New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-17
THE DEMOCRATIC TACTICS.

II is easy 10 detect the theory Of the Demo
cratic campaign Discouragcmcnt at the start
being unavoidable. it is shrewd to admit II, ana
lct il have its full force, but 10 begin day by
dav 10 assert that IT has been overcome. lhere
is really no other way to keep AT all in touch
with the masses who see AT the start That Hill
and Stralls both have desperate fight. But
stories Of daily gain, If persistent and positively
rcpeated. NAV after little while make ordinary
men believe that as the State and city are ny
the Democrats reckoned naturally Democratic.
the remaining disscnsons cannot he enough 10
nrovenr success These tactics are being pur-
sued already. with abundant brass and vocifera-
,ion and in the minds of Mr. Hills friends pos
sihlv with some success.
This is a good thing for his opponents Inc
one danger they have is ovcrconiidence on ac-
count of the extremely favorable shape OF the
campaign in National and local aspects bu'
all experience teaches that If one side Is sure "l
winning and does little while the other Is dcs
norotc and does much. natural conditions some
times count for nothing. The heavy registration
,hrouchout the State thus far does not indicate
,hot tho VOTERS are apathetc, but neither does
# sbov that Democratic voters are inclined To
forego their privileges How many OF 'hcih
register only with intent 10 punish their own
leaders: how many have neglected TO register
and vet have their names fraudulent! en'eFeu
for the use Of rcpcaters. do not thus lar APP
pear The one thing certain Is that the "ppo-
ncnts Of the Hill machine ana OF laihhahy
ought to take more care and make more caTheS'
efforts than usual, because they Know mat OK
,rcmely skilful knaves on tie 0thcr sue aIc
ncrved by desperation.
Mr. Hill himself tells his followers that they
must fight this year for the very life ~ me
party Evidently he wants to start them Win
the feeling that all their chances Of place ana
nlundrr are at stake. He laboriously belittles
the State Democracy, and processes belief that
practically all the Cleveland men Will support
him. but If that is So and if industries are now
* nrospcro,ls as he prcicndS he cannot well be-
az desperatc as he processes to be. The advice
10 let everything else 90 for the sake OF the
legislative ticket and the constitutional amend
mcnts will Of course, be met by the Repub-
leans with especial care to prevent any sacri-
flee of legislative votes for the sake Of State
ticket which ought this year TO be reasonably
safe If the temper Of the people is in any meas
IRE such as il is in other States If il Is in any
measure indicated by the declarations and actions
Mr.. Hill will be pow rless To save the state
ticket. and can hope for fragment OF sue
cess except by trading off votes for the Lcgis-
laturc.
The local contest puts many thousand Demo
Gratis of the city in humor 10 vote against
everybody that Tammany supports 1t Is hard
70 imagine the mental condition Of man who
realizes municipal infamies enough to vote
against Tammany Mayor, but Is still willing
to give Tammany enough Assemblymcn TO tie
the hands Of any Mayor who wants reform
Men are not often so rdculously Illogical as to
vote against Straus because he Is Tammanys
tool though not q member and yet 10 vote Tor
other legislative and local candidates who are
both tools and members Of the same organiza-
tion The natural outcome Of such an uprising
as is seen in this city, all practical men realize,
is the defeat Of many Tamnany candidates for
offices Of all sorts who would otherwise be elect
ed The local infamy works against Hill. who
consents to be the candidate and defender Of
il: against every Tammany candidate for Con
cress who dcfiles himself by seeking an election
through the Matchmaking fund of the organiza-
ton; against every candidate for the Lcgisat-
,lre who would be nothing but an crrand-b boy
for the Tammany organization, II chosen. In
word, the natural tendency is TO unite in one
strong effort for good government all the oppo-
nents of infamy and perfdy at Washington, or
votestealing and Maynardism in the State, and
Of alliance with vice and crime in the city.