The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-05
The Alternative.

LINN NhoHNubg III oA OeN
urday, his acceptance Of a Democratic NOM
nation for Mayor, expressed full conf
dence in his election. The campaign, he
said, would be of unexampled intensity In
the history of American municipal cleo
tions, and when the returns are in on the
evening of Nov. 2, "they will show our
ticket first, with Gen. TRACY second, and
Mr.. Low and ~Tammany's candidate, II he
stay so long, very close together for tho
third place."
No experienced and discerning observer
of the political situation will say that this
confidence is vain boasting in Mr.. GEORGE.
The enthusiasm provoked by his candidacy
is Enthusiastically ominous and alarming.
When HENRY GEORGE ran for Mayor in
1886 as an independent Labor candidate,
the conservative public were astounded
when they saw the vote returned for him.
1t was over 90, 5000, out Of q total cast of
about 100000, and his canvassers then
commended, and still contend, that actually
1t was larger, but was not counted.
However that may be, HENRY GEORGE
obtained in the returns over 80 per cent. of
the vote polled for Mayor in 1885. If he
should get that percentage only at the
SohAhB SlCSOlOus LIS NOpo "ouiu oO oNCE
10000 in the present city of New York.
The danger, nay, the probability, Is that
he will get very much more. In 1886 Tam.
many was supported by the powerful can
didacy of Mr.. HEWITT, and behind it was
a united Democratic party. The poison
of Organism had not then been introduced
into it.
GEORGE was a political outlaw, with no
party organization at his back, and with a
beggarly treasury to meet the then great
cost Of a campaign. Tammany Hall. with
Mr.. HEWITT as its candidate, was overflow
ing with money; yet HEWITT beat GEORGE
by about %, 900 votes only.
Now GEORGE Is no longer a political out
law. He wears the uniform of Democratic
regularity, and all the enthusiasm and de-
termination of the Democracy of the
Chicago platform is with him. Instead
of a strong candidate like Mr.. HEWITT,
Tammany opposes to him a feeble candidate
and an evasive platform which outrages it's
earnest Bryanite following, its main sup
port, and covers it with the contempt of the
Democrats who revolted from 1t last year.
Tammany was hopelessly weak before the
George candidacy now it is disintegrated.
IL ID practically OuU OIL tne uRnC. Inc can
didate who will command the support of
the vast body Of its Bryanite following of
$4,000 last year will be HENRY GEORGE
assuredly.
That is, it is to be the contest of last year
over again, only, instead of BRYAN, HENRY
GEORGE will be the leader of the Bryanite
forces, and he is a dangerous personality.
He will hold together the hordes led by
BRYAN last year better han any other man
who could ave been selected. He will
beat Tammany out of sight.
That is the situation as 1t actually is,
and every conservative citizen of New
York must face it from this time forth.
The danger is real. Unless there is a con,
centration of all the conservative forces OF
this community in support of Gen. TRACY,
as there was a year ago in support of Major
MCKINLEY, the first Mayor of the Greater
New York will be HENRY GEORGE.
He can be beaten, and the calamity of his
election avoided, a calamity extending tc
every business interest in this community
but only as BRYAN was beaten last year
The situation Is the same and the peril Is
the same.
Before this campaign has gone far the
anxiety which oppressed all conservative
men a year ago will rest not less heavily OIL
them again.