The labors of the Platform Committee were ended by the adoption of a platform, which deserves especial attention because it embodies not only a direct attack on the criminal corruption of the Tammany government, but also a bold declaration in favor of positive municipal reform. The platform insists that municipal government should be entirely divorced from party politics. It denounces the dishonesty and extravagance of the existing government, but it adds to all this a demand from the citizens of New York for those public improvements that the citizens of all great European capitals enjoy. It merits publication in full :

"We reiterate the following principles, contained in the 'Address to the People of the city of New York,' heretofore issued:

"Municipal government should be entirely divorced from party politics and from selfish personal ambition or gain

"The economical, honest and business-like management of municipal affairs has nothing to do with questions of National or State politics.

"We do not ask any citizen to give up his party on National or State issues, but to rise above partisanship to the broad plane of citizenship, and to unite in an earnest demand for the nomination and election of fitting candidates, whatever their National party affiliations.

"The government of the city of New York, in the hands of its present administrators, is marked by corruption, inefficiency and extravagance; its municipal departments are not conducted in the interests of the city at large, but for private gain and partisan advantage.

"All classes of citizens, rich and poor alike, suffer under these conditions. This misgovernment endangers the health and morality of the community, and deprives its citizens of the protection of life and property to which they are entitled.

"The call goes to the citizens of New York to face the dangers that confront them, and resolutely to determine that these conditions shall cease, and that the affairs of the city shall henceforth be conducted as a well-ordered, efficient and economical household, in the interests of the health, comfort and safety of the people.

"We denounce as repugnant to the spirit and letter of our institutions. any discriminations among citizens because of race or religious belief.

"We demand that the Public Service of this city be conducted upon a strictly non-partisan basis; that all subordinate appointments and promotions. be based on Civil Service Examinations, and that all examinations, mental and physical, be placed under the control of the Civil Service Commission.

"We demand that the quality of the Public Schools be improved, their capacity enlarged, and proper playgrounds provided, so that every child within the ages required by law shall have admission to the Schools; the health of the children be protected, and that all such modern improvements be introduced as will make our Public Schools the equal of those in any other city in the world.

"We insist that the property already acquired by the city under the Small Parks Act shall be promptly devoted to the purposes of this acquisition, so that

our people in the densely populated parts of our city shall fully enjoy the benefits of such expenditures.

"We urge greater care and thoroughness in the enforcement of the health laws, and demand the establishment of more efficient safeguards against disease. "We favor the establishment of adequate Public Baths and Lavatories for the promotion of cleanliness and increased public comfort at appropriate places throughout the city.

"We demand the adoption of a thorough system of Street Cleaning, which shall also include a proper disposition of the refuse and garbage, so that our harbor may be kept free from obstruction and defilement, and the neighboring shores clear of offal, thus conforming to the methods of other great cities. "We call for increased Rapid Transit facilities in this city.

“We call for the improvement of the Docks and Water Fronts of our great maritime city, so that it shall enjoy the advantages to which it is entitled by its unique position with its unrivaled harbor.

"We heartily favor the separation of Municipal from State and National Elections, and a larger measure of Home Rule for cities.

"We appeal to the people of this city to cast aside party prejudice and to combine with us in a determined effort to elect candidates chosen solely with reference to their ability and integrity, and pledged to conduct the affairs of this city on a strictly non-partisan basis, and who will, as far as may be in their power, insure Good Government to the city of New York.”

The task before the Committee was to nominate a ticket which should adequately represent the principles of this platform; and which would secure the indorsement of all factions, parties and individuals opposed to Tammany rule. It was equally necessary that the character of the candidates should be such as to afford an undoubted guarantee that they would fulfill the promises of the platform and give to the citizens, in its truest sense, a non-partisan business administration of municipal affairs.

Nearly all the political organizations had fixed dates for their nominating conventions. Precipitate action by any one of them might easily have precluded an effective union against Tammany. The Committee's first step, therefore, was to formally request the conventions to adjourn without other action than the naming of conference committees. This was acceded to by the various organizations, and the way was open to conference. The essential thing was that the conference should not degenerate into, or lead to, a mere "deal." Whatever method should be adopted for choosing the candidates, it was requisite that the Seventy should take the initiative and avoid yielding to any sort of dictation from the parties. This was the only course fair to the people, who had demanded non-partisan reform, and at the same time only this course could protect each party from the other and make harmonious action possible. The Executive Committee, therefore, early began the consideration of possible candidates, with a view to naming a ticket that might, on being submitted in conference, be at once acceptable to the organizations.

Conference was had with each of the organizations singly, not to discuss the names of possible candidates, but to learn the attitude of each body to the proposed non-partisan action of the Citizens' Committee. The Republicans of both factions demanded that a Republican should head the ticket. The Good Government Clubs, true to the essential principle of their existence, had no

opinion regarding the politics of candidates, but pledged their support for any ticket the Seventy should name on its own initiative. The anti-Tammany Democrats and the Independent County Organization said their object was the defeat of the ring, and they would support the Committee. The GermanAmerican Reform Union preferred a Democrat, on grounds of expediency, but would accept such a Republican as Mr. Seth Low. The State Democrats argued in conference for a Democrat. Practically, therefore, it was shown by these conferences that the party conferrees were still partisan, and the only course for the Seventy was to reach a decision in the light of all the facts and arguments, and then appeal to a general conference of the organizations and to the people for approval and support.

