New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-30
REPUBLIcANS AND MR. JEROnE.

When it became perfectly evident that no
effective fusion could be achieved this year
the Republicans were not merely justified but
wise in frankly announcing their purpose to
make their own campaign 1t made little diff
ference on what rock fusion split since split it
must and the unreasonable demands Of the
Citizens Union for pledges from the members
of the conference concerning county nomina-
tons offered as convenient an occasion as any
for separation. The failure to agree on proceed
ure respecting the District Attorneyship, how
ever need not deter the Republican party from
supporting in its own time and in its own
way, the candidacy of District Attorney Jerome.
The problem presented by his candidacy is
perfectly simple one, and popular judgment Of
Republican action on the subject will not be
shaped in the future, either for praise for
excuse, by what some other party does or fails
to do.
The Republican leaders apparently wish to
nominate Mr.. Jerome, if Tammany does not.
They have however. scruples about the pro-
priety Of a party which denounces Tammany
as irredeemably corrupt nominating a who
will run on a Tammany ticket, and Mr. Halpin
in his address makes this point: AT the origi-
nal fusion movement in 1901 one Of the
'planks in the platform of all the fusion bodies
'fn that municipal campaign declared that the
fusion party would not support any candidate
"Who should accept a nomination from Tam
many Hall" The applicability Of that prece-
dent is more apparent than real. One of the
primary rules for interpreting law is to be-
ware of the application of general statements
of judicial opinion to particular cases not be-
fore the court Wise political action is based
not on phrases, but facts and, while fusion
lists have in general refused to give countenance
to officeseekers who co-operated with Tam
many, yet they have never permitted that pol
icy to deter them from supporting good men
under special conditions, even if Tammany
also felt it good tactics to support them In
that very year. 1901, when this declaration was
made, the Republicans nominated Morgan J.
O'Brien for reelection to the Supreme Court,
though his name was also on the Tammany
ticket beside that Of Robert A. Van Wyck,
whose term as Mayor was just expiring and
who was seeking vindicatiOn and promotion
TO the Supreme bench. In 1897, when efforts
for fusion failed and the Republicans ran a
straight ticket against Tammany, they still
Joined with Tammany and the Citizens Union
in support of Charles H. Van Brunt. In 1899,
in the midst of the iniquties of the Van Wyck
administration, the Republicans found it posi-
BILE to support George G. Barrett a Tammany
| candidate. And even in 1903, while refusing to
support Messrs. Grout and Fornes in their pat
ent plans TO sacrifice Mayor Low and save them
selves, the fusionists nominated Henry Bischoff,
who was also on the Tammany ticket
After election it appeared that Justice Bisch-
off, whose own candidacy uncOntested. gave
$1,000 to Tammany, which went to elect Mayor
Mcclellan, and nothing to Mayor Lows adj
herents who likewise supporting him.
Republicans may with reason hesitate to nomi-
nate men who, while accepting their support,
work against them, and if Mr.. Jeromes money
or efforts were to go to Mayor McClean's
aid, they might properly refuse to help him.
But there is as yet no evidence of any such
purpose. Mr. Jerome is an officer connected
with the administration of justice, whose office
should be free from politics as the courts.
He has promised to keep it thus free. He is
running as an Independent candidate Whoever
will, has a right to support him. Whatever
happens hereafter, he will not be primarily the
candidate of Tammany