New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-04
LIZ. RIDWELLS GOOD SENSE.

The duty of the Republican party in this city
at the present time was clearly seen and adj
mrably expressed by Collector George X. Bid
well in an interview which The Tribune re-
ported yesterday morning. Mr. Bidwcll is a
fair type of the thorough organization man, who
has been associated In the management of the
organization and who now holds Federal office
through its influence He is probably in full
sympathy with Mr.. Quiggs desire to preserve
the power and prestige Of the body which owns
him as It's official head. Mr.. Bidwell Is neither
an Independent nor a Mugwump. nor does he
pretend 70 be anything but faithful follower
of the leadership OF Mr.. Platt. 1t Is perfectly
evident that Mr. Low is not his choice FOR
Mayor. but he is able, nevertheless. TO take a
Just view Of the situation. and with practical
politicians eyes see what practical political
sense requires He says:
think the Republican organization is too
big and has too much responsibility TO be moved
by petty considerations in the nomination of d
candidate for Mayor of the Greater New orh
In ny View the availability OF candidate
should be the first consideration. We ought not
to be moved by what j. Il. Reynolds or an!
other mon in the Citizens Union may say about
us or about the Republican organization VI"
cannot afford to let III feeling at anything th'Y
may say or do prevent US from nominating the
most available candidate LOT mayor! We N''!t
to prevent the election Of Tammany Mayor
by putting UP a man who is a vote-getter.
That is exactly what The Tribune has been
telling Republicans. We want to prevent The
election of a Tammany Mayor by nominating
the most available candidate, and nothing that
ANYBODY else can say or do should be allowed
to prevent the Republican organization from
supporting that man, wherever he Is TO be
found Undoubtedly almost the entire body Of
Independent voters, MS well as large num-
Der Of strict Republicans, believe that Mr.
Low can poll more votes against Tammany
than any other man whose name might be
placed on the official ballot Mr. Bidwell him.
self is not yet ready to believe this. In fact
his wounded party senslbilities still lead him 10
apply to the judgment Of Mr.. Low those petty
considerations which he had just declared
should have no weight in the selection OF
candidate, and to say that Mr.. Low could not
be considered an available Republican candidate
II ne accepted the Citizens Union nomination.
and to add: 1T is for Mr.. Low 10 decide now
.'if he will make himself entirely unavailable
"as n candidate to be supported by Republicans.
That. of course, is the view Mr.. Bidwell would
naturally hold for few days, and it is not TO
be expected that his logic should rise superior
to his scnslbillties at once But Mr.. Low has
accepted, and the problem of finding the man
who can defeat Tammany by being vote-get-
ter still cOnfronts the Republican organization
Mr. Bidwel is started in the right direction, and
after q little, when logic has chance to assert
itself doubtless he and his fellow organization
leaders will examine Mr.. Lows possibilities as
vote-getter and conclude that when man
has the enthusiastic support Of tens OF thou
sands Of independent electors his availability IS
not affected by what J. b. Reynolds says or the
Citizens Union does, nor yet by his consent TO
give people who want to vote for him the chance
to do so. All things are working well and
time will bring them right.