The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-01
Government by Party.


Government by Party.
The present campaign in the five bor-
oughs which after Jan. next will
comprise Greater New York will be
valuable for educating public opinion
concerning two antagonlstic concep-
tions of municipal government. a
great many personal equations enter
into the problem contained in the cam
didacies of General Tracy and Seth
Low; individual ambition or jealousy
is increasingly prominent in the strug-
gle; nevertheless the chief feature is
the issue between those who argue for
municipal administration on non-par-
tisan lines and those who deny the wis
dom of divorcing the politics of the
city from the politics of the state and
nation. For some years public opinion
tended in the direction of non-partis-
anism in municipal affairs and this
theory, being lavishly praised and
weakly opposed, won many eminent
adherents, but latterly signs of a re-
action in favor of strengthening of
the lines of party have been manifest
and the present canvass in New York
city must inevitably give to it a con-
siderable impetus.
Theoretically much is to be said in
favor of governing a city as one would
manage large corporation; yet those
who condemn bossism and derlde party
fail to recognize that as a matter of
practical fact most corporations have
their bosses or leading spirits who
shape policies, adjust the differences
of subordinates and stand in much the
same relation to the administrative af-
fairs of the corporation as the party
boss occupies towards the adminis-
trative affairs of the ward, the city,
the township, the county, the state or
the nation. In corporations too, there
are usually parties or rival groups of
interests, one of which generally en-
plcys its spare time in keeping it's eye
on the doings of the rival faction, with
view to dishing 1t at the next an
nual stockholders meeting. This is so
because it is human nature and hui
man nature is not different when it
comes to municipal government from
what 1t is In relation to other forms
mutual benefit.
In the case of Mr.. Low we have the
doctrine exemplifled that the mayor of
city should be responsible to nobody
In particular. Now if the people as a.
rule were inclined to be vigilant in
watching the doings OF their servants
in Office and could in the main be
trusted judiciously and fairly to place
the responsibility for official malefi-
cence, this idea might give tolerahle
results in practice. That is to say,
bad mayor, elected on the non-parti-
san basis, might be deprived of the
compliment of a denomination; but
that would be as far as popular punish
ment could go. Mr. Low for exam
pie. could he defeated for reelection
II during his first term he should prove
unacceptable to the people; but the
Citizens Union could not also be nun
ished for its part in foisting him into
Office, because ere his one term had
elapsed the Citizens Union party of
non-partisans would be dissolved into
the thin air and in its place would ap-
pear some new ephemeral, sprung up
as vehicle to some other wealthy citi-
zen's individual ambition. Whereas
under the party form of government
responsibility rests not merely upon the
individual but also upon the party.
and these who value the party's future
are in duty bound TO act as guardians
.epd conservators Of the men whom it
puts into office, AS the attorney ten-
.erai of neighborlng state Expresses
this same truth, can officer dependent
pnon the good win of his party must
deserve it by such conduct as COM
friends itself TO his party and the party
in turn, to continue predominant, must
Insist upon such action by the official
as meets the favor of a majority of
the voters" .,
1t will hardly be held that if parties
may be released from service and dis
banded in municipal affairs there will
be any consistency in clinging to party
In state and national politics. The
governor of a state is not called upon
= 70 be more of partisan than is the
mayor Of large city; and If either be
chosen regardless of party ties then
~ Will be IN order to argue against
parU. and in favor Of. non partisan per-
sonal government in the nation, after
the fashion OF Mr.. Cleyeland's second
administration. We do not believe
that the American people are ready
thus to discard the forms of govern
ment by political parties which have
served them upon the whole accept
ably during more than 120 years. They
are much more likely TO call for the
cleansing Of the party machinery