The Lambertville record., 1897-04-21
TAMMANY IN SADDLE
HOPES TO RECOVER NEW YORK
FROM THE REFORMERS.


more 10 keep control OF the city res
cued from Tammany three years ago
The organization has entered upoI
The campaign with almost as mucl
confidence in victory as it felt il
1892, when 1t had no opposition eX
cept the feeble fight put up by the de
bilitated Republican machine. 1t is
OF interest TO understand upon whai
this confidence Is based. 1t Is based
upon the belief that reaction" IS
due. Signs of this reaction have been
shown in the town elections through
out the state. 1t is almost impossible
10 beat Tammany twice in succession
Even after its crushing defeat In
1894, Tammany Won in the local elec-
tion the following year; and last No
vember, in spite of the big Sound
Money Democratic revolt. 1t rolled up
l35,000 votes for Bryan. 1t has al
ways been difficult TO arouse the citi-
zens of New York TO supreme eff.
fort for reform city administration,
and after having aroused them once,
II seems impossible to get them TO
make another such effort in the next
Mayoralty election. 1t is true that
the recently organized Citizens S
Union" exhibits gratifying deter
mination on the part of the Munich
pal Reformers to make an early start
this year, but there are special rea-
sons, to be explained why Tammany
bplipVpS this movamant will NOT bavo
the force and momentum of the Com
mittee of Seventy campaign of 1891.
In other words, Its leaders believe
that the political pendulum is swing
ing Its way this year, and that 1t Will
reap the benefit of all the discomfort,
the various petty hardships, and the
personal disappointments resulting
from the Strong Administration. In a
local election few people have the
courage and public spirit to rise su
perlor TO their private interests. Even
though the administration, as a
whole. may have benefited the city. il
1t has hurt any personal interest, that
personal interest VIII work and vote
against it. Independent of any other
consideration. And the Strong Ad-
minlstratlon has tread upon the toes
OF many small personal interests,
which, in the aggregate, represent n
small army Of discomfort and enmity.
II there is any one achievement Of the
administration which may be called,
without exception, slgnally success.
ful, 1t has been in the cleaning of
streets. In fact, even II Tammany
elects the next Mayor, 1t will either
retain Colonel Waring Ia office or
maintain his methods. But, never.
theless, Colonel Waring has undoubt-
edly lost many votes for reform at the
coming election. Every grocer, baker
and small merchant who formerly
stabbed his truck in the street, but
who has been obliged by Colonel War
ing to store 1t elsewhere in order TO
clear the streets of encumbrances, will
probably vote against reform" and
their name Is legion. The city as n
whole is benefited by this change
worked by the Commissioner, but
thousands of small merchants are suf-
fering in pocket because they can no
longer use the streets as storage places
for their private property. In some
of the other departments 1t must be
confessed that reform has been a fall
ure. There have been scandals in the
Fire Department, and the condition of
things In the Police Department Is
such that even Mayor Strong himself
says that Is "a shame and dis
grace Moreover, the Strong Ad
minlstration has resulted in an in
crease in taxes, with no decrease In
rate OF property assessments. As
Strong is Republican, such acts OF
the Republican party In the state as
have caused discomfort and injury
will be used by Tammany to its ad.
vantage In fight against any com.
bination that may be formed against
it In the city election. Thus, every
person who has been injured by tn,
Ralnes law, it Is claimed, will vote fol-
Tammany. Moreover, there are
number OF leading men who hav,
taken part In the non.partisan or bl
partisan movements for municipal re
form who are beginning TO be con
yineed that after all that has beer
said or done, there can be no reall,
effective city government excep
through parties. and that non-par
tisanship Is dream. En- Mayo
Grace. who aided materially in elect
ing Strong, has expressed hmsel
plainly to this effect. 1t Is slgnihcan
in this connection that the new char
ter has been drafted on the principl
of party government 1t may b,
asked why, II there is any basis of re
ality Ia Tammany's confidence of vic
tory IN the Greater New York elec
lion, Senator Plat should be so de
/ termined to create the Greater New
York. Some of the Republicans up tn.
state have been asking this question
+ and doubling the wisdom of passing
the charter But Senator Platt ma,
hold TO Edward Lauterbach's ex
pressed view that the reaction agains
reform" In municipal government
will not set IN favor of Tammany. bu
in favor OF the Republican machin
Organization. Besides. the eharte
has been so constructed that even !
Tammany should elect its candidate
for Mavor. the Republicans would b
pretty certain to obtain an importan
minority representation in the Munlcl
pal Assembly and perhaps control o
one or two Of the bcroughs.-Philadel
| phto oAg