New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-31
THE TAXf4YERS OPPORTUNITY.

| Many business men and property owners are
still recl1Oned 70; Mr.. Hewitt. The plea used
with them is that Mr.. George must be beaten
and Mr.. Hewitt only can do it. Suppose there
are 10000 such voters, to whom this appeal
is addressed; let them stop a moment and
think If Mr. George were ont of the way,
and there were two candidates for Mayor,
which would naturally be preferred Would
they prefer Mr.. Hewitt, the candidate of Tam
many and of the Democratic rings which have
given the city Squire and Flynn, Thompson
and Hedden, the score of brlbed Aldermen, and
a government so costly and rotten that it
threatens to drive trade and industry from the
city by It's ex&ctiOns2 Or would they prefer
Mr. Roosevelt, who has won influence and an
honorable place in public affairs entirely by
his well-directed and successful efforts to re-
form the city government
Mr.. Hewitt sadly admitted that in Congress
he bad been unable to accomplish anything he
desired. PROFESSIONALLY able, he is not Of
that temper which wins associates or COM
mands followers his uncertain health, his
nervous disposition, his fatal faculty of yielding
to party in vital things. while offending paTti-
sans by heated speeches about matters OF less
importance, all cripple him for practical
work in Congress for executive labOrs. A
John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, but
neither organizing nor leading, is not the re-
former needed. Mr.. Hewitt protests hotly
against abuses at every session. but has no
power to cure one Of them. AS Mayor he
would growl at his party frIghtfully, and do
its bidding all the same The practical men
who have put him up know him better than he
knows himself
Mr.. Roosevelt has studied the question of
city government, as Mr.. Hewitt has not He
has already done a great deal to make city gov
eminent better as Mr.. Hewitt has not. He has
youth, health, enthusiasm, and rare faculty
of winning men 60 help him, as Mr.. Hewitt has
not Mr.. Roosevelt has with him large pro-
portion of the more upright, intelligent and
substantial citizens, whose influence in the Re-
publican party was greatly increased by its re-
organization Mr.. Hewitt is the can didate Sc
lected by gangs of plundeIers, in order to save
their power to plunder the city. Is it con-
ceivable that practical business men would
hesitate which to support. if George were on
Of the way and OOOO of them had power to
turn the scaleP
Mr.. George is out of the way, and they have
that power. For Mr.. George can get above
$4,000 votes only by drawing so great pro-
portion of the Democratic strength as to make |
Mr.. Hewitt's election impossible, and in that |
,ase every sensible business man would prefer |
Mr.. Roosevelt to Mr.. George. But the fact is |
hat 10000 taxpayIng and substantial ci,iAens,
who are uncertain to-day which candidate they
will support have the balance of power, and |
an elect Mr.. Roosevelt beyOn q doubt by con-
entrating their votes upon him. If they refdsc
o do so, will they have any right to complain
{ Mr. George slips in, or if the parties hereafter
reat with contempt appeals to nominate good
itizens and practical reiormers for the city
OvernnentY