New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-17
T ak Of
City Hall

1t is a distinct tribute TO the strength
Of -partisanship in municipal poll
tics that both sides in the pending
campaign have adopted the word
Fusion" as a descriptive designation.
Neither wishes to be identified with
the party organization on which it re-
lies for the bulk of its votes, while
each insists upon tagging the other
with such identification for the sake
Of dsparagement. Thus to the Hearst
Murphy alliance the Fusion Committee
of $50 is always the Republican-Fusion
committee, and to the latter the Demo-
cratic Fusion Committee Of 40 be-
comes the Tammany-Fusion committee.
or the "Tammany Camoufage."
The question which side has the
better right to the precious title Of
Fusion is equivalent to asking which
side in the world war has the better
right TO the title of Allies. In Ger
many the latter term is applied almost
invariably to the Central Powers. Over
here it means always what in Germany
is referred to as the Entente. There
being no copyright on either title
friend and foe are privileged to apply
them as they see fit.
But the parallel may be pursued
further with more profit. In the mu-
nicipal campaign as in the world war
there is a concentration of the often
sive on one belligerent. In the war
that belligerent is Germany; IN the
campaign here it is Ttmmany. Eacn
completely dominates its confederates,
each provides the issue IN the confilct.
For the destruction of each, former
enemies are willing to let bygones OF
by cones and to cooperate on a pash
Of approximate equality.
As to the proportion of Fusion 10
Tammany in the Hearst-Murphy ain
ance, reference may be had to that
immortal remark Of the big chief made
some wears ago in an unguarded mo-
ment: "I'm for the uplift-if uplitts
the word" The word is not "uplltt,
but "Fusion."
An appropriate text for what is
some times called the Democratlc-Fu-
sion movement might be found In the
Epistle of james, third chapter, NTH
verse: "How great a matter e. little hre
kindleth." 4,
Tammany's allies are the Cleveland
Democracy, organized and controlled
by County Clerk Schneider, who IS
also the most conspicuous personality
in the Democratic Fusion Committee,
and the independence League, still the
personal property of William Kan,
dolph Hearst. In the Presidential
campaign of last year these two organ
izations, wishing TO demonstrate their
strength at the polls in advance OF the
Mayoralty election this year, com
bined on a lone candidate for the
Court of General Sessions.
Tammany had nominated for the Of
fee John F. Mcintyre, former AS
sistant District Attorney. The Repub-
licans chose Judge James A. Dele
hanty, then a member of the court,
who has since become known for his
charges against District Attorney
Swami. The independence League and
the Cleveland Democracy nawed Sig
mund Wechsler, a minor attache Of
the County Court House, and made an
active canvass in his behalf.
The result was distinctly discourag-
ing-to the present allies Of Tam
many. Judge Mcintyre received 109,-
7O9 votes; Judge Delebanty, 10S,89S,
and Mr.. Wechsler, 2,6O1. Even the
Socialist candidate, whose name. Mich
olas Aleinikoff, produced an effect Of
influence among his rooters, polled
vote of 1896, or almost seven times
the number cast for poor Mr.. Wechs-
Ter.
AS nearly as can be ascertained by
sion is to Tammany in the present
combination as 2,6O1 is to 109,7o9; that
is, it makes just LAP of their combined
strength.