The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-14
A Supreme Struggle.


We are surprised to see such journals
as the Chicago Times-Herald and the
Philadelphia Press engaged either in
openly encouraging the attack which
Seth Low and his band of Mugwump
Suerillas are making in New York city
on the Republican party or else by
neutrality depriving that party of the
active support which it has reason to
expect from these champions of the
national administration. This is the
more surprising in view of the fact
that the Washington Star, a thorough
ly unbiased and trustworthy paper, has
recently made announcement, it is fair
to assume not without ample authority,
that the president regards the candi-
dacy of General Tracy as representing
those principles in government and in
politics which every loyal Republican
should stand UP for, boldly and with
out equivocatiOn,and considers the Low
movement in its later aspects as an
attack in effect, if not in intent, upon
himself.
The facts with reference to the New
York situation are gradually becoming
clear 1t is now known to every WELL
informed student Of current politics
that Mr.. Low is himself wholly to
blame for the conditions which led to
the nomination of General Tracy in
place Of a Republican Endorsement Of
his own candidacy. 1t is Mr.. Low alone
who must be held responsible for the
precipitate and insulting course Of the
self-constituted Citizens Union COM
mittee in forcing his nomination he
fore the Republicans had had time to
act, for a word from him would at any
time have modified it. 1t was Mr.. Low
alone who subsequently spurnod O con-
ference sought by the Republican Cr-
ganiZation for the purpose Of effecting
if possible a compromise and a coales-
cence of all the nti-Tammany forces.
And it was Mr.. Low alone who finally,
after General Tracy himself had held
out the olive branch, assumed to pos
sess a monopoly of civic virtue and
absolutely declined to consider under
any circumstances the possibility of
compromise nomination. At every
stage Of the proceedings, from the in
ception of his guerilla candidacy to
the present moment, his personal pride,
ambition and obstinacy have been the
great wedges of division in the ele-
ments opposed to Tammany. And now,
at the last, he is caught dickering with
Henry George, the representative Of
2rNF nj In
in the hope of defeating not simply his
Republican antagonist, General Tracy,
who years before in a similar emergen-
cy had generously stepped down so
that Low could be elevated, but also
the Republican county and legislative
ticlIet-in other words, declaring war
on the Republican party.
There is a limit to human patience,
and this limit has certainly been reach
ed by the loyal Republicans CT greater
New York and by their colleagues else
where. The Low movement has re-
vealed finally it's real animus as a de-
lberately plotted scheme to disrupt the
the Union: to humiliate its leaders,
wreck its organization and confirm in
power the malevolent Mugwump clique
which at every period in our recent
history since the assassination Of Gar
field and the political betrayal of Blaine
has stood as a menace to Republican
interests and policies. II there is grit,
courage and back bone left in the Re-
publicanism of the Empire state it
will now assert itself. In such an issue
there is no place for skulkers. Let the
vital forces Of modern Republcanism
carry the battle through the trenches
TO a finish and ascertain once for all
who are the party's enemies and who
it's friends.