Year: 1872




The people of the city of New York have as
deep an interest in the approaching municipal
contest as in the Presidential election ITSELF
No more important question can be pro-
pounded at this time than who shall be the
next Mayor Of New York. If we are to har-
vest the fruits of last years reform 1t can only
be done by the selection of an honest, earnest
man for Mayor. Anything short of this would
be going backward to the time when ward
organizations and rings controlled the city.
Party affiliations and party fealty must not be
allowed to intervene against good candidate,
Such candidate is Mr.. William Butler Dun
can, and such is the character Of his support
ers. The columns of the HERALD to-day show
that Of the members of the Committee of
Seventy majority are favorable to Mr.. Dun
cans nomination. Those who waver are only
party are superior to the best interests Of the
city. In the heat Of Presidential canvass it
is next to impossible for many persons to for
get partisanship even in matter which in no
way concerns the Presidential contest. But
we insist upon it that our Mayoralty election,
by the movements of last year, has been
divorced from national and State politics, and
stands out boldly as separate issue involving
no question but the purity of local govern
ment and the true interests Of the metropolis.
Whether Grant or Greeley shall be President
is not matter to be considered in connection
k1~n c1~o11
be Mayor. The reform movement began by
ignoring extraneous issues In municipal
affairs, and democrats voted with repub-
licans in the interest of reform. Now
republicans and democrats must again vote
together or we shall lose everything which
was gained by the previous contest, and the
reform movement will fall to the ground.


In Mr.. Duncan the people Of New York will
have candidate whom all can support with
out regard to party, and his nomination or
endorsement by this or that party is no argu-
ment against his nomination and endorse
ment by all parties. He is a man to whom
the trust can be trustfully confded, and we
are confident that the tide Of popular opinion
has set so completely in his favor that his
nomination will sweep aside every wave Of
opposition. When man like Judge Edwards
Pierrepont, known to be among the frmest
supporters Of the administration and one OF
the strongest enemies Of Tammany, declares
himself content with Mr. Duncan as the can
didate Of the people, and is ready to strike
hands with ex-Mayor Tiemann and others of
like character to secure an honest admins
tration Of the city government, we may be as
sured that party ties do not bind sufficiently
to destroy the best expectations of the COM
munity. At the same time we cannot over
look the fact that there is hesitation and even
outright opposition. Some men are waiting
to see whether this popular movement will
jeopardize partisan success, and others are
seeking to make the municipal contest path
way to partisan victory. It would be idle to
expect anything else from politicians who
make the cry Of reform only stepping stone
for themselves or their party. Even men who
call themselves reformers would put the veriest
rogue in Office if thereby they could better
their own fortunes. There are o few such in
the Committee of Seventy, and they, of course,
speak doubtingly of Mr.. Duncan, because
they know he would carry out to the letter
their own pledges in the name of reform.


What we want in our next Mayor is
character for integrity beyond reproach
and hasiness capacity of tis irse order.
Politics do not enter into the canvass
except in SO far as pure administra-
of %6n oit &c
Indeed, politics are SO far from entering into
the canvass at all that we want Mayor who
is nst politicians Mayor who will at once
be true to the people of the metropolis and
capable of exercising the trust they are willing
to repose in him. 1t is the possession Of these
qualities and the popular recognition of these
facts which have brought Mr.. Duncan 50
prominently forward for the Mayoralty, and
which will enable him to override all opposition.
The esteem in which he is held is apparent from
the opinions Of many prominent gentleman, as
expressed in this days HERALD. No one
doubts him or would be unwilling to entrust
the best interests of the city in his hands.
Whatever opposition exists or may be found to
exist is due solely to partisanship and the de-
sire to confne the work of reform to the mar
rowest channels. Any one not completely
blinded by mere party nncor can see that the
effect Of such course would be to defeat re-
form altogether. Reform Is not o work for any
one political party. The past has proved that
in this city it is the work of the people. Bad
men were hurled from power because the
people willed it. Good men will be elected to
Office because the people are determined to
have only good men. The people are urgently
in favor of Mr.. Duncan, and the politicians
who oppose him will themselves feel the
rebuke of the people. The work Of reform
must not be stopped for any paltry or
partisan reason, and the views Of many Of our
lood;po c;tizana an thew are read this morning