Year: 1872

has bad men in its ranks, and
the dominant organization in city is certain
to be well supplied with the offensive element
peaters ore the especial property of the repub-
licans; and in this city there are many bad
characters in both parties outside those who
are daily denounced by the partisan organs as
thieves, liars. swindlers and felons. When
such an excellent nomination as that of Will
liam Butler Duncan is made by political
organization it is proof that the bad element
therein is powerless and that the influence Of
good and honest men prevails.


Standing aloof from political parties, having
no interest or concern in the intrigues of this
or that clique or faction, Indifferent whether
Grant or Greeley be President or whether
Herman or Dix be Governor, anxious only for
the progress and prosperity of the city, the
HERALD claims the right to speak in the
cause of true reform. Our interest in the city
is at least as great that Of any other business
establishment within its limits We depend
not upon parties, but upon the people; we
look not to the interests of parties, but to the
interests of the people. The growth Of
the city-of its population, its commerce
and its wealth-is our growth Our
advertising columns and circulation,
swelling steadily year after year, are un-
mistakable evidence Of the fact While party
organ may depend for its very existence upon
the success Of its political candidates, and
may be the more prosperous in proportion to
the unscrupulousness Of its friends in power
the HERALD finds its security and profit in the
good government Of the city. 1t is on this
account that we demand at the hands Of
political parties and reform parties genuine
reform in the municipal government, and in
sist that the people shall no longer be de-
frauded by political traders and schemers who
make a false pretence of virtue to hide their
selfish designs In advocating William Butler
Duncan as The nominee of the democracy we
do so because we know him to be honest and
capable and we know that the great democratic
vote insures his election. No truthful man
will pretend that Mr.. Duncan could be beaten
with democratic nomination and a reform
endorsement. That being the case if he is
an acceptable reform candidate it is clearly the
duty of all reformers to endorse him. The
Committee of Seventy admit him to be strictly
honest and capable, only some of them prefer
Mr.. Havemeyer. Mr.. Havemeyer will not be
nominated by the democrats and Mr.. Duncan
will be. Is it the duty of sincere reformers to
split their party and risk the defeat of both
reform candidates We do not believe Mr..
Havemeyer could be elected. Very few
people besides himself imagine he could escape
defeat. If he insists on making himself the
candidate of the committee to which he be-
longs, the best he can do is to elect James
OBrien. Well, if James O Brien should prove
successful Mayor Mr.. Havemeyer will be
entitled to the credit of his administration as
having been the cause of his election. If, on
the other hand, O'Brien's Mayoralty should
proves failure, then Mr. Havemeyer will be held
responsible for all it's acts, and the Committee
of Seventy will be set down as body of in
triguing amateur political wire-workers, who
have been using the cry of reform only as
means of carrying out their own selfish objects
or of gratifying their own offensive vanity.