ðɪ ɪŋkˈʌmbənt mˈeɪɚ, tˈiː. sˈɛmz wˈɔlmsli, wʌz bˈækt baɪ ðə ɹˈɛɡjʊlɚ dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən, ɐ pˈaʊɚfəl pəlˈɪɾɪkəl məʃˈiːn wˌɪtʃ hæd dˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd ðə sˈɪɾi fɔːɹ dˈɛkeɪdz, æz wˈɛl æz baɪ ðə wˈɛlθi ɹˈɛzᵻdənts ʌvðə sˈɪɾiz ˌʌptaʊn nˈeɪbɚhˌʊd.
The incumbent mayor, T. Semmes Walmsley, was backed by the Regular Democratic Organization, a powerful political machine which had dominated the city for decades, as well as by the wealthy residents of the city's Uptown neighborhood.