The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-05
The Anita mmany Coalttton-Wfii
Victory Perch ON It's Banners

as they are Jealous, seeking present success
at the expense of future power, and ready
to kill the fowl that lays the golden eggs.
This lack of political foresight and breadth
is strikingly exhibited in this city canvass,
wherein the democratic leaders are fighting
to uphold Tammany, which is the curse and
opprobrium oftheir party, and the republican
leaders are straining every nerve to destroy
] an organization which is the source OF what
ever influence they may have in city poll
| tics. II Tammany were disbanded, reliev-
ing the democratic party of the city
from despotic centralism, the republic
ans would lose those constant opportunities
to form coalitions which, whenever the COM
bination is successful, give them consider
able share of the local offices, although
they are in q permanent and hopeless MI
nority in the city. Tammany is the prolific
mother Of these intestine discussions which
keep the city democracy in perpetual hot
water and always furnish q mutinous con-
tingent to reinforce the otherwise powerless
republicans. Looking at politics in the
ordinary vulgar sense of o scramble for
Office and spoils, it is the interest of the
republicans to desire long life for Tammany
which maintains q constant line of change
in the democratic party which they can
utilize, and the interest of the democrats to
have that organization dissolved, which
would insure them an easy victory in every
city election.
The cost of this city election to the demo-
cratic party in money, effort, turmoil and
anxiety will be enormous but with Tam
many out Of the way the democratic candi-
dates in every election might walk over the
course. a If this intolerant and domineering
organization were abolished all the ambi-
tious men Of the party would stand on the
same footing and have an equal chance.
They would freely compete with one an
other for the nominations as democratic
leaders do in the rural districts, and when
the nominating conventions had acted all
hands would turn in and give united sup
port to the candidates. If the organization
Of the party here were what it is everywhere
else the local candidates would receive the
same uniform support as the State candi-
dates, and the present enormous election
expenses would be reduced to the mere
cost Of printing and distributing the
tickets
But Tammany has not the slightest inten-
ton Of abandoning its organization, and is
now fighting for its existence with as much
resolute vigor as if the fate Of the democratic
party were staked on the result. The anti
Tammany democrats are maintaining their
side Of the contest with equal zeal, encour-
aged by the hope that if Tammany is beaten
now it will be fatal blow to that irrespon-
sible oligarchy. Their alliance with the
republicans gives them great strength in
this canvass, and they are willing to pay
any price in city Offices if they can teach
the next State Convention that it is not safe
to snub and humiliate the democratic ofj-
ponents Of Tammany as it did at Albany.
Tammany. To be sure there are little per-
sonal eddies here and there in the Assembly
districts and the Aldermanic districts, and
strong personal eddy in the Seventh Sena-
torih district, but the main sweep Of the
two grand political currents which will
come into conflict and dash each other into
foam tomorrow is preliminary on the one
side and ant-Tammany on the other. Tam
many is the key of the political situation in
this contest. Tammany is like height
which commands a besieged town; if car
ried by the enemy the whole town is
defenceless, but the occupants are Sc
cure 50 long us they can hold it. Ii
Tammany carries this election its control of
city politics Is insured for some time to
Gomez if Tammany loses this election it
will BIO so crippled and shattered that it's
enemies will have strong hopes Of topping
the whole organization into a shapeless
mass Of ruins. The defeat or success of
Tammany is the one predominant, over
shadowing issue in this canvass, IN issue
which dwarfs all personal preferences,
which impels many republicans to waive
their rooted dislike of John Morrissey
and reconciles many democrats to re-
publican candidates for whom they
DARE nothing personally and with whom
they, would not consent to act politi-
cally except for once with view to q
special end
Mere spectators of the contest, who hold
all selfish factions in equal contempt, are
more indifferent than. perhaps, they ought
to be as to the result. Still, there are prob
ably enough OF these indifferent or cynical
citizens to turn the scale in SO close con-
test as the present. Such citizens, who
stand scornfully aloof from the squabbles
of spoils-huntinC politicians and try to
spy out candidates fit to be voted for on
grounds Of personal capacity and integrity.
and who think It is always safe to support
capable, honest men, will survey the ground
and try to give their suffrages for proper
men. few thousand, and perhaps few
hundred, Of such discriminating voters may
be able to turn the scale in favor of the
candidates they prefer.
The office of Register is the one upon