The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-18
HARRISON FOR THE PARTY.
IT IS NO TIME, HEsAYS, TO DIsBAHD
THE CONSERVATIVE FORCES.

st. Louis Platform IL Not an Issue.
A representative Of THE Sun has called on
Gen. Harrison at tho Fifth Avenue Hotel for q
number OF days past. 1t has been Gen. Har.
rison's desire to speak out for his party on the
Greater New York fight and the sound prlnci.
plos which Gen. Tracy's candidacy represents.
Gen. Harrison has been avcrso 10 making
speeches in tho Mayoralty cam He has
smilingly said that his days for experimenting
nro over" Yet he did not wish to return to his
home in indianapolis without making it clear
Just how he felt about tho campaign and its Is.
sues in Greater New York.
In the first place Gen. Harrison has been
indignant over the attempt Of Seth Low to
insinuate that Gen. Tracy. II elected. would not
DO tho real Mayor Of Greater New York. Gen.
Harrison was especially wrought up over Seth
Lows remark that in tho event of Con. Tracy'u
election the real Mayor would DO In
tho United States Senate at Washington"
Gen. Harrison in all these conversations has
also pointed out that the great principles OF
sound government as represented in the st.
Louis platform were involved in the campaign.
Finally. Gen. Harrison decided to prepare a
statement OF his views. ing his Interest,"
in the campaign, he said:
81 hive been watching the campaign in
New York with increasing interest. / have read
the papers. Some Of my old personal and politi-
cal friends who are supporting Mr.. Low have
labored with me and l with them when they
called. If do not get out of town soon, I am
afraid / shall find myself in the melee. There
have been some speeches reported in the papers
aud some things said to me that even q Hoosier
friend Of Gen. Tracy has n right, 1 think, to
resent"
Gen. Harrison spoke thus of Seth Lows insult
ing remarks concerning Gen. Tracy:
There is not one of the supporters OF Mr..
Low with whom l have talked who has not ex-
tolled Gen. Tracy-his ability, his high charac-
ter, his great public services. Some, further,
have said, with Mr.. Low, Gen. Tracy is my
friend Now. this praise and those professions
Of friendship do not consist with the charge
that If Gen. Tracy Is elected. the real Mayor will
be found in the Senate chamber at Washing
ton
Q.-Do you interpret Mr.. Low'sr remark as very
ofiensivei He seemed to regard it as quito in
nocent.
Ale Is n weak man IL another could con-
troll his official action without his knowing it,
and he is not n good man If he would knowingly
surrender to another a high trust confded to
him by the people. 1t is therefore equivalent TO
n ying that Gen. Tracy is a fool or a knavc. and
the man who says that ought not in the Same
breath to call himself Gen. Tracy's friend.
Q.-As you have had abundant opportunity to
know Gen. Tracy well in official matters, will
you state FOUR personal knowledge and judg-
menti
A.-The suggestion that Gen. Tracy would be
subscrvient TO any man. or any private interest,
is not only refuted by his life but by my personal
knowledge OF his independent and courageous
conduct in high, public office. TIL Mayor will
be found in the Mayors office If Gen. Tracy 10
elected quite as surely as if Mr.. Low is elected.
Q.-Wha do you think of the issues Of tho
campaign rs they seem to be before the peopiel
A.-Well. perhaps l have been dull in CATCH
ing on" but l would find 1t hard to catalogue
them from a local standpoint. AS to matters OF
city taxation. improvements. street franchises.
and other things that are strictly local, do nou
sec that any distinct issue is presented between
Gen. Tracy and MIR. Low. I have heard no ar
r%aignment Of Gen. Tracy because he was for or
opposed to any measure of municipal admins
tration. He seems to stand for an honest, eco
nomical. progressive, and public spirited city
administration. The issue seems to me TO be
whether you shall have any issues-the Citizens
Union holding the negative and the Republicans
the affirmative.
Q.-What of the elimination OF local Affairs
from national politicsi
A.-There is great force in the suggestion that
ordinarily a city election ought to turn upon
questions OF city administration. But there
are national questions that will not be ignored.
Tho NOR who voted for Mckinley in 1906
whether Republicans or gold Democrats-will
not fail to inquire how the candidates for Mayor
OF Greater New York stand upon the questions.
whether public and private debts are to be paid
at 40 cents on tho dollar, and whether the
just powers OF the courts arc to be up
held against the assaults OF n mob. They will
want to know, further. whether a particular
election Is going to scatter or weaken the forces
that won those issues in 1896. New York's
Mayor. they well think, ought not to be q repu-
diationist or a friend of tho mob.
Q.-As to Mr.. Lows attitude on national queS-
tions, do you hold that it is doubtful
All there was any doubt in the public mind
as to how Mr.. Low stands upon these national
issues. he would very quickly declare himself In
his canvass. though they arc not. as his friends
say. city issues. If he had not been known asa
supporter OF the st. Louis platform. upon this
question. he would not have been nominated.
and il his adherence TO that platform were now
in doubt his supporters among the business
men OF New York would fall away from him.
So hat after all is said this test will be applied.
by ali men who stand by the public faith and
commercial integrity. TO the candidates for
Mayor.
Q.-Your judgment. then. is that the great
issues arc unavoidable in the great city: that
the 81. Louis platform is and must DO an issuo1
Ayes; 1t Is oily to say that 1t Is not an
issue. and that tho business men of this Greater
New York are not to take account OF tho inf.
ence the election may have in tho further fgLs
that Is TO be made before tho advocates OF re-
pudiation and disorder are dispersed. Good
local purposes and management are not the
worse for being associated with good ma
tional purposes and measures. Business 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 Repub-
licau party done since to forfeit the confidence
OF those who voted its ticket in 1897 How has
it deserved the ~contemptuous refusal OF Its invi.
tation to aid tho opponents OF Tammany and
Bry anism TO confer with a view to union ! No
other %profiered alliance has been rejected by
the Citizens Union, so far as know. Tho enemy
that threatened our honor, our prosperity, and
even our peace are keeping their organization
intact, and IL is no time To smash or 10 divide
tho only party that can be relied upon to con-