The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-21
Patriotism and Party.

in New York city and state by oppOs-
ing the regular Republican candidate
for mavor of New York, the Chicago
Times Herald defends the Republican,
ism of Seth Low and some of his pres
ent supporters, affirms that Mr.. Low
voted for Blaine in 1884, and adds:
The Scranton Tribune has discovered a
new kind of "mugwump." A Republican
who refuses to indorse the Platt machine
and it's candidate for mayor is "guer-
rilla mugwump." According to The Trib-
une Mr.. Platt is the Republican party of
New York, and the Thousand of Repub-
hcans who are going to register mighty
protest against bossism and one-man
domination constitute "a band of guer-
rilla mugwumps." The Tribune adds that
the attitude of the Times Herald is all the
more surprising when 1t is known that
the president favors the candidacy of
General Tracy. The Times-Herald's po-
stion on the New York contest is not
surprising" to anyone who is familiar
with the editorial policy of this paper.
The Times-Herald advocated the election
of Mckinley because of his eminent fit
ness for the place, because of his high
character as a model American citizen
and because he stood for those issues that
were vital to our national prosperity. The
attitude of the president toward the can
didacY of Mr., Low or the candidacy of
Mr.. Tracy, however, could not have the
slightest influence, either direct or re-
mote upon the editorial policy of this
paper. Even if he should take the stump
in behalf of General Tracy from now un-
til election day the Times-Herald could
not be driven away from the sound and
impregnable position that there is but
one issue involved in the New York con-
test--the issue of honest, incorruptible
nd off ioin
that the voters of New York city should
be allowed TO settle this question for
themselves without interference from
United States senators or cabinet Off
cials.
We admire our western cortempor-
ary's courage but dep!ore its bad judg-
ment. If Mr.. Platt is the Republican
party in New York then Mr.. Hanna is
the Republican party in Ohio and the
Tlmes-Herald, to be consistent, ought
to be supporting Mclean or whoever
the anti-Hanna candidate is. The rela-
tion of these two men to the Repubi-
can organization in their respective
states is identical. The chief differ
ence is that Mr.. Hanna. being newer
in the business, has not yet accumu-
lated the factional enemies that yearn
to elevate the Tioga chieftain's scalp
lock. The Times Herald might as we'll
insult Mckinley by calling him Han
mas puppet as to insinuate that Gen
eral Tracy, if elected mayor of Greater
New York. would be dominated" by
any one man. The testimony Of ex-
President Harrison as to General Ira
cy's fitness and independence from un-
due pressure outweighs In our judg-
ment the reflections upon Tracy cast
by Mr.. Low, Mayor Strong, the New
York Tribune and the Chicago Times
Herald.
Coming, though, to the merits of the
question, here are the facts: Mr.. Low
was petitioned to become q candidate
in New York as unifying force. In
stead Of doing that he elected to be-
come a dividing force. He spurned the
Republican organization which enrols
among its following a majority of the
anti-Tammany voters; he refused to
consider any interests of superior i'm
portance to his personal ambition as a
candidate; he gave himself up to the
purposes of those within and without
the Republican party who wished to
strike down Senator Platt and weaken
the whole structure of the Republican
organization; he contracted alliances
with Henry George, the candidate of
Bryanism and other vicious socialistic
ideas, and when he saw clearly that
he could not be elected, he refused
either to throw his strength against
Tammany to the administration can
didate, General Tracy, or to confer with
the latter with view to a union of
forces on compromise candidate
This may be courage, but it is not dis
cretion. Il is the attitude Of an egotist
or. a wreCker: and in either case it
proves that Mr.. Low would be an un-
safe man to occupy the office he seeks.
As to our Chicago contemporary at
ttude toward the national administra-
ton, we have only to say that if it's
spirited editor should ever undertake
to run a government without the aid
and support of a party organization
and on the principle that sooner than
make a single concession for the pur-
pose of harmony he would see his rarty
smashed, the ultimate consequences
would doubtless disabuse his mind Of
some very lofty but impractical ideas.
1t is due TO Mckinley that the Repub-
lican party be sustained With the
party weak ned he is weakened and the
country is weakened to the extent that
the execution of promised policies is
embarrassed or obstructed. The rarty
cannot be built up one year and torn
down the next without hurt to it's vi
tality and harm to it's representatives
in high office. The duty of patriotism
is to stand by the party in power so
long as it proves itself worthy; and
this involves standing by it wherever
and whenever its standard is unjustif-
ably assailed.
We believe that such a duty lies be-
fore all frien1s of Good government in
Greater New York.
The proper verdict in the Luetgert
case would have BEEN mot proved,
e I,a,