The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-03
GREATER NEW Works. ELECTION

4
several cities and districts which sur
round it, Under the new charter, its
population is estimated at between
three and four millions, which places
it second only to London among the
large cities of the world. Much in
terest has been taken throughout the
United States and its latest annex,
Hawaii. i'm the result of this election,
with the new conditions under which
it is held. As the annual receipts of
the city government. under the con-
solidation charter will not be less than
seventy millions year, it becomes
a very important matter whether the
expenditure of this large sum is con-
tided to an honest administration and
spent for the city's growing needs, or
TO enrich the Tammany gang, which
has at times during the past forty
and squandered the public money
among the leaders of their party, and
to impoverish the city.
Elections in large American cities
are always attended with great un-
certainty owing to the fact that citi-
zens generally do not take much in
terest i'm the result, while certain elias
SEES. chiefly the ignorant and floating
population, become the dupes of de-
signing politicians, and by them are
induced for consideration to vote TOO
often in favor of their leaders. I'm
der her consolidated charter New York
will probably poll over 100000 votes,
especially if all classes are reused TO
take part in the elections; and il is
said that great efforts have been put
forth to bring every voter to the polls,
and it is not unlikely that this result
will be accomplished
In the presidential election of 1896,
the Republicans carried the city with
majority of 10000. But that is no
criterion for judging of the present
election, as many gold Democrats then
voted the Republican ticket. The city
is peopled largely by a foreign popu-
lation, many of whom cannot speak
the English language, and being igno-
rant, are easily led by designing poll
ticians, who are ready to spend mon
ey without stint to secure the prize OF
handling seventy millions of the pub
lie money.
There are four candidates or tick
cts in this years election, headed as
follows:
General Tracy, Regular Republican.
Seth Low, Independent Republican.
Van Wyck, Tammany Democrat.
Henry George, Bryan Democrat.
For these four candidates there will
probably be over 100000 votes polled.
In 1856 the situation in New York was
somewhat similar to what it is this
year-both parties were divided into
rival factions, as may be seen by the
following returns:
Seth Low, Independent Repub-
lican (elected) .95. 900
Abram S. Hewitt, Tammany
Democrat ........ ........... SO, 900
Henry George Independent
Democrat ........ ........... .6S 900
Theo. Roosevelt, Regular Repub-
lean .............. ......... 10000
If either of the Independent candi-
dates for this year has withdrawn the
result would probably be that the
regular nominee of the party has
been elected, whether Republican or
Democrat. The voters of New York
have undoubtedly been fully reused to
the Importance of the results involv-
ed in the present election-thes first
under the new charter, as they have
never before been stirred up, and
have decided to put their best man at
the head of municipal affairs. At this
distance, it would seem that the man
who has assisted, more than any other
1n' forming the new charter, ought to
be chosen to inaugurate its successful
working from the start. That man is
Seth Low, now president of Columbia
College, New York, who heads the In
dependent Republican ticket
a New York journal, commenting
on the situation says: "The fight is
on between the politicians and the
people. The politicians want New
York governed on the lines of parti-
sanship; the people on the lines of
non-partisanship. Tammany and the
Republican organization represent
national parties which have nothing
to do in their platforms with the
methods of local government in New
York City. It's government should be
non-partisan, and that is provided for
under the new constitution of the
State by local elections held separ-
ately from the State elections. This