Evening star., 1901-09-11
But when the curtain goes up 1t may be
on q united anti-Tammany opposition pre-
senting an acceptable man.

on q united anti-Tammany opposition pre-
senting an acceptable man.
Mr. warner's Candidacy.
The most willing of the candidates has
been John Dewitt Warner. When he was
in Congress Mr.. Warner was not in the
been true OF him in municipal reform move.
ments where his zeal and aggressiveness
have been useful. He supported Bryan last
year on the anti-imperialiSm platform.
When his name was suggested many re-
publicans began to declare that while they
were willing to vote for a democrat for
mayor, they ought not to be asked to cast
their ballots for Bryanite democrat. Since
the attempt on President McKinley's life
the sentiment against Mr.. Warner has
grown stronger He Is identified with so
many fsms that objection Is made to him
as an unfit man for the suffrages of the
people of New York at time when isms
are leading to anarchy. Naturally MIR.
Warmers, friends combat this objection.
They urge his claim more especially on the
ground of the eagerness of his German
supporters. The Germans tendency Is to
go almost unanimously against Tammany,
but there is no ground for saying that
John Dewitt Warner Is the only man for
whom they will vote. That would be to
say that they think more Of one man than
OF rescuing greater New York from the
claws Of the tiger.
The COIer Movement.
The most intriguing was done to secure
a non-partisan Endorsement for Controller
Coler. His record is good and In ordinary
circumstances he might be entitled" to q
non-partiSan nomination. But the present
are extraordinary circumstances. and it is
only by an extraordinary effort that Tam
many can be routed The controllers polit-
1cal ambition seems to have run away
with him. Seeking an anti-Tammany nom-
ination, he tried to hold himself in a posi-
ton to get the Tammany Endorsement II
the former failed him.
In the present state of municipal gov
ernment the man who is willing to become
the Tammany candidate for mayor is not
fit to be the anti-Tammany standard
bearer. In spite of influential friends the
non partisan movement has passed by Con-
troller Coler
Senator Platt is credited with being the
chief cause of the controllers unavailable
ity. The senator let 1t be known that the
republican organiZatio which recognizes
him as it's head would accept any candi-
date except Coler. He was able to state
grounds on which they should not be ask
ed to support him which even a mugwump
admitted were good grounds. 1t Is charged
that the senator's purpose has been to
secure the nomination of Seth Low and
then to have him defeated at the polls In
revenge for Lows action in running as
the independent candidate in 1897, when
Gen. B. F. Tracy was the regular republi-
can nominee. Between them Low and
Tracy poled enough votes to defeat Van
Wyck. This year Senator Platt has given
his critics no reason for fault-hnding. and
they are not justified in attributing mo-
tives to him. Privately he is said to favor
the nomination Of some strong business
democrat but he keeps quiet, lest 1t be
said that he is trying to dictate to the in
dependent democrats.
Waiting for Croker's Decision.
When Croker gets back in few days
Tammany will have hint as to who will
ho ito Il dot for
nifcant Of his sway that no one in the
organization today has the least idea
whom 1.-The absentee ruler will pick out
for them. 1t also should be stated that
this is tribute to their faith IN Crokers
judgment being better than their own.
Some of them in meek and apologetic
way have said that the controller would
suit the wigwam, but II King Richard
frowns when he steps ashore. within two
minutes thereafter all Of them will be TAX
ing kick at Coler.
With Mr.. Croker it will be necessarily
matter of d-blooded politics. He hates
he stamped out the movement to make the
controller a candidate for governor. But
If he finds that Tammany only can keep In
power by taking up the controller his own
personal hostility will not stand In the
way.
Hugh Mclaughlin, the veteran demo-
cratic boss of Brooklyn, takes much stock
in Coler as likely young man whose am
D1tfOn SnOulQ De encouraged, anu WHO Will
gradually free himself from his anti-ma-
chine notions as he finds how useful the
ma chine Is to whoever has political ambi-
tions. Mclaughlin wanted him nominated
for governor.
Coler has personal popularity in Brook
lyn which is his home, and he would make
a good run there. This in itself would not
be enough to Offset his weakness In New
York city or Manhattan borough. From
the comment heard / doubt whether he
IN hp nf fndpnandanf
element which praised him when he was
abusing Croker and fighting Tammany' 8
municipal jobbery This class seems to
think that a Tammany candidate could
not rise above the source from which he
drew his strength, and that as mayor he
would continue Tammany abuses and priv
ileges. The warriors must think so, too. or
otherwise they would not be ready to sup
port him.
The Hewitt Campaign.
Once it has happened that in order to
save itself Tammany has elected a mayor
who was not In sympathy with the organi-
zation and who was not controlled by 1t
after his election. This was when Abram
S. Hewitt was chosen in the campaign in
which Henry George and Theodore Roose-
welt were his opponents. That was des-
perate situation, but the day was saved
for Tammany by Hewitt Mr.. Hewitt was
an exceptional man and his Independence
in office was not questioned. Yet he did
not prove 10 De an extra SOOQ mayor. Ills
eccentricites interefered with his useful
ness. However, no one with whom / have
talked credits Controller Coler with being
another Abram s. Hewitt, either in force of
character or in independence Of conviction.
Some OF the Tammany district leaders
have the idea that Croker's personal hos
tility to Coler may coincide with his poit-
ical judgment that the controller is not the
strongest candidate for the organization in
a campaign like the coming one. If that
proves to be the case they can only guess
who will be his choice, and they have not
much material for guesswork. They real
iZe that 1t will not be q machine politician
such as Van Wyck was when he was
chosen. At that time with the opposition
split Tammany could take one Of its own
men. This year with the probability Of the
opposition united Tammany must have q
care. Possibly the choice will be a leading
democratic business man or financier. The
absentee ruler" will be home in a few
days. After he has had time to look
around him the cue will be given and then
it will be known who is to be the Tam
many candidate for mayor.
CHARLES M. PEPPER
Punishment for MurderOus Assault.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star: