The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-04
Shall we nave Our Municipal Election
in the Sprkngt

the important question of holding the NUM-
cipal election ofthis city in the spring of the
year. We publish this morning a copious
instalment of these interviews, from which
it will be seen that the Senators and Assem-
blymen are almost unanimous in favor of
such change North of Spuyten Duyvil
there are twenty-four Senatorial and
fifty-fve Assembly districts. In these
districts seventeen of the twenty-four Sena-
torial districts are represented in the new
Legislature by republicans and seven by
democrats; and fifteen of the seventeen re-
publican Senators, with five of the seven
democratic Senators in the districts north
of Spuyten Duyvil, approve of the proposed
change in the time of the city election. In
the Assembly districts lying in the same
region forty-four of the ffty-fve republican
Assemblymen and thirty three of the thirty
nine democratic Assemblymen indorse the
change. 1t is clear, therefore, that if the
members should act on their unbiased in
dividual judgments bill fixing our munich
pal election in the spring would be carried
through this Legislature without serious OPP
position and almost by reclamation.
But there is some reason to fear that the
honest judgment of the members, as eX-
| pressed in these interviews, may be over
ruled by scheming politicians. We have
never expected the support of political
traders in so valuable reform. 1t is the
interest of these vampires, no matter to
which party they may belong, to maintain
the solidarity" which strengthens their
local canvass by the contributions of their
State, county and Congressional candidates
| to the common electioneering fund of the
| party. The opposition of the trading poll
ticians is what we have counted on from the
beginning. We feel no disappointment in
| finding that they are against us. We under
| stand their artful mannuvres. We shall
| promptly expose and we expect to defeat
| them. The latest and most cunning trick
| has its origin in the Custom House. 1t is an
adroit and apparently successful attempt to
| play upon the vanity and political neces-
sites of Mayor Wickham. OF all men in
| the State Mayor Wickham is the one who has
the strongest motives for deprecating city
| election next April He derives all his i'm
portance, all his political and the greater
part of his social consideration from his posi-
ton as chief magistrate of this metropolis,
and for a weak, vain man, with
the instincts of swell, the loss
of his only title to public consideration
is looked upon by him as a serious blow
to his pride. He knows that there is no
possibility of his reelection next April, if
tho Legislature should order a municipal
election then. The dexterous Custom House
republicans, who have taken the measure of
the man and understand his foibles,
promptly saw their opportunity and are
trying to make the most of it. They see a
chance of republican Mayor without the
risk and trouble of electing him. A plant,
democratic tool, who depends on
their pleasure for continuance in Office
would be nearly as serviceable to them as a
republican Mayor, and it costs less to cap
ture Mr.. Wickham than it would to go into a
municipal contest in the spring. The Custom
House republicans act on the adage that
''one bird in the hand is worth two in the
BUSH" and, unless appearances are decep-
tive, Mayor Wickham is already ga bird in
the hand" He has nothing to hope from the
city democracy since the scorn poured upon
him in the late canvass by the politicians to
whom he owed his election. It is not sur
prising that so small and snobbish man
goes down on his knees to prevent the re-
publican Legislature from shortening his
term of Office.
The readers of the interviews which we
publish will see that many Of the republican
Senators and Assemblymen who approve of
q spring election refuse to commit or pledge
themselves on this question, lest they should
thwart the policy of their party. Senator
Harris, of Albany, for example, says III
nothing should happen in party sense to
change my opinion, or rather the way l
should desire TO act on the question if left
to myself I certainly would vote for such an
amendment But it might be made a party
| question by the republicans to vote against
such an amendment. In such q contingency
| / would naturally have to stand by my
! party" Senator Woodin, who is also one of
the ablest republican Senators, said:-'I am
so much of partisan that if thought it
would unfavorably affect the republican
party in this State 1 would do my best to de-
feat it," Many other republican members of
the Legislature expressed themselves in the
same sense, approving the change, but reserv-
ing their freedom to act with their party.
There seems to have been a widespread feeling
in the State that the republican party might
perhaps gain some important advantage in
the city by opposing a reform whose i'm
| portance they were constrained to acknowl-
edge. If they could make sure thing by
capturing Mayor Wickham why should they
incur the hazard and uncertainty of new
election next spring? This may seem forci-
bic to those who look at things from low
partisan level, but it is bad tactics, even
1 -, &c