The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-10
ZEE o1nr11eN Ia III FoRK.
ne Frui,ie-- sehssses to Chauso ara Psrvsrt
IT'S Inevitable ourse.

Its Inevitable Courpa.
To THE EprroR or THE suN-Sfr: Your
remarks to-day on tho curious political situa
tion in this city must provoke the serious
thought Of all conservative citizens, whether
Democrats or Republicans. Nothing should DO
palmer to such mon than that the vast political
power Of tho Greater New York and the control
OF it's enormous expenditures will DO used for the
benefit Of the Bryan Democracy II Tammony
Hall Is permitted to obtain the prize. and that
nothing can prevent such q result except an.
other union Of all the opposition under the lead
ership OF the Republican party In tho election
next November. Unless there is q combination
like that OF 1896 New York's very civilization
will be at the mercy Of the forces which were
then and still are behind Organism.
Early last spring leading Democrats who had
voted for Mckinley, as a necessary measure OF
safety in a time Of political revolution, sought to
establish relations with tho Tammany Hall
leaders for the purpose OF inducing them to set
aside the dangerous issues made by the Chicago
platform and thus concentrate the whole Dem.
ocratic support upon the regularly nominated
Democratic ticket, which. OF course. would have
to come from Tammany. Their overturcs were
received In a conciliatory spirit, for tho Tam
many leaders are practical politicians, and 90
cordingiy ready to look favorably on any
proposition which seems to give them greater
assurance Of winning an election. They wanted
to succeed. and they were not restrained by any
theories or convictions from following any path
open to them. The Intermediary gold Demo-
Gratis were exactly the men they most
wanted on the side OF Tammany In tho
campaign, for they have money. social prestige.
and the confidence Of the conservative commu-
nifty. Hence. personally, Mr.. Sheehan and his
associates were Eager to make the proposed ar
rangement. Four or five months ago both sides
looked upon 1t as settled that tho Chicago plat
form would DO dropped out OF Tammany's cam.
paign. Tammany was TO put up a candidate for
Mayor who had not offended and frightened con-
servative Democratic sentiment by supporting
Bryan; even men who had openly ~revolted against
the Chicago platform. Governor Flower, for In
stance, were not deemed ineligible for the nomi-
nation. The understanding was that the cam.
paign should DO conducted on local Issues"
only. on the ground that in a purely municipal
canvass differences AZ to national issues should
not enter.
simultaneously, . movement was started by
real and ostensible opponents Of Tammany with
the s anne general purpose. 1t also was TO keep
out from the municipal campaign the issues
made by the Chicago platform. A volunteer
committee. calling themselves the Citizens
Union, was organized. 1t included among its
members some very estimable gentlemen,
prominent in various walks of life, who entered
into the movement without much thought on
tho subject, and consented to render nominal
service to an enterprise which seemed to DO
altogether respectable and wholly harmless.
The great mass OF them took little or no interest
In II. and. as always happens, q few men who
had purposes Of their own to serve wore left to
shape it at their will. The inspiring motive Of
these few men was hostility to the Republican
organization in New York. and moro particu-
- IL 70 NJ DIo T1-E
that organization in order to destroy the power
Of the Republican leader. Hence they set out
to eliminate from the campaign the Republican
party as such by taking away from it the oppor-
tunity to profit by any such outside assistance
as enabled 1t last year to carry New York and
the Greater New York. Thus they had the Same
objective as Tammany Hall and its Manhat-
tan Club allies. They were both after the Re-
publican party. and their strategy was tho
same. Both Of them wanted to deprive that
party of the advantage 1t secured last au.
tumn. The common game was to force the
fighting on other ground than that then won
by the Republicans, by making the issues
strictly local and excluding absolutely the
national issues to which the Republicans owe
their strength.
1t was a remarkable situation, for among the
most active members of the Citizens Union arc
some Republicans, but their enmity to Mr..
Platt is stronger than their love Of their party.
In order to beat him they set out to clip tho
wings Of the Republican party and make it pow.
erless in the campaign as a distinctive ORGANIZE
ton. This purpose of the Citizens Union was
so apparent that 1t Immediately received the
enthusiastic support Of tho Mugwump papers,
whose mania Is hatred Of the Republi.
can party. They jumped at a chance to
steal from the Republicans their position
Of advantage and Of leadership, and to releeate
them to the humiliation Of q subordinate place.
That Is all there is in the Low enterprise. It has
been conducted from the start In q spirit
OF open and malignant hostility to the Re.
publican organization. 1t is simply O piece of
political strategy intended to spike the Republic.
can guns in the coming campaign. As coming
from political enemies, there would have been
nothing in it contrary to the rules Of political
warfare under which the end is always held to
justify the means. but 1t Is remarkable that
even Republicans were inveigled into so obvious
q conspiracy for the undermining and overthrow
OF their party.
The scheme for the capture of Tammany Hall
by the gold Democrats. which seemed so hopeful
In the spring, does not look 80 promising to them
now. 1t is not promising at all. but has boon
proved to be utterly impossible. The leaders of
have found ont that they cannot
make such a bargain without inviting the ruin
of their power and bringing destruction on the |
organization. They cannot deliver the goods. |
The 5000 voters for Bryan last November |
will insist and are insisting on having some
thing to say in the matter; and nothing would
30 much exasperate them and drive them 30 Ger.
tainly into irreconcilable revolt as any suspicion
that the Tammany leaders had betrayed the
Bryan cause TO the Manhattan Club gold
bugs. The knowledge that such q deal was
meditated extended through the Tammany
ranks. and 1t increased their determination to
force Organism into the campaign as it's fore
most issue. II they cannot carry out their
purpose through Tammany they will carry 1t
out against Tammany. The very names of
the gold Democrats seeking to make the deal
rouse them to wrath.
So, also. with the Citizens Union deal. As
Republicans begin to understood its true mean
ing and purpose, they are recognizing that the
salvation OF their party in New York, and in. |
cidentally. it may be. as a whole. depends
upon their resolute resistance to the movement
as a conspiracy In which are Joined its bitterest
nj