National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-09


which the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, has been
able to see in the returns Of the November
elections is the immense vote given to
Henry George In the city OF New York.
IL is true that the Democratic majority in
the House has been cut down TO q narrow
and almost intangible margiB, truo that
Democratic giants have been overthrown,
true that the administration has been re-
buked, and that free trade has been CON
demnel. All these are gratifying results,
and tend to promote Republican confidence.
But these achievements are not out Of the
usual order Of political events-they we're
hoped for on the one side and feared on the
other. The vote for the Labor candidate
in New York is very far out OF the Gus
tomary order, and furnishes more food for
thought than any other event in our poliu-
cal history for more than decade. To the
Democratic press the new movement pre-
sents itself as a menace, threatening the
future Of the party, and making cal ,ula.
tions on 'ss nothing but vanity aud vexa.
tiOn Of spirit. The St. Louis Republican
voices the general Democratic anxiety by
asking these questions
| Can George hold his e., 900 woes IN New YORK
| city ns q candidate for the presidency?
Is there any contingency under which he
! could draw 10000 votes from TammIny Hall
against Democratic nominee?
The st. Louis editor then proceeds to
state that q
| All attempts TO tear nc society from the De.
mocracy have failed heretofore, AMI every
farmindcd person must acknowledge that
they did fail largely because of the efforts Of
the late Mr.. John Kelly Even when Mr..
| Clevelands nomination was proclaimed In n
| national convention rs desirable on accO Int
| of the objections of Tammany to his caudi.
daCv, Mr. Kelly held the society In line anl
| polled almost its solid strength for the Demo.
cratic nominee When Mr. Kelly dicl, OF II
| brain disease that so affected his mind ~ to
make him believe Mr. Cleveland had repaid
the society's loyalty with ingratitude and in
suit his attached friends were poctcal enough
to attribute his death to "a broken heart" II
is possible that this belief still remains, but
at any rate, Tammany now has no leader with
the magnetism and magnaniInity to soldify it
in support Of a New York presidential canii.
date nominated against It's open opposit ion
or on account OF it, as was the case in lsSi.
"with the candidacy Of Henry George,
actual or in prospect" continues the Re.
publican, "Tammany would go into the
national convention holding the key to the
New York situation. Without New York
city and the city of Brooklyn, New York
state is hopelessly Republican. Take away
70,C0O or $4,000, or 10000 Democratic votes
in New York city and the result of a ma.
tionNl election is changed so far as New
York state has the power to change 1t. viii
these votes be taken away Were the
election held next week, with Mr.. Cleveland
as the Democratic nominee, Mr.. George as a
third candidate, and Tammany in its present
frame Of mind, little is rlsked In assuming
that 1t would be impossible to keep $4,000
Democratic votes in New York city from
going to George, not as an Endorsement Of
socialism, but simply as matter Of Dracti-
cal politics"
Last Saturday evening there was an i'm
mense gathering in New York AMI the new
party was put on the national course for
'sS under the name and style of "'The Pro.
gressive Democracy The Baltimore
HTdli OF yesterday has this to say OF tn,
meeting and its work:
|
nature ofu public testimonial! 10 George. thcr
were other features that will doubtless attelc
the serious attention Of the leading men o
all parties. One of these was the adoption o
Il set of resolutions which are substantially q
declaration Of principles which are to serve ~
articles Of faith for new parry. These re'O
lu;iUns ChfistCn the new party as the "Pro
crCs,ivc Democracy" They formally ad0p
the land theory SO teEaclously advanced b,
Mr., George, and all the other PRINCIPLES OF pop
ular GOV, rnment advanced by him during tn,
late campaign.
Put the most important part Of the resou
tons Is that which relates TO The future organ
iau!On aud Work OF the new party. The dis
uict associations and the Central Labor UuiOr
ere called upon to keep up their organization
and provision Is made for the formation Of
GENITAL committee with full power to arrang
Tor q rational conference. Briefly, the resul
Of the Cooper Institute meeting was tn
launching Of a new party on the sen of Ameri
con politics under circumstances which ind
cate that there Is TO be no let-np in the effort
10 bring the workingmen into an organizAtio
that will be lasting and powerful.
We shall not undertake to foretell the out
come of all this. 1t may be that the ne,
p0rty will have brief and inglorious ca
reer. Other movements seemingly as for
mldable as this have met with an early CO.
lapse. There is, however, more than
possibility that the movement will sprea
, and become a great factor In the politics
!, campaign Of 1858, and as it grows In strengt
! 1t may cause alarm among men of propert
TO such an extent as will induce them t
= seek new political alliances to defeat tn
movement, as was the case among the K,
: publicans who voted for and elected Hewitt
mayor Of the city Of New York.