The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-05
WHO SHALL BE MAYOR

WHO SHALL BE MAYOR
The choosing of the first mayor of the
Greater New York promises to possess
an interest throughout the country sec
ond only to the election of a president.
There are already four candidates in
the field.
The Republican party has nominated
General Benjamin F. Tracy, man of
national reputation, who was a member
of President Harrison's cabinet. The
Democratic party has nominated Henry
George whose name is familiar to the
public from the fact that he has been
an able and prominent advocate of the
theories of free trade and the single
tax. Tammany Hall has chosen for
its candidate Judge Van Wyck, a man
who is said to stand well in the consol-
dated city though he is little known to
the country at large.
His chief weakness seems to lie in the
fact that nobody wanted him to head
the ticket except Richard Croker and
few of the leaders. His nomination
was greeted with Kisses by a large ele-
ment in the convention.
Seth Low, a Republican in politics
and president of Columbia college is
the candidate of the Citizens Union
and is the only strictly partisan
American Union, numbering 10000 vot-
ers has already declared in his favor.
Nobody is pretending to give an Opin-
ion as to which candidate will be sue
cessfuI If Tammany had endorsed
the Chica go platform, Mr.. George prob
ably would not have been in the race,
but as it did not do so he becomes a
prominent factor in the fight. He has
back of him the Organizes and the la
Dor elements. Tammany is said to be
alarmed at the prospect.
If the two leading New York jour
nails are to be considered as rejecting
public opinion the wigWam's fears are
not without reason. Before Mr.
Georges nomination The Journal said
of his probable candidacy:
Tammany has had experience of Mr.
George as a vOte-getter. Eleven years
ago ne ran, without newspaper SUD-
port, or more than spontaneous Orga-
niZatiOn behind him Tammany fig
ured at most he would receive about
Is 900 votes. No fewer than 6S, ITO bal
lots were cast, or counted, for him, to
80, 552 for Hewitt, Democrat, and 6O,435
for Roosevelt, Republican. Mr.. Georges
strength lay largely where Tammany
deems itself strongest, among the
working men.
In the years which have elapsed since
1886 Mr.. George has not declined, but
grown enormously in the confidence of
In6 masses ana IN the respect OF ALI
classes, for time has brought increase
of knowledge as to his abilities and the
worth of his character. An immense
earnestness and enthusiasm would be
with him this year. His supporters
would be for the most part men who
hope for action by Tammany that will
render his candidacy unnecessary-rnen
who would gladly vote for a sound
Democrat on the regular ticket.
Since the nomination by the silver
wing of the New York Democracy The
World says:
If Henry George polled $4,000 out of
a total of 100000 in the election for
mayor in 1886, when known chiefly as
the author of one book and with no
organization supporting him, how many
votes will he be able to get out of 5000
in Greater New York in 1897?
This is sum for the politicians to
ponder.
Mr.. George polled nearly one-third of
the total vote in 1886, standing practic-
ally alone. He did it by his force of
character, his cOncincing OratOry, his
splendid ability. He has grown since
then. He alone stands squarely on the
Chicago platform, which We detest, but
which a ma Ority of Democrats will up
mold If with all these new helps he
should do no better than in 1886, he
would still get nearly 100 900 votes.
With four candidates running. or five
counting the PrOhibitiOnist, might not
this possibly elect him? What other
candidate, as matters now stand. is at
all certain of polling more than one
third of the whole vote?
The politicians in 1885 told US that
Henry George would not get 10000
votes. We warned them that he would
get nearer 10000. And we give them
the hint now to keep their eye open on
the George canvass when once it gets
under way.
The National or gold Democrats are
satisfied with neither Democratic can
didate and seem disposed to give their
support to Low. The election of either
Low or George would be considered as
a defeat of machine politics, since the
other two candidates seem justly to be
entitled to be considered as the person
al representatives of Boss Croker and
Boss Platt respectively.