New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-07
crre THE BOLTERS 4 CHANCE.

The Convention which meets at Elmlra to-
morrow has tho rare privilege of surveying
deliberately the work of its predecessors, re-
ieeting what is Objectionable and improving
mon what is good. Neither of the parties
which have recently met in Convention at
Utica has fully answered the reasonable de-
mands of that large portion of the voters OF
the State who insist upon honest and economl-
cal government more energetically than upon
any points of partisan doctrine or discipline.
The Republican Convention presented list OF
candidates, some OF whom are well worthy the
suppOrt Of all citizens who desire reform, and
some of whom are the notorious instruments
of the corrupt combinations which have so
long been devourng the substance OF the
State. They were hampered in their ticket
by the claims of local politicians, and
still more embarrassed in their platform by
the compromising record of their leaders
They could not meet the popular demand for
STRAIGHTFORWARD denunciati9n of the salary
theft, without appearing to compliment Sena-
tor Fenton, who had returned his back pay
to the Treasury, and censurng Senator Conk-
ling, who had not. The result was that eva
sive and absurdly elaborate resolution, which
was framed by our senior Senator himself
to provide way for him to escape
out of his present unenviable position. The
rest of the resolutions were tainted with the
same necessity of saying things which should
help the party and hurt nobody, and the plat
form came out at last, one of the worst of the
old-fashiOned, wOrdy, unmeaning sort, OF which
everybody is thoroughly tired. The Democrats
did little better, so far as their platform was
concerned, but no better in regard to the ticket.
The resolutions betrayed the mOurnful fact
that the delegates were not aware that they
we're assisting at funeral, and the nOmina
tions, while some of them were above re-
prOach, were divided, i'll the traditional way,
between the men who were fitted for office
and the men whose friends wanted them
provided for.
It is to be hoped that the Convention at
Elmira will recognize the fact that a very
large number of voters, in this State as else
where, are much more interested in decent
and honest administration than III party cries.
There has never been better opportunity to
try the experiment of laying before the people
of the State a platform and ticket, in
harmony with each other, which shall
be at once and universally recognized
as the best possible The men who
are to form the Convention are sagaciOus
and able enough to see what is required. We
hope they will be also self-denying enough to
sink their own interests and susceptibilities so
far as to give fair chance to those men in
the Democratic and Republican parties who
would like for once in their lives at least to
support ticket in State campaign against
which nothing could be said. This
is no time, perhaps, for a new
partisan organization. We can all more
readily see the faults of the existing
ones than we can devise a new one which
shall be blameless and cohesive. But no one
can deny that there is great uneasness and
restlessness in the ranks of the old parties
The need of honest government is more
clearly felt by thousands than the need of
partisan victories. There is no necessity of
building cumbrOus platform to serve as
foundation for ticket of men of distinguished
integrity and ability. A brief, comprehensive
statement of intentions and purposes, in the
direction of practical reform, will be better,
for the present at least, than any attempt to
formulate o statement of the essential politi-
cal differences between parties, when it is
evident to all candid men that no such dlner-
ences exist. There is no strongly marked line
of opinion dividing the two main parties to-
day. The Administration party is convinced
that it holds the Offices; the Democratic is
equally sure that it wants them. But there is
scarcely a political idea beyond this upon
which the two parties clearly divide. There
is no necessity for putting forth tomorrow
new body of doctrine. All the commandments
are equally binding. but the one which most
engages us now is "Thou shalt not steal"
Let the Convention at Elmira apply this pre-
cept to our politics, and give us ticket which
good citizens earnestly seeking to promote bet
ter government can vote for without reserve,
and the new party movement will take excel
lent care of itself
TIE CONNECTICUT CAPITAL QUESTION.