The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-10-15
NEW YORK MAYORALTY CON-
TEST.

The contest for the election of
mayor of Greater New York is always
one of lively national interest. The
special solcitude the Nation at large
feels for the result in the great com
mercial metropolis of the continent
does not arise entirely from con-
Stunning anxiety for the triumph of
good municipal government. Politics,
in it's relation to the issue of national
campaigns for the presidency, might
be found, on a not very close analysis,
to be the inspiration of the wide
spread interest the whole country
takes in Gothan's municipal election,
while with the local statesmen the
game is both one of local and general
politics, and one IF spoiIs" and
personal ambition
While Tammany has been in, with
all its manifold sins of administration
blazing lu idly in front of its wig
wan, it has been an easy matter in
recent times to put Tammany out
while Tammany has been out, and
incoherent Fusion has been govern
ing, with it's piebald notions and
elements, the pledges of reform so
vehemently shonted into the public
ear during the progress of the can
vass, inevitably have been more or
less broken to the aching hearts of
hosts of long suffering citizens; and to
some who like reform for the other
fellow but dislike it's personal appli-
cation, the remedying Of abuses be
comes a matter of offense. So the
last estate of a reform administration
is apt to present a broken and jagged
array of malcontents in its erstwhile
vociferous following, There Is ex-
cusing and condoning, or absolute for
getfulness, of Tammany's misdeeds
and a disposition to trust the Tiger
again and invite him back to the
municipal lair.
The fight between Tammany and Flu
sion is now on again. The lines of the
next national election are being laid
out. So the great municipal contest
is again watched, with intense inter
est, by the press and people, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. Every
city and every State in the Union
will be affected by the result. In
respect of the pending contest the
feeling again is that it was something
to attack Tammany in office, at a
time when its misrule and lawlessness
had awakened anger and disgust; it
may prove quite another thing to keep
Tammany out of power at the end Of
a reform administration which, though
successful, has not been wholly salts
factory to all the voters or political
factions which helped to place it in
power. The feeling, also, is that this
mixing of national and local politics
by Tammany indicates distrust of it's
ability to GUST Fusion in canvass
OH local issues alone.
There is division among the re-
formers. They are not all saints
Some are seeking each others threats.
and the desire to reach the jugular of
the opposing leader does not necessar-
lily mean that he has been naughty
Blood is up Personal animosities,
hot and irreconcilable, have been en-
gendered. Knives peer from sleeves
Mr.. Jerome, the district attorney,
attacks Mayor Low savagely and op-
posed his denomination DR.. Park
hurst, the mild spoken disciple of re-
form, makes caustc remarks about
Mr.. Jerome similarly, through the
publication of letters or other chan
nels. there is discord between other
officials and organizations in the
Fusion camp. Certain candidates
renominated on the Fusion ticket ac-
cepted Endorsement and nomination on
the Tammany ticket. Thereupon
there was the greatest display of po-
litical cutlery New York has seen in
many years. The air was full of dag
gers and razors. The traitors to the
Fusion cause have been cleft from
the tickets on which Fusion had
placed them, without mercy and des-
pite the protestations of the candi-
dates who would be both monk and
devil. The lines are drawn and the
canvass from now out will be one OF
exceeding heat and bitterness.