The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-15

A former notice Of the Political History
Of he State Of Nep York, by DE ALvA STAN
WOOD ALEXANDER (H. Holt d Coz, was
brought to a close with the Anal removal
OF De Witt Clinton from the Mayoralty OF
the city OF New York, al event which 70
many onlookers must have seemed to In
volve his definite RELOCATION to private life
AZ q matter OF fact, his Involuntary leisure
eavo Clinton the time needed to hasten the
work which was to transmit his name to
later generations.
/.
For many years there had been much
talk OF q continuous passage by water from
Lake Erie to the sea. Project after project
20 that end had been formed but discourage
ment had succeeded encouragement, until
q majority OF the earlier advocates OF an
Erie Canal had given up In despair. There
was one man, indeed, who did not weaken,
but II is doubtful whether any statesman
endowed with less genius thar De witt
Clinton could have kept the purpose alive
In the public mind during the period OF
indifference and dependency. Even
Thomas jefferson doubted the feasibilityof
the plan, declaring that II was a century in
advance OF the age. Il CONFESS wrote
Rufus King long after the construction OF
the waterway had become assured, that,
looking at the distance between Erie and
the Hudson and taking into view the hills,
valleys, rivers and morasses over which
the canal must pass, I have felt some doubts
whether the unaided resources OF the State
would be competent to It's execution De
Witt Clinton, however, had a temperament
and a spirit that inclined him to favor dar-
ing schemes; and no sooner had he been
ousted from the Mayoralty in 1915 than he
seemsto ave made up his mind that nothing
should hinder him from carrying out the
enterprise he had at heart. From the So
clusion OF his farm on Long Island he corre-
sponded with men Of influence, sought the
assistance Of capitalists, promoted public
discussions OF the subject, and in other
ways strove to arouse a public sentiment
which should stifle doubt and stir into ao-
tivity men of foresight and energy. Grad
ually he gained the cooperation Of the peo-
pie who were to be The chief beneficiaries
OF his project, and in the autumn OF 1915
q great meeting of New York city's mer-
chants appointed him chairman OF a COM
mittee to memorabilia the Legislature.
Possessed Of a fund CONFORMATION obtained
by personal inspection Of the route, he set
forth with o~learness and rhetorical effect the
inestimable advantages that must aoorue
city and to State; and with the facility
Of an expert fnancier he ~expounded the
method Of securing abundant funds for
the colossal work. III the project Of a
canal he said In concluding his memorial,
swere intended to advance the ambitions
Of individuals or to foment the divisions Of
party; II It promoted the interests Of a
few at the expense OF the prosperity of
the many; il It's benefits wero limited
70 place, or fugitive 70 TO duration; then,
indeed, It might be received with GOLD in
difference or treated with stern neglect;
but the o~verfowing blessings from this
great fountain Of public good and national
abundance will be as extensive az our
country, and as durable a. time When
the people Of the Commonwealth; not yet
simperial,' but to which the canal WI to
that title, heard and read the me-
mortal, monster meetings held ct Albany
and other points along tho proposed route
Of the waterway gave vent to acclamations
OF Joy, and Clinton was welcomed ardently
whenever and wherever he appeared. Nor
were such marks Of public favor confined
to the lower classes; men OF large property
espoused his cause, and when the Legis-
lature met in January, 1915, a new Canal
Commission, with Clinton at its head, was
to make surveys n estimates,
grants and donations and report
to the next Legislature. He who went to
Albany a political outcast was within
eighteen months to be nominated for the
G%overnorship by a convention in the teeth
OF a hostile Legislature, and to sweep the
State like a cyclone. receiving nearly forty
thousand votes out of a total of forty.fve
thousand. This. although Gov. Tompkins.
now Vice-President Of the United States,
had ignored the canal project and Tammany
Hall had denounced 1t as impractical and
chimerical, fit only for a ditch in which to
bury Clinton. Clinton's Inauguration as
Governor took piac, or July 1, 1917, and
within three days thereafter he began the
construction Of the Erie Canal,
He had learned nothing, however, Of the
art of political management, either in his
or by bitter experience. At no
period of American history could 80 self
vilIed and arrogant a man as Clinton re-
main long in power without generating
rivals. No sooner had the
Legislature convened in January, 1918,
than Martin Van Buren,, Samuel Young,
Peter r. Livingston, Erastus Root and their
associates began open war upon him. Our
points out that .@in practical politics
Clinton was no match for the Undertook
statesman. Van Buren, studied the game
like a chess player, taking pawns and
Knights with the east of a skilful mover,
Clinton, on the other hand, was an OPP
timist, who believed in his destiny. He
relied upon the people for his support, and
40 long as he stood for internal improve
ments and for needed reform in the public
service he did not rely in vain.' Even the
Bucktails, as the followers OF Van Buren,
and his coadjutors came to be called, dis
covered that they could never beat Clinton
dedhvely until they We'd with him In sup
mort Of his canal policy. Emboldened by
their successful defeat OF the Clintonian
candidate for the United States Senate
in 1910 and exaggerated by the clean sweep
almost simultaneously made Of their place
holders by a Clintonian Council OF Appoint
ment, the Bucktails determined to defeat
Clinton's reelection TO the G~overnorship by
nominating for that office Wce-President
Daniel d. Tompkins, undoubtedly the most
popular man personally that ever par