The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-15
TINE rnnyERsryr or NEw ronX.
a Community whloh Has Habit Of Voting
Annin.t liz own Lntareata.

Against iis own IHtarsats.
To THE Enron OF the sus-Sr: am In
tho way ot mee,inc daily Rn eonversinI with
pronineut representatives 81 the banking,
commercial and financial interests OF New
York, mon OF great and succcssiul ability III
/ affairs. Their business sagacity il manifest IN
their speech. In their very appearance. and OF
course 1t has heen demonstrated In their ac-
cum ula:ion and preservation OF largo fortunes
under the stress Of the rerce competition OF
TIE present time. They are the victorious OF
generals OF the world Of affairs. but OF the
principles which govern the march OF nros-
nerlty they are usually ignorant, or perhaps.
should say. they arc Indifferent to them.
The interest OF these men In great public
questions, or any questions demanding phl'o-
sophical reelection and consideration is slight
and their understanding o. them almost inya-
rtably slight and superficial though In their
way their interests may be Involved vitality.
They are SOW to discover their aigniachnne:
their politics for example. hard -headed. unsen-
timental man though they BE-. are almost
wholly matter OF sentiment with them. or
perhaps tradition. They are accustomed to
look on politics as far apart from their practi
cal Affairs. though. OF courae. the Relationship
actually 10 close. and II there are any men In
this community Who raora than others should
make study q politics they are thsse men.
In 1884 every interest OK New York DE- nanded
the prosecution OF the war tor the Union TO
successful coaeuson. Failure to accomplish
the end for which thu Union armies hal been
nzhting for three years would hovo meant sub
stantial ruin for New York. vhoss every inter-
est depended on the preservation OF the Union
and the destruction OF the political theory on
which the war for secession was based New
York's futuro was bound up IN tho triumph OF
tho IInf0n Uanlfh q
possibility OF dcvslopmsnt into the great
commercial and financial city Il has herome.
At the election OF 1854. however. Vow York
gave majority for tho surrender OF the Union
causo which was one OF the largest
proportion ately ever reported in the
city. Two-thirds OF ita citizens voted
against the reelection OF Lincoln that the war
was failure. and that It should ut once cease {:
and this only seven months before n was
brought tn n completely successful conclusion.
and the last vestige OF instruction against
tho authority OF the Union was destroyed
That victory was the necessary beginning of
the forward career on which the city at once
proceeded with rand steps. and that It was
such necessity and that the result OF it to New
York would be what II has been wore apparent
to every discerning md rejecting mind at tho
time. here and elsewhere throughout the
country. Yet IN that two-thirds vote OF New
York In 1864 wns included n large part Of the
very business and financial community which
would have suffered most seriously II its
shameful effort to surrender the Union cause
had not been defeated by the patriotism. the
manliness. and the wisdom OF the North.
In 1876 New York. by another great major
ity voted for the repeal Of the Resum ption
act. though the prosperity OF this community
depended on It more thnn that o; any other.
In 1876 for tho first time in this generation.
New York was walked up to think reasonably
Of its interests and duties when it thought Of
politics at all. and 1t voted against Bryan. But
in 1893 it turned back to it's old perversity and
defeated every candidate for Congress who
was pledged for the gold standard
Tho trouble seems to be. as sail in starting
think about questions Of politics or decide
them otherwise than by the sentimental preju-
dice Of stubborn craftsmanship. Tho interests Of
New York ore so plainly dependent on the gold
standard and the policy OF expansion is so es-
sential to its future development that in
reason. in sheer common sonse. IL should re-
spect in 1900 the vote 1t gave against the
Democratic party in 1896 But is it not far
more likely to follow its old rule of voting
against its own welfare.
Can such community be called enlightened :?
Are the merchants and bankers who go on in
this course reasonable people. capa Bile Of refec-
ton and deserving OF place alongside OF the
really intelligent leaders OF the progress OF the
world2 AN OLD New YORKER
New YORK. Sept II.