New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-04
4 TavvANY TRIUMPH.

Il xopld he too much to say that New-Aork
is unfit for self-Covernment But II Is lhe 'ru'n
that there is no visible evidence OF us nunesS
TO govern itself in the triumph which l. LnAn"nS
Hail won Yesterday The verdict is the more
unsatisfactory because it was calmly ana ue
hberately reached by the great jury Oh NO'el9
While the excitement which was conspicuous
end constant tyvo wears ago did not develop thlS
~o.r t1arn was no reason to believe that the
comparative tranquility indicated a lack OF Il"
tional interest in the contest Moreover Inei0
is nothing about the result 10 suggest the pun
excuse that the natural opponents ol lam
many suffered the election to go 10y oeIdui''
The registration was larger than ever ueloIe'
and the poll showed less than the usual Laiiihs
Off from the registry figures. 1t would seem
that after deliberate consideration OF What hdu
resulted from turning Tammany out large
majority Of the people had quietly determined
10 nut # back. Some Of the circumstances OF
tba reversal are as strange as the actual fact
Fine weather and a large and early vote are
,,sua,lv deemed unfavorable to the regular De-
r11ocracv of New-York Yesterday was a per
feet day. a huge vote was eagerly cast and
Tammany won by an immense majority.
For two wears 10 come the people OF New
York can reasonably expect il Iammany Is
true to itself. to have the sort OF government
they deserve They deserve restoration OF lie
deplora BILE conditions which they know so We'll
because. having resolved two years ago that
government by Tammany had become lntolera-
bic and subordinated all political preferences to
the one essential purpose of putting upright
men in control of municipal affairs, they either
lacked this year the intelligence TO perceive
how greatly the common welfare had been pro-
NOTED or were so destitute of civic morality as
TO invite a return of the hideous regime against
which they revolted in 1901. There has been
q tradition that one reform administration could
not be succeeded by another in this city, partly
because reformers in office were inexpert and
partly because their supporters, gathered from
ell parties grew cold and lost their cohesion.
convincing warrant for that hypothesis has not
existed heretofore, for Tammany won with
minority in 1897 against divided opponents,
but the grafters and their dupes who have
reioiced in that sinister calculation will claim
that ii has been gloriously confirmed at last.
We are prepared neither TO admit that New
York contains a majority Of voters TO whom a
-',~~acteristic Tammany government is con-
genial nor to explain just why that nterpreta-
tfon should not be put on yesterdays election
The Tribune has said nothing during the cam
paicn. or for two years past, about the present
administration which there is need Of with
drawing Four years of Tammany misrule had
heaped its path with embarrassments which
il could not rapidly overcome, and, since human
instrumentalities are fallible. it has made occa-
sional mistakes But it has been honest high
minded. and. on the whole, has abundanty
justified the reasonable expectations which its
advent aroused. 1t has unquestonably adj
vanced the standard and operation Of munich
pal government and, in comparison with the
orgy which preceded Tammany's downfall. its
management Of public affairs has been as light
to darkness. The threatened relapse to Old
abhorrent conditions may to some extent be due
to a failure to comprehend the difficulties which
Mayor Low and his colleagues inherited. A par
tial explanation may be found in the fact that
heavy assessments provoked the resentment Of
the properied classes, who feared that lighter
taxes were temporary because the capacity to
spend would encourag e extra vagance, and who
ignored the danger of giving new opportunities
TO Tammanys profigate proponsities. Above
ALL Murphy had confessedly procured, whether
from corporations or from other sources, a CO
lossal corruption fund.- which he knew how to
use.
We have dealt fairly and plainly with Mr.
Mcclellan throughout the campaign, and have
not a word to take back. He is an educated
man Of respectable antecedents whose per-
sonal honesty has never been suspected but
there is nothing in his career, here or at Wash
ington, to Justify belief that he will defy the
evil influences by which he will be surrounded.
If Tammany had escaped defeat by a narrow
margin the prospect would have been more
hopeful. Yet we desire Mr.. Mcclellan TO under
stand that he will take office on January 1 with
the good wishes of The Tribune and that in
order 10 gain our earnest commentator he has
only to fulfil the promises which he has sol
EMMY made TO the public.