Year: 1878

What kind Of man Mr.. Kelly will offer
us for Mayor this evening probably de-
pends, even at this late moment, upon
whether he thinks the anti-Tammany peo-
pie are determined to defeat him. or
whether he is persuaded that they are only
q set of political strikers.


Mr.. Kelly knows very well what the peo-
pie know also, that anti-Tammany cannot
hope to elect its ticket, and that it can beat
Tammany only by close and straight COM
bination with the republicans. There are
but two real parties in the city-the Tam
many party and the republican party.
There are number Of outsiders, mutineers
against Mr.. Kelly, ''soreheads," ''come-
outers," all included under the general
term anti-Tammany; but these dissatis-
fed people have no organization, no party
discipline, no cohesive power. They have
a good many voters, but to attempt to op-
pose the veteran ranks Of Tammany with
them is like sending raw militia to fight
veteran troops.


less they can form coalition with the re-
publicans, but in doing this we think it
clear that the republicans, having solid
organization, party name and banner,
well drilled, we'll disciplined force of
voters, have the right to require that they.
and not the anti-Tammany men, shall
nominate the head of the ticket. If Gen
eral Arthur should insist on a straight re-
publican ticket we should think him poor
politician, and many people would suspect
his motives But if he offers the anti-Tam-
many people fair share in combination
ticket, and asks only that he on his part
shall name good and unobjecticnable man
for Mayor, the anti -Tammany leaders cannot
afford to reject such an offer without pro-
ducing a general conviction that they do
not at heart wish to defeat Mr.. Kelly. To
reject such an offer would, in fact be to
play into Tammany's hands.


Such combination Of all the anti-Tam-
many forces, supposing, Of course, that un-
exceptionable men were presented on the
ticket, would have the united and vigorous
support Of the World, the Sun, the Times,
the Tribune and the HERALD. combina-
tion in good faith between the republicans
and the anti-Tammany men can almost GER
tainly defeat Tammany, and at the mere
hint of such union Mr.. Kelly would
feel himself compelled to nominate
for Mayor the very best man he could get
to accept his offer. Such union of the
elements opposed to the ascendancy of
Tammany would have been easily brought
about had Mr.. Bonner accepted the Mayor
atty nomination. It can be formed now
without difficulty if the anti-Tammany
leaders are sincere; for o reasonable offer
from them to the republicans would be at
once accepted. The republicans could not
afford to reject such an offer of union; pub
lie opinion would condemn them if they
did; but they are not likely to do SO. If
the anti-Tammany leaders are sincere they
have the way open to them to defeat Tam
many, and to doso with the public sympathy
on their side and with the support of all
the leading journals of the city.


Mr.. Kelly waits with unconcealable
anxiety to see whether the anti-Tammany
people are in earnest, or whether they are
political Adventures who will help him to
success on the chance Of picking up some
crumbs of patronage which he can fling to
them.