Evening star., 1925-09-16
The Defeat of HYlan


primary election was quite according
TO expectation. Mayor Hylan was
beaten for denomination by ma
jority of approximately 100000 by
State Senator walker. Immediately
announcement is made by the news
papers of the mayors chief political
supporter that an independent ticket
will be put into the field, and that
1t may be taken for granted that
Mayor Hylan will head it." Indeed, it
has been taken for granted" from the
beginning of the contest that His
; Honor would bolt. On the 4th OF
August, OF the eve Of the conference
of Democratic leaders of Greater New
York, the mayor put forth the follow
ing statement regarding his regu,
larity:
If / am the choice Of the regular
Democratic leaders who in party con
ferenceS represent the ma jority of the
regular Democratic county organiza,
tions of this city, and / am designated
by them as the regular Democratic
nominee in the coming primaries for
mayor. l will abide by the result of
the Democratic voters Of my party In
the coming primaries.
This cryptic utterance was not ac-
cepted by the Tammany chiefs as a
pledge of regularity. 1t was sufficient
ly complex to leave a wide loophole
for an Independent candidacy and to
justify the announcement just made
by the Hylan organ.
Complete figures Of the primary vot.
ing may afford ground for conclusion
as to the prospect of successful bolt
At present the returns are not suf-
ficiently indicative. The Republican
candidate is Frank B. Waterman. a
prosperous manufacturer, who scored
an easy victory over two opponents.
Both of his rivals for the nomination
have pledged support, thus assuring a
united Republican vote on election
day. The question is whether this vote
will remain solid while the Democratic
vote is split between Walker and
Hylan, and whether the Democratic
split will give a chance for Republican
victory.
1t is not assured that Hylan, boiling
and running on an independent ticket,
will be supported by all Of those who
voted for him at yesterdays primary
Regularity counts for good deal with
the rank and file of voters. The
mayors five-cent fare issue has been
pretty well shot to pieces in the course
of the primary campaign by the Civ
ing of pledges by both the Tammany
and the Republican candidates that
they will fight for that rate of fare
The mayors chance of election, in the
face Of the fact that he is not at all
likely to draw any Republican votes,
and has been unable to muster a ma
jority from the Democratic ballots,
would therefore seem to be negligible.
In point of future political effect,
however, the defeat Of Hylan for the
regular nomination and his bolt as an
independent candidate will be of seri-
Gus Importance. Yesterdays result
was a victory for Gov Smith. who has
higher political aspirations. He can
not now expect united Democratic sup
port in Greater New York in any race
that he may run, for the senatorshin
in 1925 or for the presidential homina-
tion in 1928. No matter who is elect
ed mayor this Northumberland it would
seem that the Tammany candidate has
tho best chance--the echoes of the
v1tuperative pre- primary fight of 1925
will reverberate next year and three
years hence to the disadvantage of
New York's popular. ambitious execu-
tive