Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-24
How Republican Leaders Regard the
New York Situation.
PERSONAL RISK AND SACRIFICE
viii the Tammany Ticket Be Lost
to Save the State?
B f LIE T IN THE PLAN

AS confused in it's general scope as the
New York situation Is, there is one thing
the republican managers here are taking
distinctly into account. and that Is that the
combination of Hill for governor and Grant
for mayor means not only skinful politics,
but the utmost limit to which personal risk
and sacrifice for party good can be carried.
Neither man is ambitious to hold the office
for which he has been. nominated. Hill has
been governor twice and Grant mayor twice
by large majcrities. and each retired from
his post of duty with a record pleasing to
the people who had elected him. Neither re-
CARDS himself as at all responsible for the
rough sea in which the party ship now is
rolling. Both mCn practically were drafted.
The gubernatorial nomination had gone beg
Sing, and the mayoralty nomination had be
come an outcdSt, nobody having been found
willing to harbor il for more than one niSnt.
Finally the one was forced on Hill and the
other on Grant, and both men courageouSly
assumed responsibilities for the party's sake
which others bad declined. Both men are
ambitious for higher honurs than they haV.
Yet enjoyed Hill wants to he President and
Grant wants to be governor Of New York,
and this explains to the satisfaction of the
republican leaders why they consented to
take such enormous RISKS at this time.
In the Interest Of the State Ticket.
Sorne of tie republican leaders have per-
suaded themselves that a perfect under
standing exists between Hill aud Grant
which calls for the sacrifice at the polls OF
the latter in order that the state govern
ment, in Cne of the departments at LEASE,
may be saved to the democracy, and the
prestige Of the state in the national party
coun ctis, IN measure, be preserved. Ac-
cordlng to this reasoning. the trading. for
which the multiplicity OF tickets this year
Will afford such excellent politics, is all to
be done In the interests cf the state ticket.
1t Is assumed that Grant sees that Tam
many is doomed. The cry for better NUM-
Clpal government is louder and stronger
than that for change at Albany. There
are More democrats declaiming a purpose
to vote against the democratic city ticket
because of the revelations made by the
LeXoW committee than he marshaled
for every known reason against Hill. Grant,
therefore, the republicans here are led to
believe, viii negotiate in every effective way
Tor Hill, ana subordinate for the time be-
ing his own and Tammany's fortunes to
that end.
II Hill Only should He Beaten.
The republicans speak of the program as
being wisely conceived. and as the work CT
long- headed men. The defeat of Hill would
mean disaster all the way through. In the
first place, Hills presidential prospects
would come to an end "as tale that is
told. and the party, as well as Hill, would
suffer New York could neither command
for herself the sixth Democratic presidential
nomination, nor direct to whom ii should
be given. And in the second place. a
triumph of Tammany in town, with the
less OF the state to the republicans, would
in the END bring no fish to Tammanys net
With Morton as governor and legislature
elected in sympathy with him, New York
city would speedily be put into the hands
of a commission, Until such a time. as
changed circumstances might make home
rule Tor the city under republican auspices
possible. Under no circumstances it is
contended, would Tammany be permit ID
tc mold on longer to power. The crusade
OF the reformer3 for better and cleaner
local government, which had failed at the
polls, would at once change to an appeaI
TO the whole state and To the country and
the newly elected republican state govern
nent in this way be encouraged and iustf-
fled In the taking of heroic measures for
the diSCredited Tammauy or
ga nization. The charge would be made
that Tammany had achieved its success at
the polls by fraudulent means, and after
the LeXow exposures a charge of that kind
even without furnishing specfica tions would
make a strong impression on the country
But how will this trick be turned? How
Will Grant manage to effect the transfer
of this saving strength to Hill? That is
the POINT. That makes the situation all
the more interesting. Those republican
leaders who believe that the sacrifice is on
the cards and will be attempted are Tn
stpie VI uIl" llllIis 10 DISCUSS the question of
Its execution. That is what we are watch
ing Is their only reply to ipterrogations on
the subject.
Nhy Hill Wants Dig Vote.
The republican leaders have likewise an
explanation of Mr.. Hilrs eagerness to see
the largest vote possible thrown next
month. He would be glad, they believe TO
see 1t larger than in the last presidential
year. II he Is to win he wants the triumph
accompanied with unusual circumstances
of every kind. He wants IL to be said after
ward that he was indorsed at the polls by a
majority or plurality obtained at the close
OF the most exciting off-year contest In the
history of the state. If he is to lose IL will
be OF the highest impor tance for him TO
know just how far the disaffection in the
state reaches, and in what directions He
must, in those circumstances, go 10 work
at once preparing for the presidential year
This work will devoIve upon him and his
friends. He VIII still be the master of the
party organization at home, not only with
the power to act, but with every interest
and incentive to do SO. He may no longer
be a presidential quantity himself but he
will want to take as influential a part as
possible in the next national convention
and in erder to cut "A respectable figure even
as an adviser on that occasion 1t will be
necessary for him TO be able to show that
his bailiWick is in good condition again
The republicans expect Mr.. Hill to con-
tinue to hustle until the end of the engage
ment.