New-York tribune., 1875-11-03
TIWN4tT'S DFFEAT.


The copspicuous feature OF the result ot
Yesterdays election in this city and county is
the defeat of the Tammany ticket for local
officers by very decisive maorites. The sig
ni6cance of this result will be variously inter-
preted. II p,ay be considered as II vote OF
confidence in Recorder Hackctt, an fndorse-
mont of the administration OF District-Attor-
ney Phelps, on approval of the anti-Tammany
combination, O rebuke for Tammany Hail. a
demonstration of the popularity ana power Oh
John Morrissey, q protest against Johh
Kelly's leadership, or an uprising OF Ia
boring men against the reduction OF the
wages of the city's employees. These all
in a preater or less degree entered
into the canvass and doubtless each
affected TO some extent the result. While We
accept il with cheerful philosophy and con-
cratulate ourselves upon the fact that both
parties have been driven by the stress OF
healthy public sentiment to present candidates
for the more important offices who were much
above the average of partisan nominations OF
late years, and that consequently we have at
least escaped in some measure the infliction OF
nOtoriously corrupt and base men in office, we
arc still disposed to think that the honest citi-
Tammany ticket were not wise in their action.
Ii will not he pretended, we presume, that
this is in any sense a Republican victory III
the city and county. The Republicans have
elected their District-AttOrney with the aid OF
antiTammany Democrats, and in return Tor
the assistance rendered by the latter have
given them their county officers and victory
over 1ammany Hall. The whole significance
Of the result lies in the fact of Tammany's
defeat. And now that il is all over there IL
time to sit down and consider whether, upon
the whole, it was a wise thing to do just mt this
time and under existing circumstances to defeat
Tammany Without Mr.. Morrissey and Mr..
HAYES and their following, we presume it will be
conceded the combination against Tammany
could not have succeeded. Had Tammany re-
tained these men in its councils, il would not
have suffered this defeat What thon does the
result signify 10 the Tammany organization
Why, clearly this and this only, that it was a
mistake to expel Mr.. Mor1isscy and his asso-
ciates that by cxpelling them they have lost
the election by retaining them, they might
have gained it. Was this the lesson the honest
Republicans wished to administer to Tam
many Hall when they gave Mr. Moirssey
and his fellows the County ticket IN
exchange for the Office Of District-Attorncy
Here was Tammany Hall trying to purify
itself: to do what the Republicans have made
40 much talk about dong and never done, to
reform from the inside" Straightway, with
the first stop in that direction, the Republicans
make coalition with the men il has kicked
out. march over to them in body, and help
them to rebuko the Reform element in the
Democracy. What encouragement is there for
any sincere effort TO reform and purify politics
and parties if this is to be the end of it
And now what may naturally be expected
from this result! Mr.. Morrissey and his gang
have no further use for the Republicans whom
they have used. They want to get back into
Tammany and TO be restored to positions OF
influence in the party. They are entitled by
this success to demand it. Suppose they sue
ceed. Next year they will be, as they were
last year, acting in opposition to the Repub-
licans. They will have tho reforming element
in Tammany under their feet. The inevitable
result will como sooner or later. Tammany
under control OF corrupt and bad men
will repeat the history OF the Tweed
regime. Perhaps then some 0f the
honest and well meaning Republicans
WHO yesterday supported the anti
Tammany ticket will wonder why Tammany
does not purify itself ard thrust out the cor
rupt men who control it and use it to rob the
taxpayers. VIII they propose it Turn
" lhem out ?" asks TammaDy. "What for
$50 that you Republicans can make trade
with them, aud for one paltly Office give
" tlem everything? Not much. We've tried
a. l.. oI,. Ia, ha npl
natural result TO grow out of yesterdays de-
feat. But we hope the men who have under
taken to purge Tanmauy aud 10 some extent
purify politics will not De discouraged by this
defeat. They have greater reason to be salts
fled with the result than the Republicans who
yesterday fell in behind John MorIissoy and
Jimmy Hayes.