The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-13
GAYNoR's POSITION AND DEATH.


GAYNoR'S POSITION AND DEATH.
The death of Mayor Gaynor of New
York will undoubtedly give rise TO n
great deal OF disputation Much of this
will he wholly unfair to Mayor Gay
nor Tt has been stated right along,
for example, that Mayor Gaynor turned
against Tammany only when Tammany
refused him the denomination for
Mayor. The truth is that Gaynor was
never a Tammany man. He was always
noted for his independence while he
was ON the bench, and he was n severe
critic of Tammany at all times. Dur
ing his incumbency as Mayor, he made
it Il rule not to attack any portion OF
his constituency, and so during that
incumbeucy his attacks upon Tam
many, which had been continuous and
fierce, were suspended. But when he
noted that Tammany recently came out
distinctivcly and aggressively against
him, he treated Tammany simply us a
political enemy and resumed his fight
upon that organization. But doubtless
many charges against Tammany will
bo imputed to Mayor Gaynor, now that
ho is dead. whether he made those
charges or not. But that he has al
ways been foe to Tammany cannot
fairly be denied.
As to the effect that Gaynor's s death
will have upon the political situation in
New York, we believe that it will help
Tammany; for Gaynor and Tammany
depended largely upon the same con-
stituency for support Gaynor has al
ways been a Democrat; he has been
among those independent Democrats in
Now York who never bent the knee to
Tammany or bowed his neck TO its
yoke. But he was always popular with
New York Democrats, and we believe
that his death will immensely
strengthen the Tammany prospects for
success.
The fusion movement headed by
Mitchell, as its candidate for Mayor,
was opposed to Gaynor Just as much
as it is now or ever has been opposed
to Tammany. The fusion leaders recog-
nized that in Gaynor's candidacy there
lurlsed Il great menace for Tammany,
and it was clearly to their interest to
urge Gaynor's candidacy strongly be-
fore the people Of New York, because
that candidacy split the solidarity of
the Democratic organization, and al
lowed Of the invasion of the Demo
cratic vote by the fusion nominees.
There is no one really to take Gay
nor s place, no one to lift and carry
forward his standard, though the Gay.
nor campaign management undertook
TO put McAneny in the place; but Nc
Anony declines. The Gaynor vote can
not 90 TO the fusion element, because
it distinctly split with that element;
and because of the fierce attacks Of
the fusionists upon Gaynor, the Gay
nor vote is absolutely aicnated from
the fusion side Of the controversy. The
probability is that the campaign will
be on straight lines, fusion versus Tam
many, for no one whom the Gaynor
men can put up can hold the Gaynor
vote: and that TammaDy will get pret-
ty much all Of that vote; for although
Mitchell. the fusion candidate, is a
Democrat, he has no personal following
as Gaynor had, and there is no achieve
ment of his that can be specifically
and definitely shown to be either to
the advantage of the public or Of the
Democratic party. We look, therefore,
to see the Tammany strength much
helped by Gaynor's death, even if
Hearst should come into the field as a
candidate, either personally or repre-
sented by some one else. Consequent
ly, we do not believe that the Tam,
many strength can now be much di-
verted away from the Tammany nomi.
nees.