The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-01
THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE.

On both edges of the continent the peo-
pie are engaged in desperate struggle to
regain liberties which have been wrested
from their hands by the two political par
ties. Between the situation in New York
and the situation in San Francisco there
are differences in detail, but at tue bottom
the issue is the same in both cities. namely
whether municipal officers should be
chosen on the ground of their political
opinions or on the ground of their integ-
rity and their fitness. New York is a
Democratic city by $4,000 majority; but
the best Democrats, with William r.
Grace at their head. are inviting their
fellow-citiZens TO vote for Republican
for Mayor in order to put an end to the
rascalities of Tammany. They hold that
the interest of their party should be sub
ordinated to the triumph of The indisputa-
bic principles :hat municipal public bust
ness should be separated from politics.
The New York Herald puts the issue In
few terse sentences. 1t says:
No voter should be misled as 10 the vital
issue OF the campaign. 1t is not question of
81 am Democrat or 81 avn a Republican"
1t is not question of Democratic supremacy
or Republican supremacy. 1t is a question of
SOOu GOfGEuHeut, Vi HOu6St ldAFSs Ol
and cents. The defeat or Tammany will not be
a Democratic defeat, but the overthrow of an
Ubiquitous system. The success Of the anti
Tammany ticket win not be a Republican vie
tory, but popular triumph. These are vital
truths which every voter should keep well in
mind.
This is really q war for independence.
The two political parties have fastened
their claws into city governments for the
sake of the Doodle to be found there; their
methods are the same, their purposes the
same. To the citizen, property-holder and
taxpayer, it matters not one jot which of
them carries the election. In either case
the citizen will be robbed, and criminals
will escape punishment. What does it mat
ter to the honest San franciscan whether
he is robbed by Dem ocrat, or robbed by a
Republican,? When the old war for inde-
pendence was waged, it was immaterial to
Americans whether the Wings or the
Tories were in power in England. Ameri-
cans fought to get rid of both of these.
And so now, here as in New York, citizens
are fighting to get rid of both Repu blicans
and Democrats in municipal affairs. It is
bitter war, and it may be long war.
Men cling to the parties with which they
nave acleu Since DOyDOOu. 10 desert these
parties involves wrench. Day after day
the party organs appeal to voters not to
desert their cid leaders, but to be true to
their allegiance; and the appeal. Illogical
as it is, touches a sensitive chord. 1t is
question of business against sentiment,
of common-sense against custom and
habit. Just 60, little more than hun
dred years ago many Americans shut their
ears TO the dictates of patrio ism. and re-
NAMED steadfast in their loyalty to King
George the Third /; not that they approved
The policy of Lord North, or believed in
taxation without represen tation. but the
old feeling that they were Englishmen was
too deeply ingrained in their souls to be
overcome. The municipal partisans of to-
day are The lineal political descendants of
the Tories of the Revolution.