New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-12
Mitchell Says He Is
Tired of Generalities
Offers to Meet Murphy's
Candidate on Platform
at Tammany Hall

every American has, to meet his SIAN
derer in the open and stand or fall upon
the justice Of his cause"
Mayor Mitchell hurled this challenge
at Judge Hylan. the Tammany- Hearst
candidate for Mayor, in his speech at
the Broadway Casino in Brooklyn last
night. Apparently highly incensed at the
attacks, in generalities, which the Tam
many candidate has made upon him and
his administration, the Mayor caused a
sensation among his hearers when he
called upon his opponent, if he was not
"faker or hypocrite," to come out in
the open and meet the issue face TO
face. To make It specific, the Mayor said
he would meet him Saturday night at
any place Judge Hylan names.
Mayor Mitchell returned to the cam
paign platform last night after five
days absence on account Of the condi-
ton Of his throat He spoke at four
meetings in Brooklyn to large audi
ences-at the Broadway Casino, at
ROYAL Palace Hall, l6 Manhattan Ave-
nue.; at Reggi Hall, 69s Lorimer Street,
and at the New National Hall. PSI
briggs Avenue. His voice was still
weak from overexertion early IN the
campaign, but he raised it TO a fighting
pitch in nis challenge 10 Judge Hylan.
Judge Hylsn Lacks Facts
For want Of real argument" he
said, Judge Hylan has resorted in
every speech to generalities OF the
most fagrant kind He has vaguely
limited az charges that he did not dare
10 make specific. In his first speech
he declared that rottenness end
wrongdoing must not seek 10 hide be
hind the flag He referred in general
terms 70 my administration as "a cor
rupt administration and as "a scanda-
lous administration. Speaking Of me,
he said. he wants the people not to
forget that he mas turned the contro!
of the education of their children over
10 the Rockefeller interests
"He has said that | was fighting TO
obscure from the peoples vision the
Dreamland scandal and the Rockaway
scandal and to prevent TIE exposure OF
further scandals Of which the people
knew moth ing He has limited again
and again at wrong1oing, personal and
Official. He has not dared to specify.
Arguments against such general dec
larations is useless. / have already
shown that. through my action and my
action alone, the award made by the
Supreme Court of this state in the
Dreamland matter was reduced q half
million dollars, and that not cent
has thus far been paid 20 the men VINO
owned the property. | have shown that
| had nothing whatever to do, directly
or indirectly. with the price paid Tor
Rockaway Park have shown that the
Gary, or work. study and play. system:
is an effort 10 assist the children OF
this city and no one else.
Meets Abuse With Facts
az have thus far met abuse with
facts. But, gentlemen. there is limit
TO the Misrepresentation TO whicn
public official should be subject. For
ten years have stood out in the open,
first as Commissioner OF Accounts,
then as President of the Board Of Al.
dernen. and. finally. as Mayor. and
there is not one public act of mine Of
which need be ashamed. ! have
fought and labored for ten years 10
man shall now attempt to blacken my
record by attacking my good name.
81 have had enough, the public has
had enough. Of generalities and innu-
endoes. | now demand that Judge Hy-
Ian either retract these generalities or
come forward with specific accusations
which can be met with facts. If Judge
Hylan knows anything wrong with me
or my administration, it is his plain
duty to stand out in the open and
speak TO the point.
Here on this public platform | now
challenge Judge Hylan TO meet me
in open meeting before the public, in
any place that Judge Hylan may pre-
fer, TO discuss, in the presence of the
public and the press, any phase or any
detail of my administration which
Judge Hylan considers scandalous or
corrupt. will meet Judge Hylan on
the platform Of Tammany Hall or
will meet him in the Academy of
Music. | will meet in Cooper Union
or | will meet him on the river-front.
demand from Judge Hylan the right
that every American has, TO meet his
slanderer in the open and stand or
fall upon the justice of his cause
"lf Judge Hylan can substantiate any
charge of wrongdoing, the people are
entitled TO know it, and am not fit to
be their Mayor.
"lf, after making these charges and
innuendoes, Judge Hylan cannot sub
stantiste them, he is unfit TO be either
candidate or Mayor.
Says Faker Must Hide
This is q time in the affairs of the
nation when Americans are offering up
their lives and their blood TO prove
the sincerity OF their beliefs. This is
time when the faker and the hypocrite
must seek shelter from an aroused pub
lie opinion.
"If Judge Hylan is not a faker, if he
is not a hypocrite, if he really be-
lieves what he says. ! challenge him TO
come forward and meet the issue face
10 face.
"To make ii entirely specific, chal-
lenge him TO meet me on Saturday
night at any place he names. Judge
Hylan announced last night that he
was q disciple of Grover Cleveland. !
now call upon Judge Hylan TO aban-
don his campaign of canned SANDER.
70 fight in the open as Cleveland always
fought, and to follow Cleveland's ad
monition to tell the truth This is
my challenge. call upon Judge Hylan
to take II up"
Cheers for Hillquit
At the meeting at Royal Palace Hall
the Socialists, present in large num-
bers. started a demonstration for Nor
ris Hillquit, their candidate for Mayor,
and the Socialist ticket, when Mayor
Mitchell appeared.
Somebody in tho gallery waved a
red flag, and the cheering and yelling
for Hillquit started with a vengeance.