The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-26
TALK WITH Mr.. PLATT
NEW YORK POLITICAL SITUATION
DISCUSSED BY THE SENATOR.
His Reasons for Relieving General
Tracy VIII BE the First Mayor
of the Greater City.


NEW YORK, Oct. Ex-senator Platt has
made the following statement
I'm response to many inquiries as to how
the municipal campaign is likely to end,
want to say that in my belief General
Tracy has won the election. There are
three Democratic candidates in the field
four, counting Gleason-among whom the
Democratic vote will be divided. 1t is not
a majority vote anyhow. The Democrats
have never had majority in the territory
now consolidated since the enactment of
the present election law They used to
have majorities, any kind of majority that
suited their taste and convenience. They
had absolute control of the electoral ma
chinery at every poll. The appointment of
all the ballot clerks, poll clerks and in
spectors was lodged unreservedly in the
hands of the Tammany Board of Police
Commissioners. Theoretically, the law re-
quired minority representation at the polls,
but in practice that was ignored. The all
legged Republican representation was in
practice provided by the Tammany election
district captain.
This gave unlimited opportunity for
fraud, and fraud was practiced in I'M
limited way. But when Governor Morton
and a Republican Legislature were elected
partisan control of the polling places was
established. The two leading parties are
now equally represented at every polling
place, as by law they should be in the
police commission, and would have been
had Mayor Strong done his duty as the law
requires in the selection of police commits
Sloners. The ballot clerks, poll clerks and
inspectors are now appointed on the nom
lnatlon of the official heads of the two
principal parties, and since that has been
the case the Democrats have never had a
majority in the city of New York. They
won in 1895, but they did not win against
the Republican party.
Whatever their present vote may be, it
IS going to be divided between Van Wyck
George, Low and Gleason. Van Wyck will
probably get the most of ii, George will get
huge portion Of it and Low will get
substantial remainder. Low is the candi-
date of four Democratic organizations, the
Ship Democracy, the CARGO Democracy,
the Purroy Democracy and the Steckler
Democracy. More and more as the cam
yass has proceeded he has become identi-
ned before the public with the Democratic
party. He Is the embodiment of the holier-
than-thou idea of the Cleveland party.
He is revival of Clevelandism. He has
the support of all that noisy and insolent
crowd that grovels at the feet of Cleveland
He has been brought forward as the eX-
preston of their notions and their hopes.
And that which makes his success impos-
sible is the fact, now so clearly presented
in the minds of the community that
through Low this Cleveland clique are en-
deavoring to recover their lost prestige for
use in 1900.
1.-THE Republican vote, on the other hand,
is consolidated upon a single candidate.
Every district in New York has been thor
oughly canvassed by the Republican organ
ization, and its leaders know the situation
as accurately as 1T can be known by any
body until the votes are actually cast and
counted. They approach the crisis of the
campaign with absolute confidence. There
is not an assembly district in the whole city
where the loss of Republican votes to
Low will amount to 10 per cent. of the nomi-
nal Republican strength. Even this small
percentage of loss can occur in no more
than twelve out of fifty-nine assembly dis
tricts into which the new municipality is di-
vided. In all the other assembly districts
the Republican loss to Low will be utterly
trivial.
I'm other words, Low will receive a much
larger Democratic than Republican support,
and it is not the least interesting feature of
this extraordinary campaign that the
candidacy of Low, instead of smashing the
Republican party, as it was intended to do,
will really be an additional and distinct
force for Republican success. George and
Low, having identified themselves in other
respects, will be identified in this-that each
will help to use up and split up the Demo-
cratic vote and leave the consolidated Re-
publican vote triumphantly potential.
"Of course, I do not forget those Low lists.
They are decidedly the most amusing thing
in the way of a political fake that has
been exhibited hereabouts during my ex.
perience. They are not worth detailed ex-
animation The simple fact that they place
Lows chief strength as a candidate in the
districts below Fourteenth street makes
them so obviously absurd that it would
be waste of time 70 discuss them. In dis
tricts where they give him nearly so, 600
votes he will not have 1900.
Nor do forget that there are some Tam
many and Wall-street gamblers who
proof of the adage that a fool and his
money are soon parted Campaign betting
has always been Tammany Halls chief ar
gument. 1t is supposed to be very effective
with class of voters who don't know how
they will vote until they are persuaded
how others will vote There may be such d
class in this community, but II is not large.
To bet that Lows vote will exceed Tracy S
is just like throwing money into the fire.
To bet that Tracy's will exceed Van Wyck $
is like picking IT up in the streets
"And so say to Republicans, keep steadi-
ly at work. You have already won. and are
winning in greater measure every day. Your
constant and united efforts will bring this
great city. with it's tremendous influence
upon the affairs of the country. to the sup
port of the Republican party and the noble
principles for which it stands. You have
nominated the best ticket that was ever
offered to the people of this community.
You bring to them the services Of man
as the first mayor of Greater New York
whose character ability and experience
place him high above any OF those who
think themselves his rivals in the race. You
have, stood for your principles as principles
should always be stood for, without com
promise or denial.
You are entitled to win. You deserve
to win Your victory will do more to secure
stability to business and solidity to credit
and to give impetus and permanence to our
new prosperity than can be accomplished
by any public event 1t will say 20 the coun-
try that this great center Of commerce
and capital. from which is drawn the vital
ity of all enterprise. is true to the sound pol
icies for which it spoke one year ago.
1t Will assure TO the people of New York
q pure, independent and efficient admins
tration OF their local affairs. 1t will start
tho new city upon its new career with the
respect and confidence Of all men. And all
You have TO do TO make your victory
complete is to keep right at it day by day