The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-21
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Greater New York's First Election-seth
Low and Colonel Waring-Dramatio
Criticism DegcneratinE.
Especial Correspondence.1

Especial Correspondence
The election this fall for tho first
mayor of Greater New York and 4,
number of officials provided for by the
new charter promises to DO not only tho
most interesting ever held in this citv.
but the most interesting ever held in
this country, outside of the national
contests The reasons for this arc many
and obvious. In the first place, there
nre very few states which poll as many
votes as Will be cast i'll Greater Now
York Then it is tho first notable ex-
pertinent of combining or consolidating
several cities of diverse interests and
methods and each with n we'll orgauized
machine or machines of its own, to be-
placated or crushed, us the case NAV
be. Then the action of the Citizens
Union i'll nominating Seth Low before
tho regular parties had taken any nc
ton ut all has further complicated mat
ters Naturally there arc many persons
who declare that Seth Low will be
elected no matter who may be NOM
mated on other tickets, but there are
Just as many who say that he will
stand no chance of reaching the mayors
chair unless combination can be made
with one or more parties or factions.
Naturally, therefore, there is the great
est interest i'll tho action of tho regular
organizations. 1t has been suggested that
it would be wise move OH the, part of
Tamnnny to nominate Colonel Warning,
the street cleaning commissioner, who,
from being the most unpopular of tho
municipal officers ut the beginning OF
the present administration, has become
without question the most popular be-
cause of the magnificent manner in
which the work of his department. has
been done.
Colonel Warning and Tammany Hall.
There are many shrewd observers
who think that tho doughty colonel
will be made the candidate of his old
arch enemy, Tammany. 1t is the opin-
ion of everybody that this would be ex-
ceedingly good politics, and thus is an
other element of interest injected into
the fight. Then, too, tho minor organi-
cations must be reckoned with. Some
of these exist from purely patriotic rea-
sons, but many of them are kept alive
by ambitious individuals who never
give something for nothing and whose
support always goes to the side which
will promise to do most for the littlo
party Of course tho mem bership of
these organizations is usually not very
large. but i'll campaign like tho ono
approaching few hundred votes arc of
Importance, rs it is not by any means
improbable that they may suffice to
turn the tide of battle. 1t is pretty gen
orally conceded, too. that no matter
what else may come ont of tho election
1t will be a harvest time for the recu-
lar strikers, " for the reason that until
the lines have been drawn onco by an
actual test of votes the leaders will
have no opportunity to learn just how
they stand, and they will not be- willing
to take any chances i'll struggle for
the original control of q municipality
the patronage of which will be- sim
ply enormous. There is at least an ele-
ment of comedy in it all. and it is
found in the verif1cation of the adage
that politics makes strange bedfellows
Sworn enemies Of year or two ago are
now allies. and those who were won't to
work for each othor are now engaged in
q lnudable effort to mako tho pu bile be-
lleTe that former friends have ceased to
exist as political factors
Decadence Of Dramatic Criticism.
The newspaper editors Of this city
have many weaknesses, but mono moro
pronounced than tho assumption of su-
periority over their brethren in other
and necessarily smaller places. They
consider that they Issue the best sheets
published anywhere i'll the whole world,
an assurance that leads many to accept
their estimate as being accurate. On
their literary quality particularly the
newspapers here are wont to praise
themselves. and yet in this respect, as
In many others, they are far behind
rivals in comparatively obscure towns.
When it comes to a question Of dramatic
critics, our ''great" papers are not will
ing to admit that there arc any worthy
the designation outside tho charmed
limits of Manhattan Island.
There was time when New York
success meant national success for q
theatrical enterprise, but that day has
long since passed, and most happily so,
for dramatic criticism i'll this city has
degenerated into puerile efforts to be
funny at the expense of actor, manager
or playwright. There are no more, or
at least very few, careful analyses of
plays and acting-time worn jokes and
supposed smart sayings and caustic
comment on tho appearance or career
of some one connected with the enter
prise.
a Disgrace to journalism.
When Mrs. Frank Leslie's version of
"The Demimonde" was produced here,
1 remember that one critic, who is per-