New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-12
OUG ELECTION AT HAND.

We print elsewhere "A letter from d., urgently
controverting our views on this SUBJECT. Here
is our rcjoindcr-which may DO regarded also
"a our criticism on the call of Primaries by
our Republican General Committee
/. pretty safe test Of the wisdom and ex-
pediency of proposed step may he had by
simply asking, " How does the adversary regard
"t9" And all men must know that IA call of
Republican Primaries, with intent to nominate
straight Republican Charter tickets for every
Office to be filed at our approaching City
Election, is exactly what is desired by the
confederated plunderers who run the Tanmany
machine. They generally own moro or fewer
members of the Republican General Commit
tee and, if they have any such stock IN trade
on hand mt present we are confident that
| every man-iacll of them voted and
shouted Justify for the call. For with
straight Republican candidates IN nomina-
ton for every pace to be filled they
know from the start exactly what the result
will be- They will elect their Mayor and Cor
poration Counsel by $1,000 to 10000 majority.
according "a their repcators are instructed and
paid to vote six or twelve times each, and they
will carry every Alderman and Councilman,
unless they choose TO give us one or two to
encourage us to keep on playing our side OF
their little game. There can he 40 mistake rs
TO the fact that "thc Ring" can better afford
to pay the entire cost Of running the Rcpubli-
can machine than to have it put away for use
next Fall; and what suits a" the Ring" docs Mt
suit US Not exactly.
II. If we run distinctive Republican candi-
dates, we must run such as Our machinery, our
Primaries, will grind out for us. The prospect
tcLild of the rctrospecD does not I'LL us with
enthusiasm. Not much.
ILL., The assumption that 10y ignoring partisan
shin in choosing Charter officers we disorganizc
and weaken the Republican party is at war
with recorded facts San Francisco was ruled,
through the ten years succeeding the orgauHa-
ton and initial d0ings Of her renowned Nigi-
lance Committee, 10y just such union of
honest men intent on good municipal rule
and agreeing in nothing else, as we favor; and
it never was so well governed before nor
since. Those ten years of Municipal government
independent Of party were precisely those in
which the Democratic party was weakest
there.
". We want honest, frugal government
We want it nor. We want to vote out mot
merely at thieves and pecuators and vote
honest men into their places. We don't feel
like asking men to work hard in our Munich
pal canvass in order that the Republican party
may poll strong vote here in 1872. That is
not the right inducement; and We prefer not
to urge it,
V. We don't propose TO " form party" on
the basis of supporting honest men for Office
and keeping out Togues so far as possible
though we can't admit that basis to be a " mar
crow" one. What we do propose is to elect
our Charter officers precisely as we elect our
Directors of Banks and Railroads. our Trustees
and Faculty of Colleges, our pastors and YES
trymen of Churches, &c, &c.-that is, without
regard to their politics. We would prefer TO
run upright, capable Democrats for the higher
Offices. not that acc prefer them because Demo
Gratis, but that we seek to Danish politics from
the canvass, and ask the people to decide be-
tween candidates who will and candidates who
will not steal. Unless the ballot-box stufng
should be as frightful as it was last week, we
should hope to sec the honest men preferred
VI. Reforming our Primaries is impracticable.
They will have to be discarded. If we could
persuade third of the genuine Republicans
10 attend our Primaries-there TO be voted
down by a crowd Of roushs collected from tho
adjacent stables and groggeries-we should be
more likely to disgust and repel them than to
subservo any good end. Our mind is made up
ON this point. The Primary Meeting must he
discarded or dcfed, and some better mode OF
selecting candidates adopted in It's stead. No
ascendency that is likely ever to he ground
out by the Primary machinery Of either patty
Will ever thoroughly reform our municipal cd-
miBistration. Aud. IL 0u City u 10 DO sW'n-