New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-18
THE P4TPIOTS CHANGE

General Tracy has to-day presented W i'' "
! opportunity which comes 10 rev men ever anu
10 no man more than once IN hletiih" II
is not given TO many 10 hold in their hap"s Wv
veal or woe of three million people, 10 deciue
Tho fate Of others. and by deciding lor 'ne
right 10 earn for themselves the patriot clo"n
for unselfsh and clear sighted devotion. MoS'
men must make their choice between goou anu
evil without foresecng all that choice heahS'
They cannot tell what harm may come from
misstep in the narrow path OF compilca'eu IT,
lationships so. with good Intentions the! oi'en
start a long train Of human misery III ~
rorc fortune for an arbitcr OF affairS 10 see 'he
future spread before him, to read the cohse-
ouences of his actions. TO have plain issue TOT
his Judgment. That fortune belongs 10 Cen
oral Tracy now; he should realize it, ana we
think he does
He is quoted as saving that he would con-
slider suggestion 10 withdraw from the May
crafty contest il Mr.. Low should make IL 10
him such suggestion is hardly Tor MT. 10"
TO make For him to do so would DE 10 eA-
nose the principles he stands for TO misrepre-
sentation and possible loss Of support. tie di
not put General Tracy in the field. Inc .sepa-
rare partisan ticket Is aimed at the lndepeh-
don't movement. and Is being engineered for the
sole purpose of securing its defeat II Is 'or
General Tracy 10 determine whether he would
prefer TO rehablitate Tammany and set II over
this city or have Mr.. Low occupy the Mayor
chair. He probably can determine the result
He must know rs Mr. Plat knows and as all
his subordinate leaders know, that he himsci
cannot be elected. He must see that MI. 10"
stands good chance Of winning if he has the
organization support, and that Mr.. Van Wyck
is likelv 70 he the next Mayor unless the anti
Tommanv forces can he united Everybody
knows that General Tracy could not get the
independent and mugwump vote II MI Low
retired The independ mt attitude may he I'M
reasonable but il is fact 10 he reckoned Win.
On the other hand. everybody knows that one
word from General Tracy would turn thousands
of strict partsans 10 the one candidate VINO
offers the slightest hope OF beating Tammany.
Here then. Is the simple question: Ialnmany
or Low: Where does General Tracy stand:
He has allowed himself to be drawn into this
campaign as a diversion. doubtless, with Inc
best of motives. His party loyalty mas bceh
appcaled 10, aud he has been led TO believe
that his standard might be the rallying point OF
the forces Of good government. We honor his
intentions MS much as we regret his mistake,
and It is not yet too late TO square his actions
10 the standard Of his noble purposes. lie
cannot secure union ticket on the official bal
lot. but he can apply 10 the present situation
his declaration Mt the time of his nomination
of upwiinCness TO run and readiness TO retire
in the interest of honest municipal rule He
can say that he prefers nOn-parisan rule to
Tamlnanv rule aud ask his friends not 10 give
q vote 10 him If il shah appear 10 be con
tribution 10 Tammany success. If there were
anv hope of General Tracys election we should
not feel az liberty 70 call upon him thus. lie
himself cannot win. but he can decide who
shall simple word will do It. and 10 him
will be The praise. He has served his country
long and honorably. ard now is the supreme
moment for rounding out his fame. He may
fight the independents and put Tammany In
power 10 rob the city and make American mu-
nicipal government the laughing stock of the
world and NAV like vriuOus George III. leave
TO posteriiy the reputation Of helping narrow
prccedcnts and blind partisarship TO block the
progress of civilization Or he may rise above
surroundings, assert his own true self. recall
his own declarations in favor of municipal non
partisanship and place his name high on the
list Of statesmen who have had the insight to
forctell the tendencies Of political develop
ment the courage 10 turn misguided host TO
the right path. the civic virtue 10 realize the
superiority Of the claims Of public welfare
70 all personal or party considerations. the
wisdom to distinguish the wshed-for from the
possible. and the greatness 10 use his power 10
bring from perpexing situation the greatest
good The possible is Low or Tammany That
the greatest good of these three million people
will be promoted by Low rather than by Tam
many sane and honest man can doubt.
Which will General Tracy give Us: Wha;
fame will he choose: