New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-02
After Twenty Years

AFTER twenty Co'
Twenty years ago the Republican or
sanization of this city surrendered to
Tammany Hall. BY refusing to unite with
the INDEPENDENT Democrats in supporting
the late Seth Low, the Republican machine
insured the election Of Van Wyck and de-
livered the city over to the worst admin
istration since the days Of Fernando Wood
and the vilest scandals since Tweed
There must be hundreds of thousands
Of citizens Of this town who have not yet
forgotten the evil days of the ice trust,
the Ramapo grab and, above all, the
Red Light" incidents, which remain
landmark Of shame in metropolitan his
tory. All these things were the direct
consequence Of the course of the Repub-
lican machine in naming a third ticket,
n ticket which ran third and served no
other purpose than to fasten Tammany
rule upon this city.
To-day the situation points in the same
direction. The Republican machines IN
all boroughs save Manhattan have fol-
lowed the example of that machine con-
trolled by the late Senator Plat, which
was finally discredited in New York by
the events of 1897. From that day for
ward the Republican party in this city,
despite the coming of new leaders, has
never recovered fully from the i'll repute
deservedly acquired two decades ago.
If Tammany Hall now regains control
OF the city administration, and thus OBJ
tains a new lease of life at the moment
when its final extinction seemed possible,
the responsibility will be with the Repub-
lican organization and the Republicans of
New York. This responsibility will be
increasingly disastrous as new Tam
many administration follows in the foot
steps of the older regimes Of the same
brand. Thanks to the course Of the Re
publicans, the people of the city and
tie country may presently see Charles +.
Murphy appointing the officials Of the city
government and dividing the municipal
patronage as Richard Croker divided it
two decades ago at a Jersey resort.
Mr.. Mitchell will be candidate. He
will be supported by the mass of those
who desire good government; his vote will
exceed that of Bennett as Lows vote ex-
ceeded that of Tracy. The sole end that
BENEFITS candidacy can serve will be to
elect Hylan. As far as Bennett is con-
cerned, this will close his political career,
for such an offence as his will never be
forgiven But no one has the smallest
concern about Bennett; the real issue is
good government and the safety and pros
perity Of the city.
The Mayor of this town has set an ex-
ample Of patriotic devotion. He has fol-
lowed the President Loyalty and given an
enduring example of real patriotism. The
lresent attempt is to discredit him and
through him Mr.. Wilson and the national
Administration and give aid and comfort
to those in control Of German policies by
giving apparent confirmation Of their as
sertion that the American people are not
behind their President in his policies at
the present hour.
70 crafty personal and patronage
grievances certain organization Republi-
cans are now willing to sacrifice all ele-
ments Of decency. They are prepared at
the same time TO surrender the city TO
Tammany Hall, which has always plum
Gered it, and to weaken the position Of the
Rational Administration at home and
abroad. II these leaders gain any sub
stantial support from the mass Of Re-
publican voters, the Republican party of
this state and Of the nation will acquire
the contempt once visited upon the North
ern Democrats with Southern sympathies,
and La Toilette will justly appear the real
spokesman Of his own party instead of
the thing he now IS.
In all this Mr.. Bennett is no more than
& little man with private grievance and
long proven appetite for publicity. Seiz-
ing upon his well knOxn vanity and amOi-