The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-18
AS HARRISON SEES 1T.
The Ex-President States His Views
on New York Cam mpaign-

New York, Oct 1S.-In an interview
with Murat Halstead today, former
President Harrison said:
I have been detained here by the
fact that all my family have had the
prevailing influenza and the doctor
would not consent to our going home
We hope to have his consent by the
middle of this week, as we are all con-
Valescent.
Il have been watching the campaign
in New York with increasing interest
1 have read the papers. Some of my
old personal and political friends who
are supporting Mr.. Low have labored
with me and I with them, when they
called. If 1 do not get out of town soon,
I am afraid I shall find myself in the
melee.
I do not see that any distinct issue
is presented between Gen Tracy and
Mr. Low. I have heard no arraignment
of Gen. Tracy because he was for or Op-
posed to any measure of municipal ad-
ministratiOn. He seems to stand for
an honest, economical progressive and
public spirited city administration. The
issue seems to me to be whether you
shall have any isSue-the Citizens I'm
ion holding the negative and the Re
publicans the affirmative.
There is great force in the sugges-
tion that ordinarily city election
ought to turn upon questions of city
administration, but there are national
questions that will not be ignored. The
men who voted for Mckinley in 1896
whether Republicans or Gold Demo-
Gratis viii not fail to inquire how the
candidates for mayor of Greater New
York stand upon the questions, wheth-
er public and private debts are to be
paid at 40 cents on the dollar and
whether the lust powers of the courts
are to be upheld against the assaults of
the mob. They will want to know fur
ther whether a particular election is
going to scatter or weaken the forces
that won these issues in 1896. New
YOrk'S mayor, they will think, ought
not to be a repudiationist or a friend
of the mob.
ct is folly to say that the St. Louis
platform is not an issue and that the
business men of this Greater New
York are not to take account of the
influence the election may have in the
further fight that is to be made before
the advocates of reputation and dis
order are dispersed. Good local pur-
poses and management are not the
worse for being associated with good
national purposes and measures. Bus
ness men have not forgotten that the
Republican party met these grave and
threatening issues boldly and offered a
rallying point to the Democrats, who
had been overwhelmed in their own
convention. What has the Republican
party done since to forfeit the conf
dence of those who voted its ticket in
1896?
The business men of New York have
right to make sure that the issue of
this city contest is not such as to weak
en- or diSorganize the sound money for
ces throughout the country. They are
not asked to vote for unworthy and in
competent men in order to do this
their opponents themselves being the
judges. The problem of currency re-
form is also pressing itself upon public
attention-and if it is to be wisely sOlv-
ed it will be by the Republican party
and its sound money allies of the cam
paign of 1896. 1t is not a time for the
conservative forces to fall apart"