New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-04
MIR. Benefits Choice

There is lust one Interpretation u "e
placed on the fact that the Democratic
members of the Board Of Elections have
voted to give four-ffths of their share OF
the election advertising to the stats
Zeitung." the "Warheit" and two OF Mr..
Hearst's papers. 1t means that Tammany
has decided to accept Mr.. MitchePs def
ance-his promise TO fight Hearst, Hylan
and the Internationally aligning itself
with anti-war elements in this community
Il means that Tammany is willing to sub
sidize such elements, not out OF Its own
caunaipn chest but out of the public
treasury.
In face of this action, all Mr.. Murphys
talk about the patriotism of members OF
Tammanv who are serving their country
cannot serve as camouflage. All Judge
Hvlan's references to his Americanism
cannot obscure the plain facts. The mem
hers of Tammany Hall undoubtedly are as
loval in this crisis as any other group OF
men. But the management of the political
organization known as Tammany is no
more representative of the bulk of its con-
stituency in this than in the ordinary
folds of political traffic. The Murphy
CLIQUE wants to get control OF the cltys
government again. 1t cares little what
methods il uses to fasten its clutch on the
treasury. 1t is willing to accept the aid
Of Herr Hearst and the Riders and the
OIearvs. 1t cares little whether a man
or a newspaper has served the Kaiser bet
ter than this country if now they can
be induced to serve Murphy's crew.
Murphy and those who control Tammany
have dropped the mask. They have Justi-
fed every word of Mayor MitchePs ac-
cusation Of un-Americanism. They have
proved that every vote cast for Murphy's
candidate is vote for Hearst and the
Hobenzollerns, a vote to give comfort to
Wilhelmstrasse, to stab this country IN
the back.
The situation extends even further. OF
the three candidates in the field against
Murphv's candidate and Hearst's, just one
can defeat him-Mayor Mitchell. Any vote
which is not cast for him will be In effect
p vote cast for Judge Hylan. Specifically,
apv Republican vote cast for Mr.. Bennett
will be, in effect, vote cast in favor OF
Hearst. Hvlan and the Hohenzollerns. The
only result of Mr.. Benefits candidacy
must be to split the vote which other
wise would be cast for Mayor Mitchell
and the fusion ticket, and against the
Nurphy-Hearst ticket. The only aid
which Mr.. Benefits campaign can give
will not be to the Republican party, whose
emblem he will have following his name
on the ballot. 1t will not be to the cause
of good government which has advanced
under the present fusion administration
rs it advanced in no other period of this
\ city's history 1t will be aid to the Hearst
d Murphy crew, now openly and brazenly IN
alliance with newspapers which have
voiced the arguments and the excuses OF
the enemy of America, which have de-
nounced the aims with which this country
entered the war and have vilifed this
nations allies in the war. 1t will be aid to
candidate who, protesting his own
Americanism, is willing to run on the
same ticket with man of pronouncedly
pro-German record.
The bulk of the Republican party is not
pro-German. It should not be proHearst
and pro-Murphy. There is every reason
TO believe that it will not be. There is
every reason to believe that most of the
Republican voters will follow the lead Of
ex-President Taft, of Mr.. Hughes, of
Colonel Roosevelt, rather than the lead of
Mr.. Bennett, which would give aid and
comfort to their traditional enemy, Tam
many, and to the present enemy of their
country. The question now is whether Mr..
Bennett himself is willing to lead in that
direction those Republicans who, because
Of misguided party loyalty, for reasons of
party regularity" which have no place in
municipal election, will insist on voting
for the Republican candidate regardless Of
results.
Mr.. Bennett had record creditable to
him and the Republican party while IN
the Legislature. Mr.. Benefits patriotism
is. presumably, as good as that of any
other American-born, American-educated
citizen. Is he willing to make himself the
chief instrument in handing over this city
TO Tammany Hall and its wrecking crew?
Is he willing to lend himself to inspiring
Berlin with the news of the defeat Of
MAYOR Mitchell by the Hearst-Murphy-
"Staats- Zeitung" combination?
The way out for him is simple, If he
is not willing to be such an instrument.
He may not withdraw his name from the
ballot now-the law says his name must be
there. But he can announce publicly that