Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-07
What Won the Day for the Repub-
licans in New York.
IT WAS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION
Undesirable to Change From
Present Policies.
S G E n E L A S 7 n l G II I

Special From5a STAFF Correspondent.
NEW YORK, November 1T ought to be
impossible to raise the cry of bribery ana
corruption in explanation of yesterday
election. If New York may be taken as an
index of public sentiment, as 1t was OF the
result of the election, the vote was the re-
suit of a discriminating analysis of the sit
uation on the part of very large percent
age of the voters. In the personal exchange
of views that has been indulged in during
the past several weeks a very large num-
Der of men who declared their purpose to
vote for Mckinley had some criticism to
pass upon the administration as to matters
of detail in the shaping of national policies,
and it perfectly plain that they were
the strong element which in this campaign
has been denominated the silent vote, bal
anced very deliberately one consideration
against another. No observant person could
fail to note that this reasoning process
was going on and that the conclusion would
be an expression of judgment, influenced as
1t might be by environment.
A Business Proposition.
1t was the most earnest and least emo
uonal campaign, perhaps, that the nation
has ever experienced. If you consider the
general run of people above the ignorant
throng. Perhaps nine out of ten of the
the campaign calmly as a business propo-
sition, not always showing broad knowledge
of public affairs, but most always Sonsid-
ering the best interests of the country from
their own point of view and generally ready
ito take into account questions presented.
This has been more marked than in any
political campaign L have observed.
The silent vote obviously decided the
election. and this vote could not have been
imprC perly influenced, unIessitis improper to
be influenced by considerations of general
material welfare The deciding point with
about every man in doubt appears to have
been that the election Of Bryan might dis
turb business conditions. Another strong
influence among business men, here at
least, was belief that the progressive
policy of the administration, whatever
might be its departure from narrow tradl-
tions. would add to the wealth and power
OF this government among nations.
Very many with whom have talked have
seen visions of national grandeur in the
policy of expansion. These two national
considerations and the desire locally to get
rid of Croker influenced the result in New
York.
The Scene Last Night.
The scene here last night was something
never before witnessed in New York. A
diary to remember In calculating change
of character In this country. With perfect
calmness and with the del.beration of good
churchmen putting money in the contribu-
ton box the voters dropped in their ballots
to support business conservatism and dig
nifty as they calmly judged it. All this
was done with the quiet orderlness of Sun
day service.
A few hours later, when the result Of this
vote was known, the scene was changed as
suddenly as if 1t had shifted to the French
capital on a students fete day. Broad
way presented the appearance Of Mardi
Gras or the revel of French ball, 10000
people in the whirl. 1t was not a drunken
revel, or at least not until the revelry was
left to those who carried it. far into the
morning.
The intoxication was that Of hilarious re-
joicing. Men and women of all welI-dressed
classes and of all ages within the limit of
independence sang and danced and shouted,
blew tin horns, whirled rattles, beat on
tins, pulled and hauled and jostled each
other; women blowing their horns into the
ears of men they did not know men put
ting their arms about women who did not
care, familiarity giving no offense and every
face full of laughter. Fat old matrons
and slender young girls old couples and
respectable Joined in the gay and reckless
rejoicing. Dignified old men who looked
like stock brokers or presidents of banks
showed through the merry throng blowing
horns Women of the most motherly ap-
pearance wheezed with broken breath
through tin whistles. The laughing hys-
terical throng surged along Broadway un-
til long after midnight indulging in all the
excesses of frivolous merriment. Not less
than hundred thousand people joined in
the revel either because they wanted to
or because they were helplessly rushed
along. As many people could get upon
the street surged back and forth on Broad
way between 22d and 42d streets, and side
streets and avenues were crowded. 1t was
the most volatile crowd OF merry-makers
New York has ever seen. j. p. NJ.
MIR. CROKER DISAPPOINTED.