The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-25
THE NEW YORK ELECTION.
"A Summing Up of the Curious POIit-
icnI Situation There.

When this paper is seen by its readers the
campaign for mayor of Greater New York
VIII nave only one more week to run, and
II IS barely possible, though improbable
mat the situation will be less complicated
man man Il Is at present; Now everything is
dreadfully mixed. and very many Repub-
Means and Democrats are sadly perpieXed
as to what their duty is. Three Of the or
CARNATIONS, the Republicans the Tammany
democrats. and the Bryan Democrats
nave called to their aid partisan orators
from distant parts of the country, and
destiny of the nation is dependent upon the
result of this election. The Citizens Union
adN COATES nonpartisanship in municipal
government and insists that in New York
the people should have home rule without
interference from outsiders and particu-
larry without dictation from any Bosses
Each organization has elaborate and eX-
tenslve machinery at work, and every re-
source will be used to poll the full vote for
each candidate. Tammany Hall is the clos
est poHtlcaI organization in tie world, and
the yammany candidate Judge r. A. Van
Wyck, would no doubt win were it certain
that the full Tammany vote. could be held
for him. But there is much doubt as to
this. 1t had not been the purpose of the
leaders OF Tammany to select Judge Van
the rank and file of the members preferred
Mr. Dayton, who was lately postmaster at
New York. But Mr.. Richard Croker re-
turned from England a few weeks ago and
compelled the selection of another than
Dayton. Mr.. Croker wanted young George
B. Mcclellan, but at length compromised
on AN WICK. InlS was not a popular Sc
lection, and many rammany men have re-
scented Cookers high-handed manner in re-
Stunning control of the organization while
ostensibly posing as private in the ranks
At this time it seems unlikely that Tam
many can hold its full vote. Mr.. Dayton
and his friends have bolted, and very
large percentage of the Tammany men who
were sincere in their advocacy of the Bry-
an hereSies are also either opposed TO Van
WICK or lukewarm in their support The
Tammany strength is therefore, an I'M
known quantity. The campaign is being con-
Quoted under the personal superintendent
of Mr.. Croker, who has had long expe-
rience, and is as skillful in cutting, dealing
and playing political cards as any man in
the country. Ex-Mayor Hugh Grant is
nominally the head of the Tammany cam
paign committee, but Croker is the power,
and-to use the slang of the street-"what
he says goes.
The Bryan people, who were dissatisfied
with Tammany Hall because in the Tam
many platform the platform of the Chicago
convention was ignored, have nominated
Mr.. Henry George, in the hope of keeping
the Bryan ideas of last year alive. How
many Tamnany votes Mr.. George will get
is question which cannot be answered by
any one. But he will, without any doubt,
draw a great many Tarnnany votes. In adj
dition to the Bryan Democrats who will go
for him, Mr. George will be supported by
the Single-taxers, by one or two labor par
ties, and by pretty nearly all the cranks
in town. 1t seems probable, therefore, that
Mr.. George will poll a very heavy vote. But
at the last moment, If 1T is made quite APP
parent that Mr.. George cannot be elected
it is quite likely that those Of his support
ers who are such because of their displeas-
ure with Croker may go to the support of
Mr.. Low who is unaterably opposed to
bosses of every kind. The entrance of Mr.
George into the camp Align was not antici-
pated by the politicians, and his candidacy
makes a complicated situation much more
complicated. Mr.. Dayton is running on Mr.
Georges ticket for controller. What effect
this will have is hard to say, as in politics
Mr.. Dayton disagrees with Mr. George in
pretty nearly every particular. Mr.. Willis
J. Abbot, a recent arrival from Chicago, is
the chairman of the George campaign COM
mittec.
General Benjamin F. Tracy secretary of
the navy in General Harrison's Cabinet, and
a LAWYER of note and distinction, is the Re-
publican candidate. The Republicans are
in the minority in the communities which
will compose the Greater New York, and
the only chance to win was by a combina-
ton with the Independents. Mr. Plat, of
Tioga county, controls the party machinery
in New York city as well as in the State,
ment except a straight-out Republican
ticket. 1t IS likely that he saw in the di-
visions in the Democratic ranks an opening
for a straight ticket-a ticket which, il
elected, would give to him personal control
of the affairs of the city. Then, again, ii is
pretty certain that Mr.. Platt would Inn
in case he could not put his own men in
office. With Tammany Mr. Plat can al
ways deal. If, when the lines are drawn,
it should seem that the race was between
Tammany and any of the other organiza-
lions with the Republicans out Of the race,
there can be little doubt that Mr.. Platt
would give all the aid he could to the sue
cess of Tammany. Between the profess
sional politicians of Tammany Hall and
those making up the coterie which does Mr..
Platt's bidding there is a natural aftiliation
-nominally enemies, they are actually
friends. There appears to be little doubt
that General Tracy will be not better than
third in the race and probably fourth. Mr..
Lemuel r. Quigg is the nominal head or the
Tracy campaign committee, but the old
man. as the Republican boys call Mr..
Platt. Is at the wheel himself, and will
probably not leave the deck till the race is
over -. Hit.
favors the elimination of partisan politics
from city affairs, has nominated Mr.. Seth
Low president of Columbia college, ana
twice mayor of Brooklyn. Mr.. Low has the
independent vote almost to man, ana ne
will draw largely from both Democratic ana
Republican ranks, while many OF the in l1ll
beers of labor unions look favorably on him.
How large the vote from these various
sources will be it is impossible to tell. The
impression that disinterested observers obs, now
ishing-astonishingly large or astohshingiy
small.
There are many political meetings every
night and all the most approved methods
of vote-getting are in active operation.
Three of the candidates = Messrs. tracy.
George and Iow--are old campa1gnerS while
Judge Van Wyck is not without experience.
Professions nightly parade in the streets,
while bands of music are in such demanG
tnGX
Sneakers are very busy, though II Is likely
that Mr. Low is employing this method or
reaching the people more extensively than
the other candidates. In some parts OF the
town there is a house-to-house canvass by
womes who would be better employed at
home looking after domestic affairs. Straw
ballot. by yellow journals are so numerous
that they are annoying to busy men. Mean
time business is considerably disordered by
the inattention that 1t receives at the hands
of those who are usually interested In moth
ing else
Of the candidates Mr.. George is the most
ELOQUENT General Tracy is the dryest and
Mr.. Low is the most polished and at the
Same time the most convincing. OF the
quality of Judge Van Wyck on the stump
nothing is known. The New York news
napers give as much space to the election as
they did to that for President of the United
States last autumn. The Journal Is for
George the Sun for Tracy the Daily News
for Van Wyck, the Herald is independent,
and all the rest of the papers including the
Tribune Times World, Commercial Adver-
tiser. Evening Post, Stats Zeitung and
Rrooklyn Eagle are for Low. Here Is an
oDportinity to see how far the people of the
metropolis are influenced by the papers that
they read Mr. Croker pretends TO think
that the support of a paper Is injurious to
candidates and pretty nearly every one else
agrees with him that the bitter vituDeratton
adonted bv Mr.. Platts organ is injurious TO
Mr. Platt's candidate and helpful 10 the
cause of Mr. Low who is pursued and Will
fled in scandalous fashion and spoken of as
though he were one of the very worst and