New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-29
4 EALR orESrIoN AND ITS ANSWER

At the Brooklyn Academy Of Music on Tues
day evening Mr. Mcclellan issued the follow
ing challenge:
OF those who may not be Democrats or upon
whom the party may have so slender a hold that
they can scarcely be distinguished from Repub-
licans. ] would ike to ask question which no
Iair minced man VIII attempt 10 avoid II is
this; What evidence is there that ever did
or ever would encourage the increase Of inlrnor-
atty or attempt to transplant IL from one place,
II il exists there in the sense in which our OPP
poneuts would make il appear that it does, TO
smother section Of the city?' They viii search
~ vain 70 find anything il my life that would
warrant such an Infamous insinuatlon-
This is. fair and direct question and de-
serves an explicit answer The answer is that
we can judge the future only by the past, and
that throughout his whole political life Mr.. Nc
Cleuan has uniformly been the intimate and
supporter OF those who did encourage the in
crease OF immortality. Mr. Mcclellan was presi-
dent Of the Board OF Aldermen in the Gilroy
admin ztrauon. lie saw all the revelations
made ly M COT. BE knew how immortality
VS. tostered for a price by the administration
OF which he was q part The knowledge did
not move him. He was content 10 work for the
continuation Of the same unclean system against
the aroused moral sentiment Of New-York aud
accept a seat in Congress from Croker. There
be remained in comparative obscurity. to emerge
IN 1901 the champion Of the vice spreading
Van Wyck administration He knew how Tam
many had sought to Introduce into Brooklyn the
same protected immortality that Il fostered in
Manhattan, and how Willoughby Street and Mr..
York had made a stand against the invasion.
He knew how Bishop Potter had protested
against official fostering Of vice, and how Lewis
Nixon had tried and failed TO get Tammany 70
reform. Yet he stood by those who resisted Mr..
Nixon, those who sneered al Bshop Potter.
those who sought 10 give Brooklyn over 10 the
gamblers and procurers He had no word TO
say for virtue no condemnation for vice Rather
he stood up 10 encourage immortality and the
transplanting Of It into fields. Reviewing
all that shameful record OF Croker. Van WICK.
Devery, TIN" Sullivan, "AI" Adams, Martin
Engel and the rest who made political power
and immortality partners. be stood UP and said:
I'VE have no apologies 10 offer. We
shave done well. Ours is the credit and ours
''the honor"
That is the evidence which the public has con-
corning Mr. McClellan's disposition toward i'm
morality. So far as we know. he is q virtuous
young man, who would do nothing personally
Of his Own viii 10 encourage immortality. So
far as we know Van wyck cid nothing person.
ally 10 encourage immorality. That he himself
ever took protection money we do not believe
But the patron OF the promoters OF immortality
is for all practical purposes OF government as
bad as the actual promoter. The tendency OF
all Mr. McClellan's political work has been
10 encourage immortality and strengthen those
who fstfeneG upon It. That is Mr. McClellan's
record. so far as the public knows II. Can Mr.
Mcclellan show one act in his whole political
career that tended 10 check immortality or gives
any warrant for expectation that in the Mayors
clair lie would be less complainant toward the