New-York tribune., 1901-11-03
THE TkHHANF MASK.

st one OF his meetings on Friday evening Mr..
Shepard said:
The Democratic party when II nominated me
for Mayor said to me: I'VE feel that we know
you: know your record; we know you have
stood in the past for vigorous devotion to the
reform Of the public service; a vigorous and
sincere belief not only In the possibility, but in
'-the complete practicabiiity Of elevatine the
standard Of municipal politics in our city and
''in land. We know that, and We believe you
will be true TO whatever it is that you choose
ito promise the people OF the city. We ask from
you no promise, pledge of any kind except
only such pledges and promises you may
take upon yourself in the face of the whole
people
Such outgying by man of Mr. Shepard's
pretensions IS pathetic impudent, according
as you look at it. In either case it is prepos-
ferrous If Mr. Shepard does not know that 1t is
a gross Justification of the record, his mental
condition calls for pity If he is still capable
of comprehending the situation in which he
figures ne has stopped uncommonly low in the
hope Of fooling Others. He talks Of the moral
purposes which inspired mis- nomination by the
Democratic party and its lofty confidence that
he viii fulfil them the fact being that the
Democratic party of his Imagination had abso-
lutely nothing to do with the business of Domi-
mating him. The simple truth is that McLaugh-
lin had become more troublesome than usual;
that an extraordinarily strong combination of
amr.uliton required for a hard and dangerous
fight was IN their possession and consequently
that Croker. believing Shepard might prove
useful mask In the campaign and could not do
much harm after the election. suddenly decided
10 take him up and run him for Mayor
The extent 10 which Tammany IL hungering
and thirsting for reform and pledging its ardent
support TO MIR Shepard he addresses HIM
self 10 the greatest effort OF his life is clearly
revealed In the associates II has given him on
the ticket Look at Fromme, that angel OF
purity and light. that fearless and sagacious
guardian of the public welfare, now candidate
for President OF the Borough of Manhattan
with great powers under the revised charter
What al exhaustless source OF strength Mr.
Shepard would find in Fromme. How sweet
and exalting their intercourse would be as they
planned and labored in the service Of the
people, is anything more needed to show Tam
many's real for a wise and spotless govern
nent-sts longing for that nober future toward
which Mr. Shepard sees Il setting its face? If
no. LET us for = moment consider its choice for
she Supreme Court bench Of Mayor Van wyck,
chief official monument OF the past It is aban-
6oning and therefore n conclusive proof Of
regeneration
Additional Illustrations of the meaning OF Mr..
Shepard's nomination are superfuous. But it
would be shame not TO mention just cne more.
When occasionally of late, Mr. Shepard has
pointed a wavering and spasmodic finger at
unnamed authors OF unspecified evils. how he
must have reJoiced to think that the vast and
independent resources Of the District Attorney s
ofic. would be put at his service without re-
serve for the discovery and pursuit Of wrong
dosrs By the grim and relentless Unger. who