The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-11

THOSE whom the gods wish to destroy,
they first make mad.
The Retfrement of Allan McDermott
A single night has wrought a marvellous
change in the political situation in Hud-
son county. Last evening we all went to
bed with the serene conviction that Allan
L. McDermott was to be the Democratic
candidate for Congress. This morning
we wake up to find that he is out Of the
race. The morning newspapers assert
that Mr.. Alexander C. Young. a young
lawyer of Hoboken, is to be the candidate
in Mr.. McDermott's stead, presumably on
the platform, II am a boy This may
not be absolutely true, though Mr.. Young
himself thinks it is. and opens his cam
paign with a virulent attack on the unsur-
passed Democrat whom he displaces.
However. whether it is true or not that
Mr.. Young is to be the nominee, it is an
event Of sufficient Importance that Mr..
McDermott will be forced to step aside
in favor Of some one, who. if he is not
exactly a silverite win be at least less of
a gold man.
First. there is the great loss which the
district, the State and the county at large
~sustains in the loss Of the services of the
most brilliant political leader now living
- ~ Co. kJ1o1 ~ l. =
thinker of a high order and a speaker of
great force and finish. He represents the
highest Ideals of Democracy. He has
courage, determination and force of
character. His first term at Washington
would not be completed before he would
be in the front rank OF the leaders of the
House of Representatives. 1t is there
fore a disastrous thing that for any cause
he should not be sent to Congress. when
he Is willing TO accept the burden and
responsibility of going there.
The second aspect in which the present
change is important is in its effect upon
local politics. The nomination of a free
silverite or of a silver suspect for Con-
gress by the Regular Democracy may re-
sult in the appearance Of a third local
ticket in the field. The silver issue is
involved in the Congressional contest just
as vitality and perhaps even more eogently
than in the Presidential one. Bryan with
a gold House of Representatives could
not advance the cause of silver one iota,
and a House of Representatives with a
big enough silver majority might pass a
JIG to l bill over the veto of Mckinley.
Therefore, It is less than likely that the
gold Democracy of this county will tamely
stand the nomination of a silver candidate
without at least registering their protest
by the nomination of a gold one.
If they ominat a gold Congressman,
st is a practical certainty they will place
an entire local ticket in the field.
Now we do not expect the gold Democ-
racy to poll a very large vote in this
ounty There will probably be far more
g7ld Democratic votes cast for Mckinley
than for Palmer. We do not advocate
this. be IT understood, but we are discuss
ing facts and probabilities here and we
do not propose to do the ostrich act. We.
therefore, freely coneede that 5000 votes
is about the maximum that the most en-
thusiastic gold Democrat can expect his
faction 70 cast within the limits of 1ud-
son county. The question then is what
effect the diversion Of 5000 votes from the
regular Democratic Ticket-or let US say
1000 v~otes-would have upon The election
Of the candidates. TAis IS q question for
political experts. and we do not propose
TO pass any opinion upon it. We merely
direct attention to the figures OF last year
when Chancellor McGM carried the coun-
ty by $500 votes; senator Daily by ASS,
and the Assembiymen by pluralitles vary
ing from about 5000 down to 1000.
THE News" is most earnestly oppoesd
to a third ticket. 1t lanents the dis
ruption Of the Democracy. 1t hopes that
the division may be only temporary. har-
mony returning with the subsistence of
the wave Of madness which now affects
q considerable number of the voters. But
u knows no argument to advance by
which 1t could procure the tolerance Of
sound money advocates for a silver Con
Fressmaa- The presence Of such a man
as Allan Z. MeDermott on the regular
ticket would have been a strong induce
ment 70 the gold men to include the local
candidates In their petitions, SO that
their names might be printed on the gold
ballots together with the Palmer and
Buckner electors. But these men would
simply s~tuitify themselves BY thus TAX.
lag up ! SILVER candidate for Congress-,