New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-26
PARTIES AND THE MAYoRALTY.

Some persons who are seeking an excuse to
get back into Tammany may find in Murphy s
plea for "a united Democracy and in the talk
about the danger that Mayor Low would use
his office to promote Republican success in the
State and nation next year what they are look
ing for No honest friend of good government
and nOn-partisa nship will, however, find in such
pleas any obstacle to supporting the contin-
uance Of the present city administration, no
matter how Jealous his devotion to the Democ-
racy on State and national issues The talk
about an alliance of President Roosevelt and
Governor Odell TO use a Republican in the
Mayors chair to serve their own party purposes
next year is a mere bugaboo. and every intelh-
gent man knows il.
The complaint because Mayor Low exercised
his rights as citizen in the last State election
is hypercrtical, if il is not dishonest. Control
Ter Grout and Borough President Cantor did
the same. Mr.. Grout. indeed saw no impropri-
ETY. in issuing semiofficial statements about the
city's finances as affected by what he consid-
cred injurious Republican legislation, thus using
not merely his personal influence but his Off
cial character and information, to carry the
State for the Democrats, but we never heard
any Of our Democratic fusionists who are now
so concerned for the tine flower Of nom partisan
ship rebuking him for If. Other Democrats in
the fusion administration took an active part in
supporting Mr.. Coer Mayor Low. while he
supported Governor Odell used his official DO
sitfon in no way. He might still have been
merely president of Columbia University so
far as any relationship between his official du-
ties and his action in the campaign went
Did the result Of the CoIer campaign give the
Democrats any reason TO fear the influence on
their general fortunes Of Republican in the
Mayors chair? On the contrary the Republi-
can enemies of fusion pointed to the returns as
evidence that the administration Of Mayor Low
had worked great harm to the Republican party
The Democrats here rolled up an immense ma
Jority. No man voted against his Judgment for
Mr. Odell because Mr.. Low was Mayor, and the
Iammany people themselves in their first zeal
TO ridicue and diScredit fusion proclaimed that
many men voted against Mr. OdeU because Mr.
Low was Mayor. What reason, then, is there
to think that the Democratic party would suffer
next year from q continuation Of the same con-
ditions? If Tammany is heart and soul inter
ested TO elect Il Democratic Governor and Presi-
dent it might be expected to wish Mayor Lows
reelection, that II might again capitalize his
alleged unpopularity when in office for the
benefit of the Democracy. Evidently however
it prefers TO handicap State and national Demo-
cratic candidates with the milestone Of Tam
many object lesson in corrupt government about
their neckS With Van Wycks and AIurphvs in
office. it was hard for a self-respecting man TO
support anybody running for any office whose
name was printed on a Tammany ticket Demo-
Gratis who are concerned about the next cam
paign had better see that Tammany does not
by misleading them now. ruin their State and
national prospects.