The sun., 1903-11-01
The Close Of the Canvass.

The municipal canvass which prac-
tically ended last night has been re-
,narkable as an appeal to the moral
sense rather than the spirit OF politlcai
partisanshp in an electorate OF about
six hundred thousand registered voters.
Unless the moral sense of the people OF
New York ia aroused against Tammany
there is no possibility Of defeating It's
effort TO resume domination OF the mu-
nicipal government.
Tarnrnany, it is true, as has been DEM
onstrated often, is of itself alone only
minority faction in New York. 1t is now
the, sole organization of the Democratic
party on Manhattan Island, yet by
large number of the Democrats 1t is now
and for a whie generation past has been
repudiated as representative Of the party
in It's purposes and its moral principles.
Without the help of these Democrats
perhapstifty thousand in number, it can
never hope to carry an election. That
helm goes to it IN State and national
elections, as the only Democratic oIgan-
ization, or when there are strictly parti-
san issues to be decided, for the spirit
OF Democratic partisanship can express
itself through no other means. When,
however, Tammany goes into an election
seeking advantages for itself distinctively
and as an organized band held together
BY greed Of handling the municipal reve-
nues il loses a greater or less part OF this
Democratic principle and its defeat is
Nrnhnhln
1t is ominous for Tammany in this
election that the respectable Democrats
OF New York are 30 largely united against
IL 40 plundering organization whose
reputation will be damaging to their
party if it is suffered to return to power IN
New York in the year Of Presidential
election. Tho best element in the Demo-
cratic party of New York is now seeking
TO rescue that party from the men and
the influences that brought about its
downfall in 1896 and 1900, and to resume
the shaping Of its policies. This element
has gradually been driven from Tam
many until now it may be said that there
remains neither in the central control OF
the organization nor in its general COM
mittee single representative Oft. Even
men like GRANT and GILRoY, recently
30 powerful here, have been excluded
from influence in it,
The evolution of New York brought
about by the consolidation OF the original
town with Brooklyn and the other out
side boroughs has left Tammany an or
ganization of only a part OF the great
municipality The present Tammany
management has been Of spirit too
narrow to adopt a comprehensive policy
for the whole city. 1t continues paro-
ohial in spirit and purpose. 1t nouted
the Brooklyn Democratic organization OF
HUGH McLAUGHLIN. Instead of working
in harmony with it, Tammanv outraged
it's pride by defying its wishes as to the
composition of the municipal ticket and
by disregarding it's honorable and in
evitable spirit Of independence,
The present political situation in New
York, therefore, is peculiarly favorable
for municipal campaign which appeals
70 the moral sense Of the community ard
not to it's divided political partisanship.
Neither the Republican nor the Demo-
cratic party has anything to make out Of
this canvass. The election of the fusion
ticket will bring no political profit and
no political injury TO either. The only
profit obtainable would 60 to Tammany
simply as predatory municipal faction
il 1t should win.
If Tammany Hall is beaten on Tuesday
for the second time in succession it is
likely to come out of the election in worse
cese than ever before in its history, and
the opportunity Of building and perfect
ing a decent Democratic organization
out of its ruins will probably be greater
than ever before.