The Irish standard., 1897-10-09

national independence.
MAYOR OF GREATER NEW YORK
The election for the mayoralty Of
Greater New York which occurs on
November 2, promises to be quite excit-
ing and uncertain as to the outcome.
Four candidates are in the field as fol-
lows: Robert A. Van Wyck, nomi-
mated by the Tammany Democrats;
Seth Low by the Citizens Cnicn, COM
posed Of Mugwumps; BENJAMIN F..
Tracy by the Plat Republicans, and
Henry George by the Democrats, who
indorse the platform of the national
Silver Democracy. In short, the Demo-
Gratis and the Republicans have each
two candidates nominated and there Is
no indication that any Of thcm will
retire from the contest until the close
Of the polls on election day. What the
result will be is problematical. We re-
greet exceedingly that the Democrats
are divided in this great municipal cam
paign. We cannot see the necessity for
dragging national politics into the cen
test, one of the chief issues of the cleo
tion being home rule, OF the right Of
the people Of the enlarged city to gov
ern themselves without any dictation
or interference from the state iegisla-
ture at Albany. We hope and trust
that the machine candidate selected ky
Tom Platt will be defeated, but if he
is not, the fault will lie with the di-
has not the ghost of a chance of "get-
ting there" He Is snob and an aris-
tocrat who represents the better ele-
ments" and belongs to the class of citi-
zens denominated "Mugwumps." Alfred
Henry Lewis gives a pen sketch Of him
to the New York Journal and says
among other things that lie is of that
class who, with moral shuttle and
a clean shirt, patronize the earth, and
prefer respectability to that of being
right" And again: While his air is
genial his heart is as cold Us a snakes
heart, and withal as selfish as
sharks" He is wealthy man who
gave donation of 81, GOO,DD0 TO Column
bia college and was once mayor of
Brooklyn though he resided on Long
Island
Gen. Tracy was secretary of the navy
in Harrisons cabinet and is far high
err type of man both Intellectually and
politically than Low. He is, however,
the nominee of the Plat machine, and
that ought to be enough to defeat him.
Van Wyck is judge of high standing
who was selected by Tammany Hall to
carry the Democracy to victory.
Whether he is the kind of Democrat
that Dave Hill is or indorses the prin-
ciples of the Bryan party we know not.
He must be strong man or Richard
Croker and the other sachams would
not put him forward as their standard
bearer.
The fourth candidate, Henry George,
is man Of worldwide reputation, be-
cause of his advocacy of the single tax.
He ran for mayor OF New York city
eleven years ago and polled 5000
votes. Last Tuesday night at Cooper
Union he accepted the nomination of
the Silver Democracy and evoked great
enthusiasm when he declared: From
now until election closes l am yours,
aye, and after election, too; I am q
Democrat. cannot divide into pats
the questions which I rs a citizen have
to deal with. For the same reason that
oppose this monstrous tariff in all its
forms, for the same reason that would
vote whatever l could for the after abo-
lition OF that tariff, for that same rea
son l am opposed to the interference
with Individual liberty which you see
In New York. l am Democrat In the
Jefrersonian sense. Because the Chi
cago platform represented the idea of
giving to the great common people
what belongs to them. l stood for it.
voted for it and was sorrier than 1 was
ever before when it was defeated"
IlcuIy HeUlSe Is Ill6 only real
straight Democrat considered from a
national standpoint, that is running for
this important office and II he gets
elected in the face of the opposing
forces he will give an impetus to the
cause Of bimetallism which will be felt
on both sides of the Atlantis He is
all honorable man who sticks to Erin
ciple. be the result what it may, and
no one questions his integrity and
ability to fill the Office with credit to
himself and his supporters. In our
opinion the Tammany Hall Democrats,
large number of whom voted and
worked for Bryan last fall, saoull have
come out fearlessly in the Endorsement
Of the Chicago platform. Had they
done so there would be united Dcmoc-