New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-26
Independent Movement on
Foot Which May Hurt
FuSiOnistS' Plans
PETITION SIGNED
BY 1000 MERCHANTS
Leader Attacks Mayor and
His Cabinet for
WaStefulneSS

An Independent movement which may
prove TO be an uncomfortable factor for
the fusionists in the forthcoming mu-
nicipal campaign has been launched in
the organization of the so-called "Busl-
ness Mems League of the City of New
York" While the movement has been
going forward quietly for several weeks,
it was not announced until yesterday.
following n meeting of the executive
committee of the new organization, held
at the Engineers Club, 80 West For
tieth Street. Saturday night. 1t was
said that the organizers, prior TO the
meeting of the executive committee, had
enrolled the names Of 1000 business
men OF the city.
The slogan of the organization is "a
business man for Mayor" and a thor
ough business administration. A petit
ton is being circulated attacking the
Mitchell administration as extravaganza
and unbusinesslke. A Committee Of
100" representative of the five bor-
oughs of the city, was selected Satur-
day. Joseph Yeska. a clothing manu-
facturer. of 725 Broadway. was made
permanent chairman of the committee.
Mr. Yeska declared yesterday that the
new organization was behind mo one
man or one party or one interest"
The other officers Of the committee
Hogan e. Son. iron and steel, 1927 Pa
cifc Street. Brooklyn, and treasurer,
Carl Hoffbauer, OF Hoffbauer e. Co.,
silk manufacturers, of West Twenty
second Street
1000 Signed This Petition
Tho petition" which the executive
committee announced already had 1000
signatures, follows:
1--WE. the undersigned business men
in the City of New York. believe that
the time has arrived when hard BUSH
ness sense and sound practice are much
more needed in the government of New
York than fanciful theories.
eve believe that the affairs of this
city involve business Of such magnitude
that no man except one trained in mod
ern business is fully fitted TO cope
with it.
1--WE believe that government is pure
ly business proposition and the City
Of New York is simply gigantic stock
company in which every citizen is a
stakeholder.
"The Board OF Estimate and Appor-
tionment of the city is the board of di-
Iectors of the business. The Mayor is
the general manager and the commits
siOners arc his staff Of department SUI
perintendents.
Therefore, in order that business eX-
perlence. business integrity and BUSH
ness common sense may insure a re-
Guction of the present exceedingly bur-
Gensome taxation. we subscribe to the
principle that the next Mayor OF New
York shall be a business man.
Want a Business Administration
Referring to the purposes of the
league yesterday, Chairman Yeska said 4:
THE time has come. in our opinion.
for business administration of city
affairs. No business man dares 10
promise that which he knows he can
not perform. No business man, for
instance, could afford TO purchase a
site for a new building to cost s10,-
100000, and then allow that property
to remain unimproved year after year,
with an interest charge Of $500, 900 each
year piling mp against it. / give this
illustration of our courthouse purchase
as an example of our wastefulness in
city affairs. Such extravaganza in mu-
nicipal government would be tolerated
in no business house on the face Of the
earth. Bankruptcy would be certain.
Eve have made a careful canvass OF
citizens of New York who have the in
terests of our city at heart, and they
agree with us that the time has come
for business administration of our
city affairs by business men, and we
are certain that the chief executive
ought to be a business man"
Some of the Signers
Among the signers of the leagues pc