The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-24
Factions.

In our municipal election in 1894 there
were five candidates for the Office Of Mayor.
supported by twelve political organizations.
Seven OF these organizations had no candi-
date distinctly their own, but accepted tho
nominee Of the Republican Reform party,
WILLIAM L. STRONG. During the past few
weeks there have been fractional disturb
ances within the ranks OF the Tammany
Hall organ cation, weakened by its advo-
cacy Of Organism In three Of the thirty
five districts Of the town two in the terri
tory beyond the Harlem River and one in
the Second Assembly district, in which at
the municipal election OF 1894 Mr.. GRANT,
then the Tammany Hall candidate, received
his largest vote. There has been some talk
OF "bolts" and fractional revolts from the
political fellowship OF Tammany Hall in
these districts, and on Friday evening the
Brownies, so-called, In one meeting place,
and the Dvverites In another place, met to
organize themselves. Meanwhile the Re-
publicans, who have heretofore suffered
considerably from factional dissensions
based upon no radical difference OF opin-
ion or question OF party principle or
action, are practically harmonious, moro
80, indeed, than the Republican party in
this town has been for many years. There
has been, 1t Is true, some talk among poll
ticians OF rival Republican committee"
under the generalship and management of
Mr.. WILLIAM BRooKFIELD, who resigned
recently from the Republican organization
In the Twenty-seventh district to engage in
this venture; but nothing, so far, has
come OF 1t, and II is no sure thing In the
field Of politics, where uncertainties are
many and hard fighters" are few, that
Mr.. BRooKFIELD will not withdraw from
such movement with the same
precipitancy as led to his abrupt re-
tirement from the post OF chief OF the
Department OF Public Works. The Pur-
roy movement, on the Tammany side, of
| which there has been considerable talk has
been talk chiefly, for Mr.. PURRoY, though
still retaining the influential Office OF Clerk
OF New York county, has been unable to
enlist In his revolt against Tammany any
appreciable number of recruits
The underlying reason for the evident
or probable lack OF success Of revolts
against the established organizations, the
Republican party or Tammany Hall, is due
largely to the changed conditions which
h"'o oeeh brought ABOUT ny the elec-
toral ballot law in the first place,
and the extension OF tho civil ser
vice system in the second. Where, a
few years ago, such an outside movement
from either political party would attract
the attention OF intelligent voters In the
months preceding an important municipal
election, the futility of such outside move.
ments is now apparent. There are two
tickets in every election under the present
system OF voting between which the voters
OF the Greater New York are called upon to
chooses the Republican ticket, and the
Tammany Hall ticket. Outside organize
tons, like the Socialists or the Prohibition
lists, are without influence upon the gen.
! eral result.
Republican dissentients from the regular
ly established organization can do-what
To run . tiekss of their own. with any