New-York tribune., 1900-08-29
APATHY.

The political almanac for the last week in
August in Presidential years reads: ABOUT TINS
time expect an apathy alarm. IL always
comes 1t has come now. 1t has It's purpose,
and is by no means an artless and unlimited
phenomenon. To change the figure and indulge
in personifcation, General Apathy Is a great
collector of campaign funds He has bristl1ng
mustaches an impressive voice. has seen dire
full things, and can tell blood curdlng stories
to terrify timid merchants of an overfrugal dis
position. He can even reach men and corpora
tions unmoved under either threats or promises
of legislation. He is also n great standby of
the machine When the machine wants to
quiet opposition TO some scheme, 1t always
sends out General Apathy to warn all men
that while what they wish may be all right, It
will not do to say anything about it, but all
must turn in to let the machine have its own
way for the common enemy" is advancing
with all but irresistible force, and the slightest
attempt to get bosses to do right is sure to be
disastrous. General Apathy is most valuable
attache of any political committee, and we are
not surprised to see him trotting around in
full uniform just at present.
1t is a good and wise thing for campaign
managers to arouse the people and not let them
lose interest in the campaign But there is no
sense in OVERRIDING the thing. There is no sense
in creating sCares, either to secure money or to
silence independent voices in party manage
ment. The recent rather ostentatious admis-
sion from Republican headquarters that the
Democrats had won some important points in
the political game, and that the Republicans
had fearful task before them, was obviously
a scare, and is calculated to promote cynicism
rather than nerve stralning enthusiasm among
the masses. No campaign manager ever pro
claims his repulses and losses from the house
To lV nd ha
has weak spot in his lines somewhere makes
a brave show with Quaker guns. Overconfi-
dence may well be guarded against, but GER
tainly reasonable confidence In the present stu
alton is not unwarranted Nobody has yet been
able to figure out Bryan majority in the Elec-
tOral College without giving him States which
can hardly be lost by Republicans with ordi-
nary good management. If, for instance, the
leaders in this State instead Of making great
Outcry over apathy, will create cause for en-
thusiasm among Republican voters by nomina-
tiOns which will make 1t unnecessary to
dragoon them TO the polls, there cannot be a
shadow of a doubt of the result here The
Democrats are divided; many of them do not
want to carry the State, and are fighting hard
to destroy any chance Of it. Nothing but stupid
blundering, submitted to by a party in terror
Of the apathy alarm, could give the Democrats
any chance in New-York by alternating from
the local tickets the voters who hold the balance
of power.
Mr.. Bryan is no stronger than he was in July
His antiImperialism has won him a few votes
in Eastern States, which even his friends do
not hope to carry. Silver is weaker in the West
than it was four years ago. and it is impossible
to zee where Mr.. Bryan is making any effective
progress with either OF his great issues. Let
all work for Republican success with diligence
and intelligence and determination to secure
popular favor for Republican tickets from top
to bottom. But let panic be avoided, for it does
more to unnerve voters and encourage op-
ponents than its money returns OF machine tri-
umphs are worth