Life — December 29, 1898 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

While there i: VOL. XXXII. DEC! 19 West Tunery Pablished every Thursday, $5.10 a y vance, ace wo foreign ea ries: in the Pomtai Union, current on 10 cents ack fuimern, after three ‘months from date of publication 25 cent: No contribution will be returned unless accompanied by stamped and addressed envelope. The illustrations in Lav re copyrighted ant are not to be reprody mit special ithout special arrangement with the publishers, Prompt notification should be sent by sub- scribers of any change of address, EW Year's sees & interest- ing and signifi- cant change at Albany. Gover- nor Black goes 2 out; Governor Roosevelt goes in. Governor Black believed in practical poli- tics; in distribu- tion of spoils to the victors with more regard to services than character. There was no conccal- 5 meat or evasion about him. p He believed that his way was the best way, and that folks who criticised it didn’t know whereof they spoke. Accordingly he took all the starch possible out of the Civil Service, and distributed patronage according to his past obligations and future hopes. There is always a kind of respectability about a man who acts out his convic- tions. There is about Governor Black. Most men have felt that they knew where to find him, though it is true that once or twice, when Mr. Platt reached out for him, he wasn’t there. Happy New Year to Governor Black, and good-by! Happy New Year, and welcome, to Governor Roosevelt! He is a man of convictions, too, Those that relate to government are very different from those entertained by his predecessor, Governor Roosevelt believes in putting in office the men who can best serve the people, and in serving the people the best he can LIFE himself. He thinks the people appre- ciate that sort of attention, but whether they do or not, they are likely to get it. Good luck to Governor Roosevelt, He is the most interesting’ thing in public life since Jumbo was killed on the rail- Po ds COMMITTEE of the Citizens’ Union party, known also as the J.J. Chapman Independent Independ- ents, is taking thought about future policy, and has requested its friends and colleagues to give opinions as to what ought to be done next. The committee wants views ‘‘as to how the ends for which we are working may best be attained,” the said ends being defined as “the encouragement and facilitation of independent voting and the ultimate destruction of the boss system.” Thisis a pretty serious question. There are those who are confident that by no single exploit could the independent voter be so much encouraged and the se- curity of the bosses so much imperiled as by putting all that is left of the Citi- zens’ Union party on one of the floats of the Street Cleaning Depurtment, towing it well out to sea, and bringing the float back empty. The reason why this opin- ion {s held by a good many intelligent and conscientious persons is that they be- lieve that the Citizens’ Union leaders made Low's election impossible and did their level utmost to beat Roosevelt. Not being seventh sons of seventh sous, they cannot see that Low's defeat was a benefitto New York, nor could they see that there was any great political virtue in beating Roosevelt. They believe that there is nothing more annoying to bosses than to have able, upright and independ- ent men for mayors of cities or governors of States, so when such men are put up they are loath not to vote for them, even though the boss of the party to which such candidates belong declines to hang himself before election. T would seem as though too many of the expectations of the Citizens’ Union had of late been disappointed. There was a supposition that Low might be elected without the aid of Platt or any Republican that recognized his leader- ship, It turned out otherwise. There was a supposition that Low’s defeat through Platt’s opposition would kill Platt. It didn't kill him; and one reason was that Platt’s opposition was not bis choice, but was forced upon him, There was a supposition that a considerable number of Independents could be in- duced to vote against Roosevelt because Roosevelt elected to deviate from the course that had been disastrous in Low’s case. That supposition also turned out to bea mistake. The company of Inde- pendents that could finally restrain them- selves from voting for Roosevelt was too select to be important. As to the next move of the gentlemen who have been so seriously disappointed in these consecutive expectations, the most natural advice to them would seem to be not to make any move at present, but to hold hands and sit still, Their party has tried to purify politics, and no good has come as yet of its cfforts. Now it is Roosevelt's innings, and while he is at the bat it won't hurt the Cits to sit on the benches a spell and watch the game. Men like them, of pure motives and upright : purposes, cannot be per- manently disabled. If they cannot lead successfully, they must follow. Perhaps experience will teach them something; perhaps they can develop abler leaders ; but un‘ess they do, there seems to be little present prospect that they will avail much for weal or woe. There is a defect in their reason. ing that the defeat of good candidates compassed by their obstinacy will drive despairing citizens to them. Life is short. It is a good while between elections, and despairing voters are superficial creatures who don’t like to wait, and who do like to win. They take ahort views of life, and it is impossible to induce very many of them to co-operate very long with a party of rebuke. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, New York had nasty streets. The difference between McCartney and Waring seems to be that when it is im, possible to clean the streets, McCartney doesn’t do it; whereas Waring did. Achieving the impossible was what made Waring famous. There is no present prospect that McCartney will grow great by that method.