The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-26


city of the United States today is such
as to warrant a gu ast. II whether the
people of this county nave decided to
abdicate their rights. We have s5 on
nothing more surprising, nothing more
menacing, than the groW-h Of bossism
at one extreme and political serfdom at
the other in those communities WhicE
are the Oldest and most populous. and
supposedly the most enlightened in our
country. 1t has come TO Il pass today
where a single individual, and he a
man of low public instincts and con-
fessedly corrupt political practices. is
the unquestioned master of a great city
and state. Not only that, but we find
him supported in his opposition TO good
government and reform by a large
body, perhaps the majority, of the COM
munity that he has practically reduced
from a self governing democracy to the
subservient province of despot If we
need a moral to emphasize the mis-
takes of the past, or an Illustration TO
point the dangers of the future, We
have but to glance at the aspect CT
public affairs in Greater New York.
The coming municipal election is one
of the most important imagina bic. The
consolidated municipality is to choose
a mayor under it's new charter and
he will have the dispensing OF cnor-
nous patronage and power Upon the
selection of this executive it Will de-
pend whether government in Greater
New York is to be a business affair for
the common good or a corrupt machine
for the benefit of professional politi-
clans. The choice is between paying
taxes for clean streets. an efficient po-
lice force and the preservation of law
and order and paying them FOR the
crowding Of the public service with
worthless political heelers and buns,
and the paying OF taxes to supply
bribes for ward managers and their
superiors all the way up the line. There
is no lack of practical experience in
the matter either New York has had
government by Tammany until it
knows just what is meant by the abuse
of political power 1t has had filthy
streets, rickety pavements, a police
force that throve from top TO bottom
on official blackmail and a carnival OF
corruption and crime through every de-
partment of the public service. It's
choice now lies between that Kind of
government and the kind that is repre-
sented and aspired to by clean men,
men of honor, of probity ard Of zeal
for the public good.
Such choice now les opau before
it; and yet, astounding as the state
ment is, the result is doubtful, il il be
not already determined Oh the side OF
corruption and misruIe. Those who
have high ideals and work for refnrm
have united to nominate as candidat te
for mayor Seth Low. Mr.. Low needs
no words of introduction or con1nen-
dation to the people, not only of Great
er New York, but of the United States
He is a man of the highest executive
capacity, whose only crime is that
where municipal government is con-
cerned he is sufficiently independent in
politics to believe that an honest and
efficient public servant of the party op-
posed to his own is better than an fg-
norant and corrupt tool Of The one. tc
which he belongs. He has accept ed
the nomination for mayor on the Pat
form of the administration Of public
office for the public benefit and ON thai
platform he is opposed and rejected by
the Republican party machine. That
machine is composed IF one nlaH-
Senator Thomas c. Platt. Yet, although
it numbers among it's supporters cor
tainly 100000 voters in the city OF
New York, probably much more
than that, not one Of them has voice
or will of his own. AS far as the Ke
publican organization IN Greatcr New
York is concerned, it has less liberty
of thought or action than The people; ot
the lowest form of desporism ON the
face of the earth
Mr. Platt found that he could no
make satisfactory barg lin with Mr
Low. He would have been willing Il
allow the Endorsement Of Low nomi
nation by the Republican machine i
he could have secured such concession.
as would assure the turning oyer 0,