The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-08
A RUINOUS POLICY.

A RUINOUS POLICY.
The course Of political events in
Greater New York this year seems des-
tined to offer a great variety of lessons
of the first Importance to the people
Of other cities in this country. Among
them is the folly and criminality of
resurrecting the silver issue as an ele-
ment in any municipal campaign. 1t
would be impossible to find anything
else that so surely ordains party dis
sension, and that at the same time
brings so prominently to the front the
idea that party politics is to be held
superior to an honest and efficient ad-
ministration of municipal affairs. 1t has
the conspicuous quality of inviting
upon the public the largest amount of
the most varied losses in the quickest
measure We see the effect of it on
both political parties in the new
metropolis.
It is not the Democrats who are to
blame in this instance. 1t was not
they who first declared that the cleo
ton in the new municipality of Great
er New York must be determined by
so-called national issues. 1t was Boss
Plat to whose other iniquities this
must be added. He opposed the nom
ination of Seth Low on the single
proposition that the offer to the people
of clean, honest and efficient govern
ment was not a suitable or sufficient
platform, but that they must be ap-
pealed to on the same ground occupied
in 1896. He said, and his platform and
his candidate and his newspaper organ
all declared, that the election in Great
er New York must be determined by
the issue of sound money against free
silver, and of McKinleyism as against
Organism. This was done by Platt, of
course, as a mere pretense; to offer an
apology for nominating his figurehead
Tracy against SO impeccable a can
didate as Mr. Low The only possible
objection to the latter was that he did
not represent national issue in poll
tics
The opposition, however, was quick
to take up and follow out the evil ex-
ample of Plat. Tammany did, indeed,
have it's wits about it sufficiently to
draw up a platform and nominate
candidate without reference to the is
sues that have divided Democrats so
unhappily in the past, and will always
continue to array them against each
other when insisted upon in the future.
1t declared for honest government and
a liberal administration of the excise
laws, and put a candidate in nomina-
ton without referring, either in ap
prevail or condemnation, to the Chi
cago platform. The extremists would
not have it. They have come together,
on their part, and placed in nomination
for the mayoralty Mr.. Henry George,
on the issue of free coinage of silver
and the Chicago platform What is
the result?
Speaking now without reference to
what may be for the best interests of
the people of New York city, we see
too clearly for argument that the only
certain consequence is the defeat of
both Democratic organizations. Even
as against divided Republican party,
neither Van Wyck nor George could
possibly be elected. To raise once
more in a local campaign, and in a
year when no national election is to be
held, a question having no more ap-
plication to the matter in hand than
the appearance of spots on the sun,
and one on which Democrats do not,
will not and cannot think alike, is to
commit political suicide. That is what
the Democrats in New York city are
doing at the present time. Around Nj.
Georges standard will be arrayed