New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
The Naval Experts
Muscle Shoals
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sirs Many reasons havs been ad-
vanced to explain the result of the
recent municipal election. some sound
and some possibly not wholly ingenu-
Gus. 1t is surely of vaiue to analyse
the campaign and ascertain the causes
of failure, so that in thc future when
similar problems face the New York
electorate the forces Of good govern
ment can be msrshalied more effective
~ and with better results.
First among the causes Of failure
must be listed the type Of candidate
nominated by the so-called coalition
committee. The word coalition" was
a misnomer The nominees were with
hut a single exception organization
Republicans. The ticket represented
no real fusion or coalition of the anti
Tammany forces in New York City.
There was a futile attempt to bring
about such fusion, met, however, by
insistence on the part of the Repub-
lican organization that the ticket nom
4HatCQ pS Satisfactory w ltS QlStItCt
leaders and its party workers.
AS q sop to the independents, a
Democrat was presented for President
of the Board of Aldermen; this was
for window dressing" purposes. All
the others nominated on the city-wide
ticket, in the Borough of Manhattan
and in most of the other boroughs,
with a few minor exceptions, were
strictly partisan Republicans with the
strongest organization connections,
whose nomination without substan-
tial leaven of either independents or
Democrats was direct affront to the
independent voters of the city.
No disparagement is intended of the
nominated. The writer has the high
est respect for Mr.. Curran. But the
primary appeal made by him and his
associates on the ticket was obviously
only to the Republicans Of our city
and not at all to either anti-Tammany
Democrats or to independent voters.
One lesson was taught most emphat-
ically by Tammany's victory, lesson
which has been repeated over and
over again in our municipal history,
but one which apparently has not yet
been driven home to those responsible
for our municipal campaigns namely,
that Tammany Hall cannot be defeated
except by an alignment to ALL the
forces in this city opposed to corrupt
government; that these forces cannot
be riarshalled except under the banner
of candidates making a direct appeal
to the independent voter; that such
Independents, while willing to support
and able to elect group of candi-
dates adequately representative of the
forces of good government are not
willing to exchange a Tammany ad-
ministration for an administration
dominated by the Republican machine.
As corollary to this proposition at
tcntion must be called to the type OF
campaign waged by the various candi-
dates. There was little or no appeal
to the ideals for which the independent
stands, little or no conception of the
fact that he is firmly convinced that
party lines have no place in municipal
politics. A more dull, plodding, routine
campaign can hardly be conceived.
As for the Individual candidates, they
we're most Of them poor campaigners.
Mr.. Gilroy, candidate for President Of
the Board of Aldermen; Mr.. Clark,
candidate for District Attorney in Man
haitian, and Mr.. Ise1in, candidate for
General Sessions Judge, spoke with
considerable fire and enthusiasm, and
Miss Boswell was always effective. The