New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-19
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE OBJECTION TO LOW.

1T is NOT HIs oN-PARrIsANsHIP. Bt-r HIS PrR-
POSES IN RUNNING THE CITY GOVERNMENT
ON BUSINESS PRINCIPLES.
To the Editor ~ The Tribune.
Sir; General Tracy. in his opening speech at the
Cooper institute directs his attacks in the main
not against the Tammany candidate. an obscure
lawyer the tool Of Croker and Sheehan. whose ad-
ministration would not be much, II at all, better
than that OF Hugh Grant Gilroy. hut against
Seth Low whose honesty and competency for gov
crnlng p city he fully admits. His only ground OF
objection to Low is that gentleman's non-partsan-
ship MS unwillineness to run for the Office as
Republican. which indeed. ne cannot well do. as
the Republican convention. under Platts ORDERS
refused to nominate him. General Tracy MAIN
tains that municipal races must be run ont on Ma
tional party lines. that the party which fails 10
nominate d party ticket must disband in the or
years and find il dfc ult reorganize In the next
He also insists that the Greater New-fork gave
Mckinney ma Orlty OF sixty thousand. and that II
is the duty OF every Republican to see to IL 'h''
this majority be maintained. Hence vote LOT
Tracy. not for Low Moreover. the Republicans OF
New-Yo,k and Brooklyn have heretofore elected
only good men for May ors. such as Low himself
Schroeder. Schieren and Strong; hence, those WI"
wan, good city government can most readily mo II
through Republican success. These positions are
very ausibe. bui Al the tombstone OF weA-KnOWn
facts ne fal. dcies.
The present division % parties has suhsisted Tor
Ioriy years. During This long period 1t has
often happened that the parry feeling nseii the
weaker In any one city or district. and therefore
unable 10 elect a straight nominee. has supported
an independent candidate, not only for the mayor
aity. but even for IL seat In Congress, sometimes
from It's ranks. sometimes some man IRON
the stronge. side; occasionally the independent
candidate has been successful, more frequently
not. The New-York Repubicans have been so more
than once: yet their organization Is stu awe II
has not disbanded. y recent example occuritd "A.
Louisville in 1855 The Republicans. nanmg iUr
seyoral years been in hopeless minority. mace no
them voted for an Independent Democrat, who
consider themselves as disb0nded. but held their
conenon nCmnaqa WaSI E Hrd qT no oy 6s
m9rS raEhnls ~ s To more s" YEAR H' by @
Il seems therefore. by at least two undou6ted eS
amples inat pocsl patty ~ no. 9cori ,nln
pal race Men ia otner cities OF the Union can IN
doubleday furnish many other examines: -, por,,,
Leans voted Tor an independent candida'f to,
Mayor i VAS after having earned throush ae ,a
the sixty thousand plurality tor Mckinney IN
Greater New-York changes the aspect OF thinEs
altogethcr However. General Tracy knows rs
well a. do tina; Mckinley received within n. the fye
sand men VINO considered themselves Democrats NJ
the time. and consider themselves Democrats now
and that these likely 10 vote for haii-way
opposing candidate is made on such lines as It w's
mad for Strong in 1924 But this Is the very hing
which the Pat machine vii rot permit IN ~
Why did they not renom!nate Strong? Why docs
the scandals Of Grants and Giiroy's regime with
the deeency of the last three Years? Why does ne
from Ohio? His very challenge 70 the Democrats;
that the RspG3Sa plurality o. s a ,bd Paer
and all The Mckinley Democrats into the ranks Of
form and free silver out 81 lts programme Inc
exaIrpe OF IIdianapo' whcn gave slNy,seyen
Democratic Mayor by four thousand. ought TO open
General TTacys eyes, the Is0pie OF tn"t cl,y onG
Of the country have not hccor;e silver cranks
From the position which Cereal Tray takes now
Nevyork I, il clear that ne does not bid Tor Dem
ocratic votes: that the organization which stands
viii pemorretIc voters tina, Mr. ouiggs Invitations
~ tb1 Ci1en. .ni5n ard other opponents Of Tam
many wee not sincerely meant: in short. tnat INC
but simply TO go through the forms OF canvass,
with the prospect Of being showed under by the
a Al evils q Dsal Ts Is ssayy ,S
OF life and health, it, denoralizing example 10 the
o3g q, the he % aSe o2 b Mn on the Of
free government the world over. must be meckly
s1ens ra gh t' Of S the battle Of
] admit that Mr. Low is not very s,alwart Re-
publican; he Is, pretty unsound on the tariff no
aoub b". on The same cke t x . Gf9eI t,,c Tr1y
outspoken free-rader who was for fully six years
STATE Office. Judge Wallace. voted hree times for
Cleveland
u follows then. that IL is not Seth Lows par
tsanship or lack of partisanship IN tho past when
Tracy and Patt object 10, but his purposed action
In the future should he reach the Office OF Mayor.
He will shape all his acts especially his appoint
uent OF slbordnates. exclusively for the best OF
he service and not even In part for the benefit OF
any party. except in so far that he serves his
party best who serves his country best" Mr.. Low
would not connne his appointments 20 those who
vote for him. II supporter OF George OF Van
Wyck OF Tracy should be the nttest for an
office in the Mayors gift. his chances for prefer
m-nt would not thereby be lessened. Now this In
itself f. an issue for municipal politics on which
party be formed issue as important for the
GOOD conduct Of the local affairs Of city as the
gold standard and high tariff In the conduct o. the
country The people can rule Only through parties.
Now, here is the Citizens Union. which puts for
ward this programme: The Mayor. Controller and
Board Of Aldermen SHALL mind only the good OF the
city" and this platform they nominate Low.
which opposes his principle. II dominates Van
Wyck. The fight is between these two parties.
Tracy and George Will also receive votes.
they agree IN the main with Tammany; that ia.
they also hold that II is not the first duty Of city
government 10 govern the city well. BY remaining
In TIE field. one Of hem help Tammany; the
other may help good ity government; neither OF
them entertains any n OF winning.
LEWIS " DEMBITZ
Louisville. Ky. Oct II. 1897.
THE MACHINES CAMPAIGN AGAINST LOW
WAITED RI THE PEOPLE. HE Is OPPOSED WITH