Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-27
LOAVES AND FISHES
The Real Issue in Coming Contest in
Greater New York.
TREMENDOUS PATRONAGE AT STAKE
Both Republican and Democratic
Organizations Badly Split Up.
THE STU ALTON IN DETAIL
Special From a Staff Correspondent.

| NEW YORK, September 26. 1897.
The local political workers in New York
| are looking at the municipal election here
| from the point of view of what there is in
| it," For them there Is great deal in it
| if they win. A lot of patronage is dis
| pensed and lot of, money is spent here
during the term of mayor. There has
| been much of both patronage and money
| distributed during the term of the present
| reform mayor.
Nevertheless the ward workers of neither
| of the great parties have profited much
| therefrom. A reform government is not
what the regular politicians want in New
York, and on this point there is sympathy
between the Tammany workers and Mr..
| Platts workers Either would probably
prefer to see the other get in than to have
| the good government ideas prevail. This
| is the purely local aspect.
The election of mayor of Greater New
| York has bearing on national politics
| which is of consequence to the whole coun-
| try. With Organism, as it is called, to the
| fore, it will be very difficult for the demo-
| Gratis to carry New York at national cleo
| ton under any circumstances, but their
| chances in 1900 and in the congressional
| election next fall will be greatly increased
If they can get control of the government
| of Greater New York at this time. This
| would make them strong enough in the
/
| publicans should expend here some of the
| energy which, otherwise. they would put
| into the fight for control of the doubtful
| states in the west. Moreover it would mean
| that money would go from New York into
| the democratic national campaign fund.
| Tnmmnny Was Short of Funds.
At the last national election Tammany
| not only did not have any money to con-
tribute to the natoral campaign, but We're
| heir ~.
paign Their rich patrons of former years
| were opposed to them, and in no quarter
| had they the means wherewith to raise
! money. Now they are trying so to con-
| duct themselves as to get money for pres
| ent needs, and to win the election, which
Will pace them iE position to command
| money Tor campaign purposes In the next
contest LOT congress and for the Presi-
dency in 1900.
If they win, it will help the democrats in
the presidential election, even if rational
| issues are obscured in the present contest
II the regular republicans win New York
| state VIII be absolutely safe to the re-
| puoilcans for long time to come and If
viii be a Recommendation incalcula bile
!oss-to the democrats as national partv
~ would marx the going to pieces of the
| eastern democracy. The republicans could
stand defeat here now better than tho
democrats could. The loss of this nunici-
pal election would not necessarily mean
he fr1t,t
But defeat would mean this to the demo-
Gratis. TO use gamblers phrase what
ever the republicans win in this election Is
velvet, with the democrats it is a case
| OIL win or go broke"
Attitude of the Factions.
1t Is essential to an understanding of the
progress Of the campaign that the, relations
| of the several factions in Greater New
York TO each other should be explained
These factionel divisions are what render
| the result doubtful, and, though their diff
ferences are chiefly on local-in some cases
| on personal-grounds, their influence upon
the result makes it matter of general
| interest.
| in the ranks of both parties The repuhIi-
cans have the Plat. the anti-Platt and the
REFORM clement to contend with. The Plat
element Is in control of the regular organi-
zalon, and therefore must be recognized
as the republican party The anti-p latt
ior the most part represents antagonism
| 10 fiatt at the primaries, but will not ex-
tena that opposition into the election. The
antl-Platt republicans will, as a rule vote
| be Plat men "'''
The Citizens Union is the great menace
! TO the republicans: 1t ought to be a help
" tHeH since IL IS an anti-Tammany or
ganlzation formed, as declared, in the in
terest Of good government. 1t happens.
| however. that the union is anti-Platt, as
| well as anti-Tammany, and has more CON
| fidence in its own wisdom and virtue than
| IN that of anybody else, and insists upon
| oo'hS thlnss In Its own way whatever the
consequence may be. union between the
Citizens Union, the regular republicans
| and all other anti-Tammany forces is
what should be expected but the Cts" as
they are called, have practically refused
such an alliance, and, having nominated
| Mr. Low for mayor, at this time insist
upon his remaining in the field, recurring
| the regular republicans to accept him. I'M
| DER compulsion, as condition of alliance.
| rms the regular republicans noticeably re-
| luse 10 10, and announce their intention
70 nominate for mayor of Greater New
York Gen Tracy who was President Har-
| 1lson secretary of the Navy, and who is
| is made of the fact however. that the
| regular republicans want unity in the fight
| against Tammany, and that they are ready
| 10 take up some other candidate acceptable
| cation. In which event their own fayorite
| and Mr.. Low would both get out of the
field In the interest Of harmony.
| Reason for Its Stabbornness.
| Thus far the Citizens Union have shown
| no disposition to accommodate themselves
| to the situation. and fhe republicans have
little hope of accomplishing anything in
| this direction. An explanation of the stub
bornness of the Citizens Union. or Low
people. may be found In the fact that the
most radical Of the Cleveland democracy
forms very powerful element in the or
ganization These men, Of course. not only
| care nothing for the republican party, but
would like to see 1t destroyed, as they would
like the destruction Of Tammany. They
would like to kill Plat and Tammany at
the same time, but IL they have to take
them In detail they do not care particu-
lerly which they kill of first. The idea of
putting their kidded hand in the hand of
Platt in token of an alliance against Tam
many gives them the shudders. It cannot
be expected that such men as Fairchild.
Laroque. Wheeler H. .Reckham. Everett P.
| Wheeler, w. B. Hornblower, ]. c. Carter
and Geo L.,Reeves. all cleveland devotees,
should be at all affectedtby the considera-
ton Of .the.interests- OF the republican par
ty, even in contest against a common en-
envy. These are all men of force and are
bound to exercise great influence In the
society which they seek. They are also
sentimental IN way. and prejudiced
against anything stamped regular in
particularly II it is republican. If
| they could have stood regularity at all
they would have stood It In the democratic
| This Is the dangerous element the repub-