The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-05

OF space we are ucVotluB 10 tue approaching
election of Mayor. Nextto the yellow fever
it is the chief topic of the day; and while
we do not neglect the pestilence which -
desolating three or four Southwestern cities,
and are foremost in insisting on the sanitary
measures needed for our own protection
against the dreadful scourge, we think it in
the same line of argument to contend reso-
lutely for the election of an able and vigor-
Gus Mayor If we had perfectly clean
streets, if our local government secured to
us the full sanitary advantages of having
river flowing on each side OF the city, with
the land between them SO slop-
ing either way toward these rivers
as to make perfect drainage the
easiest task ever required of municipal
governmental. we say, we had the perfect
sanitary arrangements which belong to SO
unequalled situation, the question OF the
Mayoralty would not be so closely con-
nected with the protection of the city
against SO fearful pestilence as is now
raging in the South. Clean streets in New
York ought not to be the imperfect and
spasmodic result of raging plague in other
parts of the country. Clean streets should be
our ordinary and habitual condition, and If
this were the case the question of the
wonted interest when the air of other cities
is reeking with pestilence and contagion.
The streets and dwellings of the city should
be constantly clean and sweet and whole
some, and whenever this shall come to be
the ordinary rule the question of the
Mayoralty will possess no more interest in
one year than it does in another.
At present the ball of the Mayoralty dis
cussion is rolling on and all our city con-
temporaries are taking an active interest,
some more and some less. Mr.. Kelly,
whose influence in the selection of candi-
dates cannot be ignored, seems puzzled
and bewildered by this early opening Of
the canvass, which disturbs his cal
culations. Nothing was further from his
thoughts than to cause or even to per-
NIT the nomination of Mr.. Bonner for
the Mayoralty, but it is becoming every
day more evident that Mr.. Kelly would
rather take up Mr.. Bonner as his own can
didate than to suffer the loss of prestige
which would result from running a machine
candidate against Mr.. Bonner and seeing
his machine candidate beaten. Hence the
respectful and even eulogistic tone in
which Mr.. Kelly's two organs speak
Of the HERALDs candidate According
to the two organs Mr.. Bonner is lone
among ten thousand and altogether lovely"
provided only that he receives the Tammany
nomination. Mr.. Kelly and Tammany
mean to ride winning horse, and if Mr..
Bonner is the winning horse they are for
Bonner. They cannot very well afford to
be beaten, and Mr.. Kelly sees Bonner's
strong points as popular candidate.
Hence the ''high mixed" tone of discussion
which we observe in Mr.. Kelly's two Or
gans.
In crisis like this Mr. Kelly must feel
embarrassed by his mouthpieces or So
called organs. They are compelled to
speak daily, and responsible public man
only wishes to speak occasionally. A
hundred indiscreet or ill-considered things
may be thrown out in haste by his editors,
and yet Mr. Kelly, who was not con-
suited, may be held responsible for
them. His 1.-TWO papers, both daily"
being recognized as his organs.
every foolish thing they may say is taken
to be his inspiration, and he is held re-
sponsible for things in which he was never
consulted. If he likes this kind of organ
ship it is not for US to complain but it is
no advantage to any public man to be held
responsible for what is said by an organ
which did not consult him. 1t is dctri-
ment to any public man to get into this
kind of ENHANCEMENT.
On this great question Of the Mayoralty
the HERALD has no views which are not di-
rected solely to the public interest. 1t
stands ready to accept any truly able and
really independent citizen as a candidate
for Mayor. Our favorite candidate is, of
course, Mr.. Bonner, but we are willing to
accept any other distinguished citizen who
is competent, energetic and independent.
Almost any one of the eminent
gentlemen who have been named
would make an excellent Mayor. We
would accept Mr.. Grace; we have no objec-
ton to Mr.. Babcock; Mr.. Agnew is an old
favorite; Mr.. Ely is gentleman whom we
have once had the pleasure of electing;
Mr.. Augustus Schcl, called by the boys
..Gus Schell," although he is a gentleman
whom it was once our painful duty to defeat,
is a citizen of mark and standing who would
discharge the duties Of the Mayoralty
with BETTING dignity. Cherishing this
amiable feeling toward all candidates
why do we hedge up tho way and threaten
to defeat particular men against whom we
have no personal hostility? The reason is
obvious Whoever the Mayor may be we
insist that he shall be Independent. We do
not want Mr.. Grace to be Mayor if he is to
be simple instrument of Cardinal
McCloskey. If the Cardinal is to be Mayor