrogate Of Kings County
/ Herbert r. Ketcham. the present incum-
| bert Of the office, will be renomnated by
| the Democrats, and strong candidate is
/ needed to defeat him Mr.. Perry is a
Bull Moose. with Republican eanings.
and has many friends in both parties.
! Many members OF the Bar Association
| have indorsed the administration Of
| County Clerk William f. Schneider and
| have publicly pettioned for his renomi-
! nation. Among the petitioners are Ed
ward r. Mccall. Public Service Commits
| sioner: Paul ID. Cravath. William NJ.
| WINS, jr.. Clarence j. Shearn, ]. j. Fitz-
gerald, NJ Linn Bruce William S. Bennett,
| Lewis H. Delafeld. jr., apd Charles A.
Towne.
COST HIM S222 so TO LOSE.