The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-15
Are We WhirIigigs ?

"Fickleness," say various modern OBJ
servers. THY name is the politics of
France" Agood many people have begun
to think also that fickleness is to char
two Presidential elections having been dis.
turbing to sober men.
CLEVELAND was elected in 1899 by a ma.
jority almost revolutionary, and inexplica-
BILE by the old standards of the American
public mind. -Four years later MCKINLEY
became President by a change of political
feeling scarcely less violent and sweeping.
In his case logic could give the reason why,
but still the extraordinary 1894 revulsion
show of favor to it at HARRIsoN's defeat,
gave pause to every thoughtful believer in
the permancncy of our institutions and so.
cial organization. Some sensitive and vol.
atile sentiment had begun to work in our
politics, which in former years was I'M
known.
Whatever material changes this may be
able to effect in the future, it has at least
changed appreciably our reputation as a
community thoroughly deliberative, con.
servative and trustworthy. Our former
reputation for these qualities, which to a
nation commercially ambitious is beyond
price, has already suffered something of
impairment. Even the repose which the
masses Of the people joyfully thought had
come to US with last years triumphant vim
dication Of the principles of the St. Louis
platform, could not take away from clear
seeing politicians the sense of anxiety
aroused by the startling changes of the
last decade and a half.
Well, the spasmodic and ierky politics OF
caprice and turbulence is still with us.
In the most conspicuous election centre ir
the country the sullen spirit of social dis
content is reinforced by a childish restless
ness on the part of various naturally con,
sentative citizens, exhorting and labor
ing for another Transformation of tn,
political status more re%actionary thar
ever. A year ago the party of the st. Louis
platform carried the Greater New York by
a majority of 5000. This year its New
York representatives, led by the Statesman
whom all It's followers had cause t,
thank and honor more than any other Re
publican for his influence in making tn,
great issue clear, nave nominated a ticke
of absolutely unrivalled excellence. Tn,
Mayor OF New York has not lived who wa
equipped with the experience in publ
life. the soundncss Of judgment, and tn
actual intellectual weight of BENJAMI!
+. TRACY, as elevated in character as he 1
able in mind The candidate for the ofic
next in Importance to that of Mayor, tn
Hon. AsHBEL p. FITCH, is the highest guar
sntse tbn Rrnublican party could give O
Its good faith as an ally of the Democrati
believers in honest money. Organism is il
the field again, divided only as to the cor
duct of its warfare. All features of the sill
uation point to a second Republican victor
rs an Irresistible demand of plain commo
sense and careful judgment.
If under these conditions the New Yor
community should change its vote again i
the ann begged of it by the Republ
cans enemies, the world would look on i
wonder and mistrust, and the amazemen
Of Americans would he deeply tinged wit
anxious doubt as to the future.
Are the people of the Greater New Yor