The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-30
One of the most effective, the simplest



The reports representing the success of
the anti-HiII, anti-Coler sentiment in New
York state will probably prove to be well
founded when the results are known be-
yond all question. The fight has been,
in one of its aspects, a fight of an indi-
vidual against an organization, which is
rarely, if ever, successful in politics. In
another direction it has presented itself
as a struggle for the control of polit-
cal organization.
Comptroller Coler is an ambitious poll
tician, who was elected through the nom
nation of Tammany Hail. He has since
been busy abusing the organization and
those responsible for it's management, and
necessarily in extolling himself as a valu-
able man in public life. It almost passes
without saying that his ambitions were
not Of the negative order; and when it
is understood that he has within a few
months evolved into a candidate for this
mus of his attacks on Croker and the
other Tammany politicians IS not far TO
seek.
Hill, who has been acting in concert
with Coler, and who, doubtless, will be
seen to have gone down in defeat with
him, has been making a desperate effort
to hold his supremacy in the state organi-
cation. He appears to have failed Even
If by any mischance he had avoided de-
feat on this occasion his day must be but
brief one in any event. He is shifty, I'M
Considerable, cold-blooded and selfish In
an inordinate degree. He has never been
true to a friend, and has antagonized
every man who has appeared in New
York Democratic politics, whom he could
not use for his own selfish purposes His
conduct at the Kansas City convention
was that of a master trickster who had
his hired claqueurs on the floor; who was
too cowardly to take the responsibilities
bled at the prospect of making any per-
sonal or political sacrifice for the good
Of his party, and who, being looked to by
good proportion. of the delegates to lead
the contest against silver on the floor,
sneaked off with a whine and accepted
the free silver declaration with a SWIVEL
1t is best that such as he should be laid
away, and their places left open In poll
| ties to men who are recognized as being
animated by some measure at least of
manliness and party and personal devo-
ton.
A good deal of public sympathy and
support has been extended to Mr.. Coler
in his attitude as comptroller of New
York. He has been looked upon as a very
earnest and upright man by a large ele-
ment of the reading public He has not
minced matters in regard to Tammany
Hall, and has avowed his conviction that
through the agency of that organization
and its leaders Greater New York is be-
ing plundered ruthIessly While those
who have had experience in politics are
likely to shrug their shoulders at state
ments like these and respond that Tam
many politicians are no better and no
worse than any other brand Of New York
politicians, the attitude of men like Coler
never assumes that form to good citi-
zens who have never been in touch with
the political machine, but who desire to
see public affairs administered honestly
and economically. Hence it is that Coler
was really a much stronger factor in the
situation than Hill. and that, had he any
good share of the political experience or
the political cunning of the Chemung
county Mephistopheles, he might have de-
feated Tammany and made strong posi-
ton for himself in state politics.
Sensible party men will accept the re-
suit in New York as they appear to have
been effected at this writing The profess
sion Of political cleanliness is not always
safe to take at its face value, especially
when accompanied by denuhciations of
others whom the effort is to defeat.
Many good men have gone the way Coler
has gone. but no one can say that society
has ever endured any tangible loss by the