Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-27
Tammany Alarmed and Trying to
Check Its Force.
TRACY TIE GAMER BY THE BREACH
Bryan's Silence Worries the Chief
tains at the Wigwam.
TO BE CURBED
special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

NEW YORK, October 26, 1897.
| Henry George is believed to be the KEY
| to the present political situation. The
position of Robert A. Van Wyck is gener-
| ally believed TO be fixed unless George can
poll large vote. drawn principally from
| Tammany, and thus leaving the tight be-
| tween Gen. Tracy and Seth Low. That
this situation is recognized by republican
| leaders is evident from the manner in
| which their organs run the George boom
in substantially parallel columns with that
| for Tracy. That Tammany recognizes that
her fight is with George is evident from
the attitude of Croker. That astute leader
! is endeavoring even now, at this late day
| in the campaign. to bring about sensa-
| tional stage play to blunt the edge of
| some of the Georgeites' bitter attacks
against the wigwam generally, and against
its boss" personally. He is out tods.y
with the characteristic statement that if
| Henry George or any one else thinks he
got his money Illegally he will meet him
before the grand jury! 1t is thoroughly
| like Mr.. Croker to do this. 1t will also be
thoroughly characteristic of the to
| try to have the grand jury take action
| and investigate. So it is not beyond pos
slbllty that we may hav. Mr.. Crokers
career as boss made the matter of
| court inquiry in the closing days of the
campaign. The expressed desire of the
returned Tammany leader is expected to
hold some of the wigWam votes made wav-
ering by George and Dayton's continued
hammering.
| Croker is Ratified.
The threatened inroads upon the Tam
| many vote have apparently ratified Croker.
Today he could talk Of nothing but George.
| He even went SO far to charge that the
republicans were defraying the expenses of
| the George c9mnajpn N order 70 hear his
| organization. Today formal statement,
! which is declared to be a weak campaign
| device, was issued to offset the effect of
Bryans silence. The statement WAS in
enect that John c. Sheehan had not re
| cefved a letter from eX-Gov. Stone
| nouncing that Bryan would not say any
thing in favor of the ticket. While this
| statement was literally true, it is positively
| asserted that such letter was received
from Mr.. Stone, and Mr.. Sheehan saw l..
| 1t was not addressed to John C. Shcehan.
| however. The correspondence with ex
| Governor Stone and other friends of Bryan
| has been carried through a third per-
| son. Mr.. Sheehan does not write in his
| own name, and the replies are not ad-
| dressed to him. If unfavorable letters or
kilograms are received and the fact leaks
out. then Mr.. Sheehan can come forward
| and say he has not received any such COM
| munfcation. telegram from Ex-Governor
Stone. saying that he would vote for Van
Nyck II resident of New York, whic.
was received Two weeks ago, was not ad-
dressed to John C. Sheehan, but it was
| given out at Tammany Hall with the ap-
proval of Mr.. Sheehan.
MIR. Croker was angry when the news
about Bryan's attitude got out. He Or
dered denial and Sheehan under the cir
cumstances. stood ready to say, Il have re-
ce1ved no such letter.
Speaking of Bryan, the managers of the
Henry George campaign announced tonight
that they would make no direct demand
upon the late presidential candidate to
&c no
candidate, measured by the standard fixed
by the Chicago national convention AS
Mr.. Bryan has refused a similar request
from Iammany, the Georgeites allege that
In itself that refusal was an Endorsement
OF George. The period of halting and con-
fusion is passed. and in its stead has come.
SO the executive committee of the Jeffer-
s1nian democracy says, a feeling that the
George movement lis pressing steadily on
ward toward victory"
Abbott Wrote to Bryan.
When Henry George was placed in the
field month ago he selected an executive
committee, of which Willis j. Abbott WIS
made chairman. Mr.. Abbott says shat ore
OF his first acts was to write letter to
Bryan advising him of the political situa-
tton In New York city and pointing out
that the election here would be one of the
mcst important in the country this fall
Mr. Abbott did not ask Mr.. Bryan to ex-
press any opinion as to the course those
who had supported him in 1896 would pur-
sue. lie did not believe the time was ripe
Tor any such declaration. In the boroughs
OF Manhattan and Kings more than oo1 M0
votes We're cast in 1896 for Bryan. To
many OF the men whose ballots went 10
nlake up that great total Bryan's doctrines
We're dearer than fealty to party and it is
believed that they would again cas-. ,heir
ballots fo1 the principals he represents. no
matter What organization would make him
rs ns. Standard bearer 1t is these out-and-out
"a
as Iammany. would like to secure through
square statement from Mr. Bryan him
se1' Iwo-thirds of the vote that was cast
for Bryan in 1896 in this territory ,r;th.n
the Greater New York will. in the oninion
OF the George managers, elect
Some Inside History,
But 1t Is not believed that ex-Candidate
Bryan will open his head. 1t would be bad
politics II he did. and right here it is well
To refer to a little inside history which
bears the stamp of accuracy. 1t Is stated
that the situation stands this way: BRYAN
had an Understanding with Croker, which
was arrived at during an interview with
Chairman Jones in Chicago, where Croker
went to take the air, that IL Bryan should
publicly indorse the Tammany ticket he
might reckon on the support of that or
ganiZation In the democratic national con-
vention in 1900. provided he deysloped
strength as presidential candidate. Shee-
nan announced just after the nomination
"a al Wych tnat ne would shortly be able
to give out letter from William J. Bryan
recognizing the Tammany candidates as
regular and calling upon democrats to
work and vote for them. At about the
same time Sheehan exhibited a letter from
eX-Gov. Stone indorsing Van Wyck
Stone was sure that he could prevail
upon Bryan to follow his example Then
came the nomination of Henry George.
On the evening George accepted the nom
ination rendered him telegram is said to
have been received from Secretary Walsh
OF the democratic national committee des-
isnating George as the only Chicago plat
form nominee. But 1t was only the good
Will and opinion of an Individual One of
Georges supporters, a journalist. was
quick to see that an advantage could be
gained for him by a bold announcement
based on the Walsh letter. that Henry
George was the real democratic candidate
Van Wyck being a pretender. Thereupon
warning was sent to Bryan not to iden- |
tify himself with Tammany. because the
Jeffersonian democracy might win. Bryan |
hesitated. Then letters and deputations
from Georges managers reached him, all |
painting the prospect Of an Independent |
democratic victory in vivid colors, Ten
days ago Chairman JONES' Stone and