"  And  at  this  day,  and  with  my  record  before  you,  I  trust  it  is
unnecessary  for  me  to  pledge  to  you  my  most  earnest  endeavors
to  bring  about  this  result  ;  and  if  elected  to  the  position  for  which
you  have  nominated  me,  I  shall  do  my  whole  duty  to  the  party,
but  none  the  less,  I  hope,  to  the  citizens  of  Buffalo."

The  canvass  was,  as  he  anticipated,  "  bitter  and
determined,"  but  it  was  soon  discovered  to  be  some-
thing more  than  a  mere  party  struggle.  The  Re-
publicans of  Buffalo  had  no  thought  of  changing
their  relations  to  their  great  national  organization,
but  a  very  large  number  of  them  could  not  be  per-
suaded that  the  abuses  spoken  of  in  Mr.  Cleveland's
letter  of  acceptance  were  a  correct  expression  of
Republicanism.  They  therefore  voted  for  the
Democratic  nominee,  and  he  was  elected  by  a  major-
ity of  three  thousand  five  hundred  over  his  com-
petitor. Many  of  even  those  who  voted  against  him
were  well  satisfied  with  the  result,  while  more  were
disposed  to  watch  him  with  lynx-eyed  jealousy  and
see  if  he  really  meant  anything  by  his  promises  of  re-
form. On  the  whole,  they  did  not  believe  it  would
all  amount  to  anything  more  than  the  ordinary  bait
in  every  political  platform  trap  that  is  set  to  catch
voters.  They  had  been  too  sharp  to  be  caught,  they
said  to  themselves,  and  so  they  were  prepared  to  be
the  more  deeply  and  permanently  influenced  by  the
fact  that  Mayor  Cleveland  kept  his  word.
CHAPTER    VIII.
The  Mayor 's  Reform  Message — The  First  Veto —
Skirmishing — The  Great  Fight  Over  the  Sewer —
The  Street-Cleaning  Contract — Minor  Vetoes — The
Semi- Centennial  of  Buffalo.
