Arizona silver belt., 1897-11-11
A LESSON FOR REPORTERS.


 The victory of Tamnany in the first municipal election of Greater New York, while 6 matter of regret to the friends of good government, occasioned no surprise. From the beginning of the canvsss Van Wyck's success seemed probable. and with the sensa- tional death of Henry George the only formidable obstacle in Tammany's path was removed.
 There Is an important lesson for TO- formers to be drawn from the New York election, namely, that reforms to be lasting musF not be so radical as to trench upon the liberties and est,b- lished customs of the people; also that there is the common bond of self interest between machine politicians of opposite parties which will always draw them together when their supremacy is threatened, to fight the common enemy, the reformers. To these two causes may be attributed the triumph of Tammauy on the 2nd of November last
 The friends of good government in New York City won n notable victory three years ago by the election of Wm. l.. Strong mayor, whose administra- ton has been able and honest, but the reform government made the fatal mistake of permitting the puritanical element among the reformers, repre- sented by Rev. Chas. H. Parkhurst, to dictate it's pohcy. The obnoxious Raines liquor law was forced upon tho people and sabbatarian programme inaugurated, against which the cosmo. politan population of the city protested as being an unwarrapted abridgement of their rights and privileges.
 The fanatical Dr. Parkhurst in dulges, through the Associated Press, iu vail of woe over Tsmmauy's vic- tory, and calls upon the Lord to have mercy on New York, which he declares twill not become respectable city until its clergy are 50 possessed of the spirit of the oli prophets as to be pre- pared to pnt governing pressure upon secular events" This seraphic re former would like to see the secnlar government dominated by the protest ant clergy, but what of the Catholic church, which has for years been credited with exercising powerful in huence upon the politics of New York City?-so much 80 that 1t is alleged that 200, 900 of her votaries are mem bers of Tammany's political organiza- tion. The fact of the matter is that Dr. Patkhurst and his co-religiouists Tn politics are the veriest tyros compared with the Catholic heiraIchy, the inter. ference of neither of which to the leas, degree, in the affairs of government, should be tolerated To all religions intermediates in politics the American people should sternly protest, Hands of
 Croker and Plstt, the two great bosses in the New York contest, were to all intents and purposes allied -i im bued with the one determination to preserve the preponderance of the ma chine. A sorry spectacle, truly, to witness these two political hessisns, one a resident of England, the other of a remote town in New York state, seeking to control the patronage and direct the government of city of 5000, 900 soulsl Platt's sole purpose in putting up his so called straight ticket was to encompass the defeat of the Citizens Union and throw the cleo ton to his erstwhile enemy, Tammany His success was great-beyond his fondest expectations.
 Tammany's signal victory may be ascribed, therefore, 10 two baleiul in fuences- Plattism and Parkhnrstism
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