The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-03
The Great Popular School.

The Crent popular SCHOOL.
The canvass which the election to-day
brings to an end In this State has been
short. but the time has been sufficient for
its purposes.
The people have received IN enormous
amount OF valuable political education dur
Ing the few weeks 1t has continued, and to-
day they are as well prepared to vote on Its
Issues as IL it had lasted for as many months
No citizen In all the State has any excuse
for voting unintelligently or for not voting
at all because these Issues have not been
put before him clearly and fully for his
decision.
The Republicans opened their canvass In
hot haste as soon as their nominations were
mado OF Rochester on the 9th Of September,
and they have kept it up with vigor and
violence ever since. Mr.. FAssETr boasts
that he has addressed half million people
since he went on the stump in his own be-
half, and perhaps what he says may be true.
Whether he has helped or hurt his cause by
such advocacy will be shown by the verdict
which The Sun will record tomorrow.
Perhaps he and his party may wish that
the number OF his speeches had been fewer
when they come to read the returns from
the towns where he talked the loudest.
The Democratic canvass was not actually
started until nearly month after tho Re-
publican. 1t has been therefore a campaign
Of four or i've weeks only; but it has been
mono the less thorough and effective be-
cause Of its brevi.y. In those few weeks.
too. tho noisy deiamers Of the great Demo-
cratic organization Of this city. who bar
gained with PLAT for Its overthrow last
year. have been silenced completely and
proved by their own words to have been
humbugs when they entered into that dis
graceful alliance.
Meantime the great mass OF the honest
and conscientious people have received the
instruction in politics and as to the actual
management Of public affairs which only
such campaign can afford. The thousands
Of meetings. the discussions OF clubs. and
the daily lessons OF the newspapers have
been for them school OF political instruc-
ton. broadening and enlightening their
minds. They have been lifted above sordid
and selfish interests. and they have learned
that the duty Of every citizen is to be a pol
itician and an intelligent student Of poll
tics. A political campaign such as this
has been does more for the education
Of the people in few weeks than
years OF instruction by any other
means can accomplish. for it reaches
students eager to learn. and they are
made up Of the whole community. 1t
disseminates political information in every
direction. spreads abroad the comprehen-
sion Of political principles. and cultivutes the
popular capacity for political criticism.
However great may be the ignorance about
other matters. a man would have to search
far among the citizens Of New York to find
any who are ignorant OF the issues which
the election to-day will settle. The people
understand them thoroughly. and they will
decide them wisely.
It will be an orderly election in every
voting district Of the town. New York has
been vilifled during this campaign as
conspicuous example Of the failure OF
municipal government under popular suf-
frage. but there will not be village in the
State where election day will go by more
peacefully. Every citizen will be able to
vote in his own way without disturbance.
and his ballot will be counted exactly as it
Is. Instead Of disorder. Sabbath-like
quietness will distinguish the day In every
part Of the town, and it will bear witness To
the fact that Of all the great cities and capt.
tails Of the world. there Is none better gov
erned than New York.