, 1880-12-12
BOSS KEILY'6 OVERTHROW.

| 1Ae uQWn1IH 0l JOnn helIy. hOSS Ol
New York. marks an epoch In the mu'
nicipal history OF that city similar to thai
caused in this city q few years age
by the ending of the Colyin regime.
Kelly was as honest personally as the only
Mayor the "People's party" ever had; and
| the followers of the Tammany Chieftain
were Individually no worse than those OF
| the Boss Expressman. But the evil effects
Of loose or corrupt local government are
far more serious in New York than in Chi
cago. The taxes annually raised in the for
| ner city are nearly ten times what they are
in Chicago, on less than thrice the popula-
tion, and the offices to be filled are CORE
spondlngly more numerous and more extrav-
agantfy compensated.
kelly's fall is owing to variety of reasons.
lie has never been skiliful' manager, but
depended on bullying and coercion. uc made
enemies recktesly and without sufficient
reason. His war on Jim Bennett, of the
New York Herald, little US it may have con-
tributed to his defeat, was exceedingly fool
ish and ill-timed. Ilis truculent attacks on
Gov. I'iIdcn and Gov Robinson gained him
the enmity OF ncarty tha whole Democratic
party Of the State outside of the city; and, as
Mayor Cooper was Tiiden man, his bolt at
Syracuse may be set down as the remote
CAUSE Of his ruin. Republicans rather en-
couraged his treason to his own party, but,
as wise man would have known. they conId
have no permanent use for such as he III their
party organization.
The immediate cause OF his overthrow was
his Instrumentality in causing the nomfna-
tion and election OF Grace for Mayor. Thou
sands Of Democrats in New York believe
that this nomination lost Hancock the State
and the Presidency. So far as Kelly is cou-
ccrned, a belief Of this kind Is as good as a
mathematical demonstration. It Is certain
at least thnt almost majority Of the people
of New York were unwilling to see him and
Grace control the City Government The
latter is now elevated to power stripped Of
all dangerous authority.
The defeat Of Tamnany In the person of
John Kelly will be gratifying to men OF all
parties, except the immediate followers of
the Boss. Tilden and his friends will find in
it much consolation and ample revenge. The
Irving Hall faction has the substantial bene-
fit Of succession to the lions shares of the
spoils. Tho Republicans, - who formerly
polled but one-third Of the votes of tho city,
now find themselves In the unwonted posi-
ton Of dispensers Of patronage and power.
The taxpayers have the greatest reason to
themselves. The new officers
but be purer and more efficient than
the old ones. The Legislative Investigation
has shown that the administration OF the
City Of New York Is inexcusably ex-
travagant and corrupt The City-Hall |
swar1ns with costly sinecures, and is
infested and overrun withpartisan yermln !
proving on tha body polite, The municipal
Of that city has set q terrible |
example before the tax-eating profession in !
other cities, which has added largely to the !
cost Of administration IN all of them. Some
thing was done for reform when Boss Tweed !
was exposed aud his ring Of plunderers over !
thrown; but the reform halted, and Boss |
Kelly re1atablisaed the era OF extravaganza,
OF placemen, and corrupt city |
politics, though not to the awful extent to !
which Tweed had carried them.
Ke1ly's overthrow is likely to be permanent.
fammany Hall may soon rise again, but he
will not rise with it. In his own words.
Il No King, no clown, shall rule the town."