New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-08
MUNICIPAL CONDITIONS.

The prospect for successful ngnt against
Tammany this fall is exceedingly good. EVIL
dence accumulates from day to day that the
friends of honest government are going to make
wise use of their opportunity, and that the Tam
many contingent Is in great straits for OASIS
of union or a ground Of appeal to the voters
At no time since the overthrow or Tammany
In the election Of 1894 has the situation pointed
so clearly to its further exclusion from power
as 1t does to-day.
ON the one hand Is Tammany ITSELF trying
n bormonIze its own membership by hiding Its
own Convictions. There Is no use IN putting
reliance In any break in the Tammany ranks
over the silver question, or indUlging the delu-
sion that all that Is needed to beat them Is
candidacy opposed to the Chicago platform. The
boys NAV cheer Bryan and hiss gold bugs, but
they will not be wanting when q chance TO
capture the city treasury is offered. Ihey were
lust as sound gold men as the world knew I'LL
political exigency forced them to talk SILVER
and their enthusiasm, great though II De- VIII
adapt itself to the necessity OF municipal eiec
ton Nevertheless. certain good results must
come from the present discord. The men VINO
left Tammany last fall. even though they de-
sire TO get back. will find little incentive to 90
so. The disturbed condition Of the organization
mnimlzes its power Of appeal to doubtful ele'
ments Of the population 1t will hold Its own
people but If past failures are any Indication
II can win few new adherents by any pretence
All its arraignments Of the present city gov
eminent have fallen fat. Equally fruitless mas
been its attempt to suppress the silver men III
its ranks All its searches for an issue have
resulted only in making 1t apparent that the
chief issue Is Tammany itself-a thing which
10 the honest man means corruption; to the
gold man. silver fanatlcsm; to the convinced
silver man. the trifier willing to sacrifice the
silver cause 1t Is stripped to its old self. to be
supported by those whose support Is given FOR
no reason except that its style Of government Is
what they want On the other hand. modera-
ton has prevailed over hot-headcdness in every
element of the antl-Tammany party. The or
panization tendency to view externally mani
tested sentim mt with distrust. and the tendency
of some reformers to see in rashncss the SYMBOL
of indenendence and in common sense compro-
mise with evil have alike given place to con-
ciliatory disposition which promises effective
union.
The probability of success is greatly enhanced
nv tho manifest favor which the anti-rng adj
nos,ra,ions in both cities enjoy. Mayor Strong
BROOKLYN have been targets for every kind OF
criticism. Their natural supporters have been
Of the class peculiarly susceptible to influence
by anything which made their ofIlcers seem
either ridiculous or unworthy. The enemy in
both cities has never ceased 10 maRhn! ever!
mistake of ineXperence however petty 10 huge
proportions. and no doubt at times mas sue
ceeded in producing among many ha'"rai sup
Hnnlin c
onpointment. But nobody who watches the drift
Of public sentiment can fall to see that 'he
present municipal governments have ou'iiVed
denuncation and steadily conquered pubic
favor. In this city everybody feels that condi-
lions have immensely improved, and the same
thing Is also true In Brooklyn. Not even IAN
many can criticse the street cleaning OF hhd
fault with the expenditure. Small parks ana
pler payilions and asphated tenement-house
districts have made the death rate lower ana
life plpasanter All the police squabbles cannon
blind the public to the great Improvement on
Tammanys Matchmaking force. Even on the
financial slde-supericially the weakest side OF
any government which takes up mismanaged
city and tries to repair the consequences OF past
neglect-the administration makes good SNOW
ing. The four years Of anti-McLaughln gov
ernmeut in Brooklyn are wonderful improve
ment on anything that Chaplin and Body gave
and the average citizen knows It. This average
citizen finds out surely whether life Is made
more comfortable by the city government, ana
all the petty mistakes its enemies harp on make
little difference to him. His conviction that I'M
der anti-McLaughlin and anti-Tammany rule
his welfare Is more honestly considered than In
former times Is steadily growing. and Will GER
ta,nly resist a return to the old domination OF
contractors and spoilsmen.