The sun., 1888-11-04
lust BEFORE THE BATTLE.
,osIT1oy OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES
IN THE FIELD

os the Local Fsetions-City Patronage.
Nyv YORK. Nov. 8. 18SS,-Al eyes Will be
,svsted on New York city on election day. All
rs will be turned that way on election night
N.re IL In that the great battle for the Presi-
Sncv IA fought The key OF the stua-
;ion IA here. Tho city Ia the battlefield. 1t Is
,hs (Iettysburg OF this political war. The
nounty Democracy holds Round Top. Tam
10Y ia in position on Cemetery Ridge, and
~. CooRan Democracy holds Culp's HILL
Th..e points must be hold. or defeat Is certain.
z.ob faction fies the flag Of the National De-
,oorsoy. Each apparently maintains firm
tront against tho advancing Republican line
Tina roal situation. however, is little under
.tood The line looks firm, but 1t is perilously
thin. Very few Democrats are fighting the
common enemy. Each faction scorns assis-
tsnoe from the other. and away behind
IN. lntrenchments they are fighting each
otbsr with the ferocity OF tigers. Both Tam
manJ and the County Democracy assert undy-
ine fealty to Cleveland and Thurman. yet each
maintains its clutch at the others throat.
Meantime the shouting Republican column Is
mounting the slope. It's leaders are within
pIstol shot OF the escarpment The whites OF
the eyes OF tho men In tho front rank are
Mainly visible. The danger Is Imminent.
Through either caresssness or treachery, the
enemy may slip in on the flank OF either lac
ton, turn Its position. and achieve Victory.
Yet there arc enthusiasts who declare that this
factionnl Hoht strenRthsns the national Demo-
cratic ticket.
Let US analyze the situation and ascertain
tho facts.
There is no sentimentality In New York city
politios Selflshness alone Is paramount.
Every point Ii played for what 1t Is worth.
This Is fight for the loaves and the fishes. FOR
city politicians tho next Mayor will have far
moro patronage than the next President Inc
Mayor will control the distribution OF nearly
e50. 600 600 a year. All this will be divided
among residents who take an interest in poll
tics. The Mayors power Of appointment is
absolute, 1t Is entirely independent OF the
sanotion OF the Board Of Aldermen or OF
that Of any other municipal body. The
next Mayor will have the appointment
OF twenty three Commissioners. who Will
distribute the vast municipal patron
are. Compared with this the Federal patron
are Ia q mere drop In the bucket. 1t
amounts to less than 100000 year. And
this sAO0O,OOO Is not distributed among city
Democrats. Under Democratic Administra-
ton the Republicans now retain more than
half Of It. Rural Democrats take half OF the
remainder and the city Democrats are forced
to put up with what is left 1t is safe to say
that to-day not 100000 year in Federal
patronage ls distributed among city Demo-
Gratis. The Collector Of the Port Is Democrat
from the strongest Republican county in the
State He holds the richest office here within
the gift Of the President. 1t is filled with
Republicans. The Postmaster is Re-
publican, and the 1.sO0 places in his
of1ce are held by members Of that
party. The Appraiser is q Mugwump.
and Republicans hold the most of the places
under him. The Naval Offlcer Is also Mug
wump. His ONCE is filed with Republicans.
and recent developments show that there Is a
taint OF corruption about It. The only stanch
Democratic arc the Surveyor and the United
States Marshal Their patronage Is small but
tho Democratic party gets the benefit Of it
Worse than all this, the Presidents power OF
appointment to any Federal of1oe is limited by
the consent Of the Republican majority In the
United States Senate.
6ueh are tho facta They explain themselves.
Any man can draw deduction. Is 1t reason
able TO suppose that either the County Demoo-
rsoy or Tammany Hall will throw away a
sure municipal patronage OF nearly $50 900 900
q year for an uncertain Federal patronage
Of D700,0001 Any business man knows better.
Politics In largo cities 10 purely q matter
business. Mon invest in 1t with q view to a
return on the investment Sentiment has
nothing to do with It. Assessments on impe-
ounious candidates for county Offices are fire.
auently raised BY capitalists who take mort
gage upon the receipts OF the office for q re-
turn. II tho candidate IL elected they may get
30 or even 400 per cont from his fees for their
money II defeated they lose tho principal
Tho interest 10 proportioned to the risk. and
the whole thing 10 q speculation. Who ever
heard Of o speculator governed by sentimentP 2
Il costs each faction Of tho Democracy In
this city at least $500. 900 year to main
tain its organization. This money does not
como from the pockets OF oficeholders. It
comes mainly from tho pockets OF office seek
ers. They are looking for reward in the tur-
mol Of municipal politics. The reward comes
through the distribution Of municipal and not
through tho distribution Of Federal patronage.
II 1t 10 to their interest to mako tho Federal
ticket subservient to the municipal ticket 1t Is
reasonable TO assume that 1t will be done.
There will be no sentiment about It. 1t will be
business. ! do not say that either Tammany
Hail. tho County Democracy. or the Coogan
Democracy will trade votes for Presidential
electors for votes for Mayor. The facts are
stated and the reader must draw his own con-
clusions.
Right here make note. Ono OF the candi-
Ike Of The % Bs%oegatio candidate Tor the Pres-
dency. This candidate for Mayor was nom
mated by citizens' committee. In which Re-
Rublicans predomtnated. He 10 looking Tor
Republican votes. His nomination was alter
ward endorsed by Q wing Of the Democracy In
accepting the nomination this candidate sent
bis oflcfal letter to the Republican Citizens
Committee, and not to the Democratic organi-
zation. When importuned to withdraw for the
safety Of his party he offered to do So provided
the union candidate was selected by the same
Oiuzens' Committee that placed him In nomi-
nation. This candidates. brother in law. as
well az himselt 10 a decisive factor in the
tacts In view. any man ought to readily see
now much the national ticket is benefited and
strSnRthened by the factional fight here.
4, Inc truth 10 that this is fight not only for
the spoils. but for the Imperial purple II car
rtes with 1t supremacy In State and national
poiitios. as well as supremacy In municipal
leadership Of John Reilly. she is striving to
reclaim her pro .Inces. She regained Alsace
GpsIocracy ,n,ar IN Ght for shsrlil and County
saine +, back q. tN e.. her, and she can then
last fall. This fight ought to have been
made and II could have been won at that
time. There was then nothing national at
stake. and each faction could have sashed
away TO Its hearts content without danger TO
tho Democracy, at large, Unfortunately for