The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-01

great question SO important to this metrop-
oils, Who shall be our next Mayor? There has
been visible growth and consolidation OF
public sentiment in favor of Mr.. Bonner,
or, at least, q man of his type-public spir-
tied, able, energetic, full of drive and ''go,
with too much pride not to be tortured by
a fat and imbecile administration, with too
much honor to steal or permit stealing. with
too much property to be exposed to tempta-
ton, with too much intelligence not to
know what good government implies,
and too much executive energy to fall short
of his aim if any amount OF strenuous,
courageous labor could accomplish it. This
is the type of man the city needs, and Mr..
Bonner is one of the most conspicuous
examples of the spirited and energetic type.
In the whole press Of the city, including
Mr. Kelly's two organs, there has been no
denial of Mr.. Bonners personal qualitica-
tons, and still less of his great popularity.
In race against machine candidate he
would go past his spawned competitor like
one of his own blood horses in a trotting
match. Everybody would bet on Bonner.
handkerchiefs would be for Bonner
His paper has made him the most
popular man in the country with the
ladies, and all the sweethearts and young
husbands in the voting population would
work like beavers for Bonner. We shall
have Bonner songs; all the beaux of the city
will wear Bonner colors; Bonner cravats
and Bonner articles of feminine attire will
be displayed in all the shop windows.
Wise men and solid citizens will encourage
this enthusiasm of the younger part of the
population, because to them the election of
Bonner will mean clean and orderly streets,
efficient sanitary arrangements and admin
istrative energy. Mr.. Bonner's candidature
will introduce the gayest, most exciting,
most picturesque. jubilant and sanguins
canvass for Mayor ever Witnessed in the
city. Besides the requisite qualifca-
lions for the Office Mr.. Bonner has
all the elements for exciting personal
enthusiasm. Whenever the dashing ele-
ment can be introduced into politics it il
great card, and no candidate that could be
named would put SO much dash and life
into q canvass for Mayor as Mr.. Bonner.
Running against regular machine candi-
date he would resemble feet, light-limbed
steed running against heavy cart horse.
All of our contemporaries of the city press
perceive this, and they are too wary to
belittle either Mr.. Bonner's fitness or his
popularity All journalists remember the
irresistible enthusiasm with which Miles
O'Reilly was taken up as candidate for
Register and his brilliant triumph over
machine candidate. Nothing is more
dead and dry and wooden, nothing is
more ''iat, stale and Improbable"
than political canvass which gives
no play to personal admiration and no
scope for real human sympathies In ap-
peals to community in this ''living,
breathing world" q caucus is no match for
a man. To be sure, when one machine can
didate is pitted against another machine
candidate party discipline generally carries
the day but the genuine emotions OF the
human heart can no more be bound by
party ukase than was Samson with the
green withes of the Philistines. The en-
thusiasm for Miles O'Reilly was tame in
comparison for that which will be aroused
for Mr. Bonner when he is once fairly
in the field as candidate for Mayor
He has every element for kindling en-
thusiasm and causing it to blaze up to
the highest pitch. After the canvass
opens every journal in this city, with the
exception of Mr.. Kellys two dailies,
will be spirited and dashing supporters OF
Mr. Bonner against the Tammany machine.
If Mr.. Kelly would take up Bonner as his
own candidate he would save himself from
great modification when the votes for
Mayor come to be counted.
In the last week the Mayoralty discussion
has been promoted and enlivened by the
clever letter Of Mr.. Kelly addressed to the
HERALD Some ofour contemporaries regard
this letter as blunder, but we do not agree
with them. No statesman or politician can
do wiser thing than appeal to public
opinion. II it is worth Mr.. Kelly's while to
maintain two daily papers to advocate and
defend his lpolicy it is better worth his
while to avail himself of journals
of larger circulation to bring his views be-
fore wider audience. He has exhibited
commendable respect for public opinion in
explaining to the community what his at
ttude really is, or rather what he wishes
it to be thought. True, the positions as
sumed in his letter arc sharply criticised
by all tho local organs of public opinion,
with the exception of his own papers,
which have no more liberty of judgment
than his Tammany followers have after a
party nomination. In saying that the
whole city press aside from Mr.. Kellys
two papers, condemns his letter, we should
also except the Commercial Advertiser,
il that vigorous journal had not
condemned the letter in advance. On
the day before its publication the