The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-31
l7N 67I RAJ 87Q 97N 979
THE NON-PARTIsAN uUMBUG.
Tho Conservative Influence OF Party Organizn.
flou.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: The high.
sounding, but meaningless cry OF non.partisan.
ship Is used as the cloak for q premcdiated and
determined attempt on the part OF q small
coterie OF more or iess misguided followers and
dependents OF Mr.. Low to crafty the Unsuitable
aspirations Of their patron. and to force him
upon n reluctant city as its Mayor.
From the outset this was their thinly dis.
guised purpose. There is not 20 far as l know
any record Of any consultation with any repro
sentative body Of citizens on the part of these
people who are incorporating as n Citizens
Cnion.' On the contrary. when it became evil
dent that the re 1t of any consultation might
be the putting forward OF some candi-
date, such as Mayor Strong, whom they could
not refuse to support without stultifying them
selves to an extent from which even they
shrsnk, they fastened irrevocably to commit
themselves to the support of Mr.. Low; and
the clumsy attempts OF their candidate to con-
ccal tho workings OF the plot by an absurd as
sumption of high and holy motive only served
TO make the truth more clear. Who AN bring
himself to support q man put forward In q
manner SO fundamentally disingenuous and
insincercl
Even the uttcrance OF Mr.. z. NJ. Shepard.
whom many intelligent voters had looked to for
guidance. amounts only TO the plaintive wall OF
a patriotic but provincial citizen over the inev.
liable placement of n Democratic machine
which once shone with the reflected glory of
Its metropolitan ncighbor. His natural and ex-
cusable Indignation bctrays him into "shock.
ingiy weak and undignihed sarcasm at tho
expense both of MIR. Croker and our transatlan.
tic cousins. lie goes even further, and in his
zeal Tor his fellow citizen of Brooklyn attacks
me Ghiet Magistrate OF the State in terms from
WHICH N klnFk' hfYlI tla
rate Tor the time being protect him at the hands
q M,i every loyal New Yorker; An insult TO its
spectinG citizen of the State.
NOT shouin any man be coerced and frightened
ah1o Hoilng t2r NJ: Low by n reitoration OF the
ABUSES resulting from tho control Of the organ
iLhtions by individuals of parties, az at present
constitute. In dealing with a vast and igno-
Heterogeneous as those to be found in our
nooie Guy. some organization Is necessary on
Inc par 81 Tho friends of law and order in order
70 control and gnihe their more giraffe and
oiIeh venal and, indifferent fellow citizens in
Tue oestownl OF their suffrage. Such an organ.
IL De maintained without great expense: and 10
pe eaecilvc on election day it must be main.
with Gll its sins, Iammany has hitherto success.
thiiy Done. II has made impossible in New York
h nv o%tnreaks OF anarchy and disorder which
~ y disgrlced aud perplcxcd some OF our sister
cilies In other parts OF The Union.
such arc arc We now TO pay lhc expenses OF two
tlinaIeiy paid. directly or indirectly, by ali tho
an%paScrs IN the community, one for national
UNI olie LOT municipal purposes ! and possibly
eton OF a lhir for State purposesi Even II the
1nHviiptou an, arbitrary severance of municipal
iIunl ma l,oial Issues were sound in principle.
tnIs CONSIDERATION alone would sfiice 10 show its
fhat.,.ni lmpossibility in Sill h a community as
INC Grsater New York must necessarily be. "'
nioreoVer. little consideration will, | think.
w ilce me most reluctant thai the con rol OF
auvh an organization newt ibly concentrates IL.
IN, IN me hands of AN individual. Whether
nnnt inGividual bc dubbed u boss or n 'sf,'trs.
Nm; ne and 10 alone will be able TO coaty 81
nv ~ .iorant ana cratic vote which, for some
SuniH ~ come. a. any rate, must determine the
lrhuits OF our elections. seriously doubt II
tNcn MI itcyhoiGS or Mr.. Pine would be Willing
arhsh!p as bosses. .
i u hot u pleasant or encouraging spcctacle
~ sci nv prestige of n great university most.
ssmn,,,ti a. " hI,urthorancc oi n person Il and sclnsh
ai,,"i'' ION. IL can hardly be n source OF, unai.
W!,u Ethtlhcntion TO Columbia graduntcs to
spl.vlhl.alc their alma mater WALKING tho
SS,i.i,h 81 Politics ready to grant her fnvOrs and
~ - tm""cnee TO tho highest bidder. The succsss
y y, -, LOW, therefore, Ia placing himself in me
Hh"SHI 9 shalr OF our noble city thai is To- ho
mVW"t ~, ohly expose US to the mOrtiiIcnIion
hiaL"tHt ,no"n tie wcakne s and incapacity OF our
mignJst ~ hlclpll magistrate, hui wuuIdinrthr
mrIiTonoiima usefulness and influence OF our
d"fecnee nSt1 university by committing ii 10 the
doomed i t "I ~ apology OF an administration fore,
NEW Yyon n%ti1re and disgrace. FLAcCUs,