The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-10-08

| confirmation from the tone of Greeley's
| speeches on the stump. You see with what
alacrity he adopted the New York Suns
and how readily he endorsed and multiplied
the wicked fable of j. S. Pike about the inn
| proper use of money in the Maine election.
| The result of that election maddened Greeley
and when he gets into one of his desperate
| fits of passion he is apt to say very wild
things He must have been in a towering
rage, when he could venture to accuse the
people Of Maine of selling their votes. The
only wonder is that he so far controlled him
self as to avoid the outburst of profanity with
which he is wont in private circles to relieve
his feelings.
1t is this ungovsrnable temper which es-
pecially disqualifies Mr.. Greeley for Execu-
tive office. And when, to such an infirmity
you add the amazing credulity of which a
man must be possessed, when he can believe,
or even pretend to believe that whole State
has been influenced by bribery, or that doz-
en.of the most reputable statesmen of our
time have bartered their influence for shares
in Railway Corporation, you have reason
enough, apart from all political considera-
tions to deprecate his election.
The new leaders of Tammany Hall in cast
ing about for reputable figure-head for their
county ticket, have hit upon Mr.. VIM. Butler
Duncan, of the clearinghouse of Duncan,
Sherman & Co., as their candidate for mayor.
The great trouble is that Mr.. Duncan is alto
gether too aristocratic to suit the rank and
file of the Democracy, while his anfecedents
are not such as to commend him either to the
class of voters who stood by the country dur
waged war upon the old "Ring," in the days
of its ascendancy. He was never identified
with the loyal sentiment of the country, and
never gave any sign of disapproval of the
shocking misdeeds of Tweed and his gang.
Within sixty days of the exposures which
brought that banditti to bay, he was in per-
sonal fellowship with the chiefs of the Ring,
in the directory of the Viaduct Railway. 1t
may, indeed, be said in extenuation of this
latter fault, that several other gentlemen of
unexceptionable standing were associated
with him in that notable organization, but
the fact remains that the thing was prodi-
gicus mistake, and served the purpose for a
time of mitigating the odium in which the
''Ring" was held by decent citizens.
When the great reform meeting of Septem-
Der 1871 was held to take measures for the
publication of our municipal abuses, Mr..
Duncan and his firm were invited to give it
the sanction of their names. They CURLY
refused. OF course, under these circumstan-
ces, it can hardly be expected that Mr.. Dun
can can secure the Reform influence. Con-
sequently he is not at all likely to be for
midable candidate.
Mr.. Havemeyer is just now the most con-
spicuous object of the preferences of the Re-
formers. He is sturdy old Knicksrbocker
of German descent, and filled the office
creditably some 20 years ago when stealing
was comparatively unknown. He is a Grant
and Dix Democrat, and MORALLY offended
the coalitionists by calling them the junk-shop
party. He has a hearty contempt for such
combinations as the one Mr.. Greeley repre-
sents, and is perfectly frank in avowing it.
The Tammany Democracy would be glad to
unite on Havemeyer for the sake of beating
O'Brien but his opposition to Greeley renders
such course impossible. The Republicans
could support him with perfect consistency,
and it he should be the nominee of that party,
with the aid of the Committee of 70 and the
Apollo Hall Democrats he would prove for
midable competitor of O'Brien and leave
Duncan far behind in the race. .
O'Brien will run in any event. He seems
to be invested with some mysterious ability
to command votes, independently of organic
ations or combinations. 1t is stated on good
authority that at least two of the most promi-
nent Representatives in our Congressional
delegation-men who have hitherto held seats
almost by prescriptive right-reeognizing the
power Of this young chief have besought him
to permit their reelection promising in return
for his great influence all the service they can
possibly render him. He is such terror to
the magnates of Tammany that they have
kept standing Committee at work for weeks
endeavoring to weed their local committees
his adherents. All sorts of stories are cir
culated as to the sources whence he expects to
derive the funds necessary to carry on his
campaign. One of them is that Commodore
Vanderbit's unlimited purse is at his disposal
Certain it is that the legitimate expenses of
city election are very heavy. There
are some 400 polling places. At
every one of these booth
must be erected and at least three men en-
ployed at $40 per head to distribute tickets.
Then there are OUTLAWS for printing tickets,
circulars, handbills, &C., for public meetings
for advertising, and various incidental
charges. $4,000 is moderate estimate of
the cost of running mayor. The term of
the Office is two years, and the salary $4,000
year. So you see a man who runs as an
independent candidate must make a pecun-
larry sacrifice, if he means to administer his
trust honestly
1t is natural in view of these facts that
people should express surprise at the peril
haclty with which Mr.. O'Brien, who is adj
mitted by his nearest friends to be Door
man, adheres to his purpose of canvassing
ior the mayoralty Even those who remem-
per most gratefully his fearless exposure ofthe
frauds OF the Ring shrink from placing him
IN statlon the patronage and mower of
which would expose him to dangerous tenn
tations.
Altogether, our municipal election nrom-
Uses to be highly exciting one. 1t viii he
difficult to concentrate all the Reformatorv
elements upon one candidate and in TRAN,
gular contest, the chances of O'Briens sue
cess are Enthusiastically great.
Perhaps the pending State election may
change the aspect of affairs. Should the
States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana