New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-03
THE RESULT.

The Cltfzens Union movement has been vindi-
Gated by the result Of the election. The organ
izers of that movement undertook to ascertain
whom a majority Of the anti-Tammany voters
presumably capable Of being united in support
Of a single candidate wanted to have nomi-
mated. TO that object they devoted all their ef-
forts for months. not always with the highest
sagacity but with ultimate success. They
aroused some unnecessary enmity even among
those who sympathlzed with their undertaking
and have faithfully supported 1t, but 1t 10 never
tbeless an indisputable fact that the canvass
which they nlnde conclusivey demonstrated
great preponderance Of anti-Tammany senti-
ment In favor Of Seth Low. Then. having dis
covered the man. they proceeded to nominate
him. Again their action, as many thought. was
not taken at the most fitting moment and IN the
wisest way, though It Is only Just to acknowl-
edge that subsequent events substantiated their
declaration that no measure OF diplomacy or
any concession which they were at liberty to
make could have changed the vengeful de-
termination Of the Republican machine not to
accept Mr.. Low as It's candidate
For time. before the campaign got under
way and the alignment Of parties had been indi-
Gated, there was still a doubt whether the
leaders of the Citizens Union were Justified.
That doubt arose from the possibility that they
had overestimated the strength Of the forces
behind them, that their canvass was wholly
misleading, and that the supporters Of Low
were not a large majority, but minority OF
those voters who might reasonably be expected
to combine against Tammany Hall Many good
citizens werc unwilling to commit themselves
at once on that point. They realized the i'm
mense Importance Of defeating Tammany and
felt that the citizens who had assumed the task
of ascertaining the truth Of the matter and the
responsibility Of embodylng their conclusion In
a candidacy might possibly have made blum
der which others could not afford to ratify But
this doubt was Of short duration. 1t soon be-
came evident to honest observers that no mis-
take Of this sort had been made. and that Cen
eral Tracy, after an honorable and generally
useful career. was destined In his old age to be
mt once the victim Of an odiOus conspiracy
against the public welfare and the immediate
instrument Of disaster to his party. The poor
fools by whom he was deluded succeeded In de-
ludlng scarcely anybody else. and. least Of all,
themselves. They lied constantly. deliberately.
unblushngly; published their falsehOods day
after day. and swore to them: stopped to every
artificc Of knavery to forVfy their shameful po-
sitIon. and at last. In theii desperate resolve to
save some fragments Of personal emolument
out Of the wreck which they had made. con-
tracted to sell out their candidate for Mayor to
Tammany Hall. To what extent they sue
ceeded In delivering the votes which they u.s.
sumed to own cannot now be told. and may
never be accurately determined. Our belief is
that only small proportion Of their dupcs were
capable of being used for such purpose.
The Tribune never concealed from Its readers
its apprehension that Tammany would win, but