The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-16
ELECTION IN NEW YORK.

The election OF Mr.. Low to the Office
OF Mayor of Greater New York may
or may not count for much in political
reform. II may be only case of his
tory repeating itself. Thirty years age
the Fusionists stood triumphant over
Tweed and Tammany; the citizens
thanked God for a new order of things.
1t was believed that Tammany was
dead and beyond the hope of even a
miraculous resurrection. But the good
men" went to sleep and the Tammany
leaders laid low with their solid maJori-
~ of $4,000 votes in ordinary times.
Within six years they were at the front
again. The victory of the Reformers
was in large measure a barren one.
Tammany learned a lesson and, like the
old darby. cut its stealings down from
q large turkey to a small chicken.
While the good men snored loudly in
a political sleep IT quietly reached out
again for fat turkeys.
At the end of thirty years, the battle
ts fought over again and the Fuslonists
are once more the victors. There has
been some gain. some growth in public
morals In spite of an apparent decay.
The great lesson of the recent election
Is that II the people stand together
good government Is possible. Municipal
government is on trial I'm America; IN
Greater New York 1t is a matter of
national interest because there. are
found the strongest adverse influences
against decent self rule.
Although Reform has made a clean
sweep in the recent election, its victory
IS not assuring; only the most per-
sistent work and eternal vigilance will
make II a final triumph. Out of $50. 600
votes cast, 1t appears that Tammany
IN spite OF the powerful combination
against 1t. still cast 265,0Oo. a majority
of 10000 votes makes quite too thin ice
over the political pond; 1t will hardly
bear the weight Of the army of Reform.
Judging by all past experience the dis
integrating influences will begin to
operate at once. Thousands of dis
gruntled Democrats have voted the
Fusion ticket in order to get square
with Croker who could not give every
man an office. Plat and the leaders
of the Republican party are not willing
10 permit the party to lose itself in
fusion. The disgraceful rule OF Croker
IS mainly due to the refusal of the Re
publican leaders to endanger the in
tegrity OF the party by throwing down
party lines even in a municipal cleo
ton. Whether wisely or not they re-
solved tc keep 1t solid even though
Tammany captured the city. President
Roosevelt while one of the Police Com |
did not assent to this policy, |
and was in consequence regarded as an
unsafe" man. He believed that the /
party was strong enough and intelli- |
gent enough to dare to do right"
The troublesome factor in the politics !
or New York is the large German vote. !
It is honest and intelligent. But the
German loves beer. and the alliance of
the Republican party with those who |
would forbid the sale of 1t on Sunday |
tends to ALLEVIATE this vote. The Ger |
mans who regard the use of beer as
less harmful than the use OF coffee or
tea, resent restrictions on it's sale. They /
prefer Tammany with moderate steal !
ings. and its liberal views on the beer |
question. to what Is regarded by them
as the narrow views OF the rural Re
publicans- The Hebrew vote Of the city |
Is large and growing. but 1t sides with |
the Germans on the question OF the
Hquor traffic.
While there are strong influences !
which will tend now. as in the past. to
scatter the Fusion vote and restore
Tammany to power within a few years. |
the gradual rise In intelligence Of the
average voter works towards good gov
eminent
At no time in the history OF the coun- !
try have 80 many young men Of leisure
devoted themselves to the work OF
municipal reform In this lies the hope
OF the future. Love OF country and
the Flag Il rot expressed n idle mouth
ings and p -riotic yeils. but in tedious
anxious. s,if-sacrificing labor; In still
hunts for voters; in working the pri-
maries- W rem n merchant contributes
$4,000 20 be spent solely in detecting
fraudulent registration and follows II
up by diving into the slum5 after IRE
peaters" II is safe TO say that the duties !
OF citizenship are beginning 10 be un- /
derstood. !