New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-01
WHAT GRACE IS UP TO.
LIGHT THROWN UPON HIS DARK AND DEVIL
OILS WAYS

LIGHT THROWN UPON HIS DARK AND DEVIL
Gus WAYS
william r. Grace's preparations to for some
thing or another, nobody seems 10 know with GER
tanty Just what, continue with the utmost activity
albeit he is far away the bounding billow. His
Young man WINS and his other young man, Frank
Scott are deity working the wires and they have
been apt pupils Of the old Mephistopheles himself, so
that they know how to work them fairly well His
Citizens are falling into line, and in the political
clubs, In the Holman House corridors, in the City
Hall, wherever politicians have their being the muir
muir of his puppets can be heard These facts are
ascerained and sure He has made an alliance with
Cleveland; he has captured the Custom House he
has invaded Tammany Hall and he has frightened
David b. Hill He says-but is there any use telling
what he saysl On the whole, guess not 1t would
only be confusing 1t his habit to say thing to
Tom, another 10 Dick and still another to Harry, ac
cording to what he expects to get out Of each. SO
ccrdng to what he wishes to get out Of each so
tends by what he says enters upon fatiguing and
improbable labor.
II is the belief Of the shrewdest politicians IN New
York that his real objective point is the Mayoralty
1t appears at present TO be the Governorshp' when
he was In Washington he undoubtedly made deal Of
some kind with Cleveland His influence In the Gus
tom House and at the Navy Yard al once became ap
parent, and am told thai the President wrote let
ter to Edward Cooper asking If the County Democ-
racv would support Grace for Governor This Is as
serted positively by weinfOrmed men, and II may ex
plain the evident belief Of Mayer Hewitt that Grace
means to make war on Hill The Governor believes
IT, too and is badly scared He realizes that nc has
been playing too fine game, and that in threatening TO
march on White House. he ha5 weakeneJ his hold
on Capitol HILL Up to tho moment he allowed his
name be seriously presented as candidate against
Cleveland his possession Of the Governoshp was quite
secure. That is say, he was In, and no sufficient
excuse existed for any rival aspiran to make war on
him. But when he boldly turned his eyes elsewhere
land in the direction toward which their slances had
been stcalhily lurking these many months the stu
alton changed in an instant. His real weakness was
exposed 1t was seen that he had anchored nowhere
He had coquetted with every one but had formed
no permanent alliances. The County Democracy re-
garded him with open distrust Tammany Iooh
on him with indifference. Hugh Mclaughlin had no
use for him. His only hold was in the country, and
even there the Administration was rapidly undermn-
ing HIM
Hill and Grace have many points in common. They
are both insincere and tricky in their methods much
given TO feints and games Of bluff both ready to sac
rihce any who has ceased to be useful, Doth ~
capable Of forming real friendships. both suspicious
OF and held In suspicion by the regular organizations
both adopts at the selfish Of patronage and bo'h
operating through lackeys and smart wire pullers'
Hill has his Muller and Grace his WINS Hill his shee-
han and Grace his Scott. Both powerful, though
generally hated and feared.
But nobody wants TO make fight, and therein lies
the secret Of this situation. II there IS fight they
will all go down together and devil take the hlndmosI
They keep that possibility well In view. They VIII
wrangle among themselves and keep on wrangling up
to the last hour. but they know well enough that
they've got patch up their quarres before the con
ventions meet. and the only possible arrangement
that gives them the falntest chance Of carrying the
State is by maintaining the status quo. This Is why
sagacous politicians put no faith in the sincerity
of Grace's Gubernaortal antics. These mean nothing
more, they say, than that Cleveland and he nave
formed a compact to bring Hi promptly to terms
with the understanding that In the final deal for har-
uonv Grace shall become the union candidate Tor
Mayor believe that this Interpretation Of the game
is correct In the first place when Grace wants 70
shoot a sparrow he always aims at robin Iheh 100
while he would undoubtedly give anything to be Gov
ernor yet he has great fancy for the Mayors once
The next Mayor will have the appointment of four
Police Commissioners, Excise Board, the commas
soner Of Public Works and above all the City Cham
berlain Those are choice pl as and nothing MAKES
Grace happier than 10 handle plums The Chamber
lans Office wherein he fastened his young man WINS
upon the city three years ago IS particularly choice
mOrseL According 10 Ivinss OWL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
he IS making q net income there OF Tl''OOO' Inc
Office ought to be abolished entirely II is relic Of
the colonial charters and has long ceased 10 be any
more use to the city than fifth wheel is to coaeh'
II is supposed to be bureau Of the Controllers DE
nartment II should be wholly merged therein. Bu'
while the Chamberlain renders no practca service
TO the CITY, he has certain important privileges he
with the Mayor and Controller for instance nave INC
right 10 select the banks which the cys funds are
70 he deposited These funds range all the way rom
ST.. 100000 to s2oOOO,OO0 It IS very nice, there
fore for Mayor should he chance 70 be man Oh
large financial affairs speculative or otherWse' re
orirng himself constant and heavy lines OF dscoun''
10 have at his command a malleabe chamberlain VINO
can be relied upon to do as he IS told
The interesting conundrum concerns the relation III
which the County Democracy and Tammany Han VIII
consent 10 stand toward Crace's ambitions Maurice
J. Power Will take his orders from william e whitney
but Edward Cooper and Abram s Hewitt do not con-
cede the potency Of Mr.. Whitney's sway They ar
likely to make trouble. Grace has already orohen n0
bonds down which keep him ont OF Tammany nan,
When with utter Indifference to long years OF fathnI
service he pitched Assessor Livingston out into inc
cold and had Eddle' Cahll appointed. he MADE one
faithful benchman in Tammany. They do say too'
that he has got some kind OF hold on Bourne Oochau'
which circumstance the Hon Dick Croker not failing
TO observe He Is also working on Hugh Grant anu
the Martin boys II he ever gets good grip here'
he will cause a quick depression in Mr. orokers
emotions But Mr.. Croker says II can't be done
He SAYS that Tammauy will never condone the trea'h-
cry TO John Kelly. In this position he has al least
one strong supporter-Mr Edward v Loew II MI
Grace ever again runs for Mayor Of New-forh' nc
Will find Edw ard " Loew entered In the lists against
him Lot him keep that icy fact In mind