New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-29
crvrRiI TPtCY is 1 NONP1RTISlN.

GENERAL TRACY As 1 AONP1RfISAA.
The ostensbe reason for the nomination OF
General Tracy by the Republican organization
Is that the party cannot afford 10 indorsc the
principle of non-partisanship in municipal al
fairs for which Mr. Low stands The organ
lzation holds to the platform ~ its president OF
last spring who declared that 1t was peter
far that there should be placed IN power a
true Democrat even n Tammany Han Demo
"crat. than that we should aid to elect to that
estate of power and place man of no party
..yhosc administration is responsible to no
party. and who has no party NJ his back.
Therefore il has asked General Tracy to lend
the strength of his good name and honorable
reputation to a campaign against non-parIisan-
ship and for the maintenance of STREET part!
discipline in the conduct of municipal govern
ment
That principle Of party responsibility Is the
sole defence they have FOR separate ticket
They say that they have nothing against Mr.
Low personally They complain of the time
and manner Of his Independent nomination, but
they cannot base serious policy on any Such
petty and childish reason. Mr.. Low has said
he would not use his office against them, ana
they cannot proclaim that they want him TO use
II 1Or lNcUl Us drdIuSl INV l"''''
civ, any such reasons would he 10 d!scrcdit
themselves But they can stand for the par
tlsan principle with some show Of dignity ana
carry some people with them. hui now ABOUT
their partisan candidate for their partisan pat
form: Is General Tracy prepared to run Tor
Mayor against Seth Low on the issue OF part!
responsibility in the cleaning OF streets ana
laying of pavcmentS rs against nonparusah ne
votion to the work in hand regardless oi party
interests? General Tracy nnd Mr.. Low were
associated together in the preparation OF the
new charter. After completing their work thcy
Joined in signing n memorial 10 the Legislature
in favor of minority representation In muhic-
ipal elections on the ground that such repre-
'Scntati0n tends 10 emphasize the fact ihht, IN
the administration Of Il city. the common IN
'tcrests Of the citizenship OF the place are more
"fundamcnial than party divisions" Mr. Low
stands by that declaration. Il cannot be pos
slble that General Tracy can bc induced TO
make himself the instrument for the suppress
sion Of the Independent citizenship which a few
months ago he pleaded FOR 10 the Legislature.
II j. entirely natural that Mr.. Laucrbach and
Mr.cQugg should prefer Tammany 10 non-par-
tiSanship. hut i Is different with General
Tracy. He has n high reputation As CiyI
Service rcformcr vino wi,hstood the Republican
spoilsmcn of Brooklyn so firmly that some OF
them have not forgiven him yet lie cannot 90
back on his own declarations In favor Of non
partisanshlp 10 run for Mayor against the man
who made the same declarations and stands by
them The contrast would be too striking for a
politician. too humlliaIing for respected leader
Of the community. and impossible for an honest
man. General Tracy may accept n straight
nomination - a step toward a non partisan
ticket But he himself believes In municipal
Independence. and in the end must all the
champion Of such independence.