New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-14
ARE NE FIGHTING TAuN NV

SunDose now we get down to business. Does
this pending municipal election mean anything
ia the voters and taxpayers Of the new city OF
Ncw-York? If So what? The answer IS not
far 20 seek 1t means to the vast majority OF
voters of all PARTIES one of two things: the cS-
adjustment for the ensuing four years OF hon
est and competent municipal government direct
cd solely to the administration of affairs in the
interest of all citizens and for the general vel
fare. or the restoration of the partisan miSrule
which for so many years made our municipal
administration synonyme for robbery and
scandal TO the whole country In nutshell II
is now lust what It was three years ago when
tho honest voters of this city rose up against
Tammany and elected William l.. Strong: just
what it was when the honest voters of Brook
Iyn rose up against the Mclaughlin Ring and
elected Seth Low. The fight Of good citizens
and honest voters IS against the same forces,
under the same leadership and animated ny the
same purposes. SO much, we believe. is plain
10 every intelligent person. The issue IS clean
cut. unmlstakable. That Is the business OF the
hour And that is what we ought to he getting
close down to If we mcaa what we say ana
are not so blinded by unreasOnng partisanShip
or personal prcjulccS and predictions, or so
deafened by the din of the Observation-Disclosures VINO
are striving to divert attention from the real
issue, tina. we cannot rise TO the occasion and
meet the emergency. TO prevent the return OF
Tammany to power is. We believe. the earnest
desire Of majority OF the voters What are
we doing to accomplish It? What IS Mr.. Quigg.
who Is running General Tracys campaign. do
ing toward Il? What General Tracy himself?
What their accredited organ, THE New-York
Sun?
Mr.. Qulgg has from the moment OF his en-
trance upon tho office OF campaign manager
hardly mentioned Tammany; certainly has not
said a word or done thing 70 Indicate that his
objective point was the defeat Of the Tanmany
ticket His brilliant leadership has been direct
Ell solely TO belittling the Citizens Union and
abusing It's candidate, Seth Low. During the
brief period that has elapsed since General
Tracy's nomination that gentleman has made
but two public appearances. On both occasions
his efforts were directed chiefly to showing that
he and not Seth Low. should receive the sup
port OF Republican voters. The reader may
search IN vain through both his speeches for
anything that can be construed as an earnest
vigorous and outspoken attack upon the Tam
many Democracy. No one would suppose from
his speeches that he was engaged in n war upon
Tammany or that he believed any harm would
come from Tammanys restoration 10 power.
The impression they convey is that Il is Seth
Low not Tammany, who is the enemy Of good
government. that Is, of partisan government;
and that Seth Low mus be put down. whatever
becomes OF Tammany Then there's the organ
OF the Qugg movement. The New-York sun"
That newspaper could hardly bc expected to
make an aggressive campaign against Tam
many for ii has openly and ehamclcSSly cham
poncd that organization for twenty-five years.
and I: hasn't the face TO say now that It's return
TO power would be anything but On unadul-
teratcd good. The Suns campaign has been
active, aggressive ana vigorous against Low.
whom it has followed for months with mis-
representation, backguardsm and personal
abuse.
And that's the sort Of campaign the Qulgg
movement IS making. Is Il good politics? DO
Republicans like il: DO the Republicans Of
Ncw-Yorll really think that Low is more dan
serors than Tammany; That Is the theory
upon which the Qugg people are acting. They
appear to be bending all their energies not 10
weakening Tammany. not TO showing up the
iniquitles Of that corrupt organization. not 10
dcvsing measures 10 secure It's defeat. but sim
ply TO keeping as many Republicans as possible
from voting for Seth Low. What sort OF poll
ties Is that? The success OF the Tammany
ticket means. as everybody secs. the rc-estab-
lishment Of Croker as municipal dictator, with
a worse crowd OF cormorants under him than
ever before. Wouldn't it he well for the Qugg
people to get down to business for tho remain
ing fortnight. Of the campaign and say some
thing about Croker and Tammany, instead Of
devolng all their energies and all their time
TO abuse of Seth Low? We don; expect "Thc
Sun" to change its policy, of course. We would
not wish to have II. IFS abuse is helpful 10 the
cause.