The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-23
Governor TiIden's Canal Message-A
CommOtton In state Politics.

which somebody will be hurt" The press
of both parties is full of it, We rejoice to see
that through the whole length of the State
from Long Island to Lake Erie the Governor
is Endorsed and applauded, though with vary
ing degrees of warmth The Canal Ring is
struck with CONSERVATION, its leaders de-
nouncing the Governor, impugning his mo-
tyes and holding confidential consultations
TO concoct plans for thwarting him. The
purpose of their visit to this city on Saturday
was an alliance, offensive and defensive, with
! Mayor Wickham and the Tammany magnates
on the Joint basis of resisting the Governors
canal policy and of carrying the city
measures which Tammany desires and the
Governor obstructs. They should have seen,
without the trouble of a journey and consul
tation, that such bargain is impracticable.
The fact that they attempted it indicates the
stress of the situation and shows to what
straits they are reduced by the explosion of
Governor Tildens bomb in their camp.
The members of the Canal Ring have short
memories. They seem to have forgotten John
Kelly's denunciation of the Canal Ring just
before the meeting Of the Democratic State
Convention last fall. Mr. Tilden was Kelly's
candidate, and the fierce anathemas which the
Tammany chief launched against Mr.. Til
denis opponents in Western New York, brand
! ing them as the allies of the corrupt Canal
Ring inhamed animosities and led to an angry
struggle in the Syracuse Convention. The
victory won by Tildens friends in that strug
gle, the triumphant majority by which he was
nominated and his surprising victory over
General Dix in the election made it apparent
that Tilden is q tough customer to
quarrel with. Nobody was more impressed
with this view than shrewd John Kelly.
When he found that Tilden would have been
elected without the democratic majority IN
this city Kelly saw that Tilden was indie
pendent of Tammany, and could afford to
pursue any line of policy he might select
without abjectly counting the city democracy.
This was more than Tammany had bargained
| for. It wished to nominate Tlden and to
elect him but it expected the city vote to be
the controlling element in the contest, and
that the Governor would recognize his de-
pendence on that branch of the party. When,
for the first time in twenty years, democratic
Governor was elected by majority SO over
whelming that he might have dispensed with
the city vote, Mr.. Kelly saw, with prompt
sagacty, that Tammany had no peculiar hold
on the new Governor, who was emancipated
from the influence of any local clique
Governor Tilden's confident reliance on
his rural supporters is the key to the
cavalier manner in which he has treated
Mayor Wickham and the claims of the
city democracy to home rule. But, al
though he has dissatisfied the home rulers,
they dare not come to rupture with him.
When, therefore, the members of the Canal
Ring came down to the city on Saturday to
arrange bargain with Mayor Wickham and
Tamnany for opposing the policy of the
Governor, they met with no encouragement
The Tammany chiefs are too sensible that
Governor Tilden has the whiphand, and that
he s'means business in his onslaught against
the Canal Ring. Had Tammany consented to
enter into coalition to oppose him the oppo-
siton would have been futile, because the
republicans of the Legislature would have
supported the Governor, in the hope Of split
ting the democratic party, and he would win
an easy triumph in spite of coalition be.
tween Tammany and the Canal Ring. More
over, if Tammany had unwarily consented to
such bargain, it could have gained
nothing for, although home rule
might have been carried through the
Legislature, the exasperated Governor
would veto it, and they would be no better off
IN the end. Tammany will therefore stand
by the Governor in his attack on the Canal
Ring hoping to win from him by Cancellation
what they could not extort by an aggressive
attitude. Mr.. Kellys Infatuated assault on
the Canal Ring in the autumn necessitates
support of the Governor in this exciting con-
juncture, quite apart from motives of pru-
dence and policy.
The charge OF the Canal Ring that Governor
Tilden has Presidency on the BRAIN and
that he has exploded this bomb to magnify
his merits as a reformer and recommend him
self as Presidential candidate is plausible
enough to secure attention. There is too
much reason for believing it true to
make contradiction safe. But what then
Many of our public men have had aspi-
rations for the Presidency, and none of
them has ever attempted to promote
his chances by more legitimate
method than by insisting upon honesty
in public administration. The proper ques-
ton in this canal controversy is whether the
stand taken by Governor Tilden is right
His measures, and not his motives is the
proper hinge OF the controversy. No citizen
binds himself to support Mr.. Tilden for the
Presidency by indorsing his canal message.
The canal question is question of State
policy to be decided on its merits Ii Mr..
Tildens views are correct and his damaging
exposures true honest citizens should go
with him, even though they may scout his
prns;dnrtial asnirntln II - hls duty rs