The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-10

Tho political revolution that platform
sought to produce was still aggressive and
| threatening, and II took advantage OF the
elections OF last week to strengthen and
| extend its lines with an eye to gaining
control of the congress in 1898 and the
presidency in 1900.
Naturally and obviously the place where
resistance to that assault should have
been most determined was New York, for
the menace is more especially against
the conservative interests of this great
center of American wealth and civiliza-
tion. Last year, accordingly, they united
In giving a majority against Mr. Bryan
and Tammany Hall, his representative.
This year, however, Mugwumpery inter-
vened with It's old tricks. 1t pretended
that Organism had nothing to do with the
campaign, and that the only Issue was
what 1t called "bossism." In other words
Its objective was the party orga nization
or the Republicans, the only party
through which any contest against Bry-
anism can be waged now or at any time
hereafter until 1t has been crushed alb
solutely; for nothing is more obvious than
that the Chicago platform Is to be the
continuing standard of the Democratic
party AS consequence of this Mug
wump deviltry, Organism has won
great victory in this city and state, where
it was defeated so roundly only year
ago. The Mugwumps, too, have gained
large force OF recruits from Republic
cans who had before remained with their
party. The New York Tribune is no long
er of political importance, and hence Its
complete surrender to Mugwumpery Is
not matter Of much significance; but
the large reduction in the percentage of
the Republican vote under the distraction
of the Low candidacy, whose prime and
obvious purpose was the etfacement of
that party and the disintegration OF that
organization, Is a serious matter. EXpe-
rience indicates that the Mugwump mania
is progressive and that those afflicted by
1t In its more acute form become perma-
nent political perverts and apostates
whose madness leads them to strike most
viciously at the party they have deserted.
o
What does all this suggest? Does IL not
portend sweeping triumph for Organism
next year and in 1900, another complete
political topsy-turvy, more mercurial poll
tics, renewed and increased danger to our
business and financial interests, and the
strengthening of the foreign impression
that the American people are without po-
litical stability? The sinister result of
the New York election, however, was the
work of the conservative element of the
community. II only was tickle. Tam
many held its Bryanite vote of last year
substantially intact, but the great major
ity of the Mckinley vote turned square
about and gave the city and state to Bry-
anism, though as the election returns
proved, and as was manifest from the
first, it could have put the Republican
party in power and manifested to all the
world the strength Of its political princi-
pies.
These people are now perplexed and
anxious; but they invited the trouble
which has come upon them, and they de-
serve it, They have reaped the newt
able fruits of their folly and madness.
They had the opportunity to put this
great community and this great state so
emphatcally on the side of conservative
stability that its reputation for sobriety
of judgment would have been enhanced
throughout the world, but they set to
work to strike down the only party on
which they could depend as the champion
of their welfare. How can they avoid the
harvest Of evil consequences for which
their folly sowed the seed? How can they
prevent the doleful returns of their wild
investment in the Low enterprise? They
must resume and continue their alle-
glance to the party which saved them
from last year. They must repudiate the
devices of political guerillas to divert
them from II.