Time pressed. The Seventy's Executive Committee was uninterruptedly at work, and yet the adjourned conventions were about to reconvene before a Citizens' ticket was chosen. It was determined to present a name for the Mayoralty, and request further conference as to the other offices. The Committee had considered many names, and finally approved six or eight men as suitable candidates. The sole remaining question was regarding their vote-getting qualities. The belief prevailed that advantage must be taken of the tremendous anti-Tammany sentiment created by the Senate investigation, and it was decided that John W. Goff, as peculiarly instrumental in arousing this sentiment, should be the Citizens' candidate for Mayor. And, as Mr. Goff is a Democrat, it was resolved that the remainder of the ticket should be substantially Republican. This report was presented to the general conference of anti-Tammany organizations.

Here, however, it was officially announced that the Republican organization would not accept Mr. Goff, and as that gentleman declined the proffered nomination unless it should preclude the possibility of a straight Republican ticket, it was apparent that a union was not yet effected "entirely outside of party politics." An adjournment of the conference was had, and in the interval the Committee determined that William L. Strong was the next most available man on its list for the Mayoralty. But as Mr. Strong is a Republican, it was manifest that the Committee must itself complete the ticket in a way to demonstrate its non-partisanship, and, if possible, make it acceptable to anti-machine DemoThis was done as follows:

crats.

The reception of this ticket by the organization conferrees was not such as to promise unanimity, but the Citizens' Committee announced itself as prepared to stand by the result of its difficult and honest effort. Should the organizations refuse to unite, the Seventy would appeal to the individual voters for union, irrespective of organization allegiance.

This determination of the Committee of Seventy finally secured the indorsement of all the parties and factions in opposition to Tammany Hall. The campaign was begun with one ticket, constituted so as to leave no doubt of the

non-partisanship of the candidates, who were pledged to maintain the platform which emphasized this principle.

The Executive Committee appointed a Press Committee, constituted as follows:

BERNHEIM, A. C.

PUTNAM, GEORGE HAVEN

SELIGMAN, E. R. A.
SCHWAB, GUSTAV H.

This Committee added to its membership Mr. Joseph B. Gilder, Mr. James B. Reynolds and Mr. A. von Briesen.

The Press Committee found that the press of the city were almost unanimous in support of the Reform Ticket. The labors of the Committee were directed largely, therefore, toward the preparation of material for the press from day to day, which the newspapers were most willing and eager to publish as news matter, and for the publication of which the citizens and the Committee of Seventy were duly grateful. The Committee having decided to appeal to the eyes of the citizens by a graphic portrayal of Tammany corruption, republished two of the most effective cartoons that had been designed by W. A. Rogers for Harper's Weekly, and secured from him the design of a new and original anti-Tammany cartoon (here reproduced) which was posted everywhere conspicuously throughout the city. This aroused anew the growing opposition to the Tammany government.

The position of the Committee of Seventy was stated in a manifesto, prepared by the Press Committee, which was substantially left unanswered. embodied the principles of the platform, and presented an analysis of the fraud and corruption that had been practiced under the Tammany government. here republished:

"The Committee of Seventy arraigns Tammany Hall for what it has done and what it has failed to do for the city of New York. Every accusation made is based on facts, and the Committee challenges Tammany to disprove them.

"FIRST. The Committee of Seventy denounces Tammany Hall, because it is not, in a proper sense, a political body, but a purely personal one, existing solely for selfish and dishonest ends. The Committee charges that the organization of Tammany is despotic; that it is not even representative in form; that its By-Laws clothe the Committee on Organization with absolute power to set aside any vote that the members of Tammany Hall might give at Primary Elections; that these By-Laws provide that:

"The Committee on Organization shall be charged with the consideration of all matters relating to organization of the Democratic Party, the call of Primary Elections, and the conducting of Primary, General, Special and Charter Elections, and shall, in their discretion, have power of revision and substitution of all nominations hereafter made by conventions called by the General

Committee or any District Committee of this Organization, whenever the honor, preservation and integrity of this Organization shall require such action.'

"This Committee on Organization has despotic power to make nominations, and its power is so great that it appoints and elects, through its official agents to office, persons who will do its bidding. Nominations from such an organization, and determined in such a manner, are not nominations by the people. We therefore arraign Tammany Hall for its undemocratic character.

"SECOND. We denounce Tammany Hall because it has appointed to important and responsible offices of the city, men dishonest and criminal. It has, during the past four years, appointed as Police Justice one previously indicted for willful neglect of duty as Excise Commissioner; another as Excise Commissioner, who was indicted for willfully disregarding the law; as Police Justice, an associate of notorious thieves; and as Fire Commissioner, one indicted for murder, from which he escaped only on the plea of insanity.

"THIRD. We denounce Tammany Hall because, under its administration, systematic blackmail and extortion wring from the citizens many millions, and because the expenses of the city government have constantly increased without any corresponding benefit to the community. It has endeavored to conceal this. increase in expenditure by a misleading reduction of the tax rate. We take the following figures from the Comptroller's Report and challenge Tammany Hall to disprove them:

The Tax Levy for 1874 was...
For State Taxes....

For Redemption of City Debt..
For Interest on City Debt....

Available for General Purposes.

The Tax Levy for 1884 was...
For State Taxes....
For Redemption of City Debt.
For Interest on City Debt....

Available for General Purposes.
The Tax Levy for 1894 was....
For State Taxes...

For Redemption of City Debt..
For Interest on City Debt...

Available for General Purposes...

Behind this reduc

"In 1874 the tax rate was 2.29, reduced to 1.79 in 1894. tion of the tax rate Tammany tries to shield the enormous increase of expenditure, claiming that because the rate is lower the tax bills are less. By increasing the value of taxable property from $1,153,795,141 in 1874, to $2,003,332,037 in 1894, it has made many tax bills larger while making the rate lower.

"FOURTH.We denounce Tammany Hall because it has wasted public money by most wasteful and extravagant expenditure of the funds raised by taxation. We charge that the largest increase in expenditure is often accompanied by the greatest inefficiency.

"The Department of Street Cleaning spent in the year 1884, $1,050,000, while