New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-11
THE "sTRAIGHT TICKETn TRICK.

The earnestness and sincerity with when
the organs and dependents of the Admin
istration are insisting that the Democratic
party owes it to itself to maintain its organ
iration and not fritter away its strength and
prestige by seeking an alliance or association
with any other party, are pleasing illustrations
of the perfect dsinterestedness OF our polti-
clans and parties. There has been nothing
like the interest shown by the Administration
Republicans in keeping up the Democratic
organizations since the manifestation of solicit
tude on the part of the Tammany Ring lest
the Republicans of this city should compro-
mise themselves and lose prestige by uniting
in Reform movement in city politics.
There g something really touching in these
friendly relations between the parties They
have such tender regard each for the others
prosperity and perpetuity that one finds 1t
difficult to reconcile such fondness with their
angry words and tempestuous discourse about
each other when they settle down to the stated
and regular snarls for the bones of office and
place.
But under the surface, the mystery of all
this mutual regard, this pinchbeck politics OF
the organs and the politicians about the
necessity for two great parties and having
"foemen worthy of their Steel" and all that
kind of nonsense, ceases to be at all mystic
riOus The Tammany Ring organs were for
ever protesting against Republicans abandon
ing their organization and acting with the
Reformers, and one would have supposed
sometimes, to hear them talk that they were
almost ready to support Republican candi-
dates themselves rather than not have the
Ind thav %
| so far as to keep some of their number in
the Republican party to urge distinct
party action and regular nominations
When it came to be discovered that
the inside ring of Democratic politicians were
plundering the city, and that the only way they
| kent themselves in power was by forcing fight
every year under old party names and with old
party organizations, 30 as not to give honest
| citizens Of both parties an opportunity to com
bine against them in q reform movement the
interest exhibited by the Ring in keep
ing up the Republican party was ex-
| nained. Set it down as fact incOntrovertible
that wherever Ring of political gamblers
or thieves get hold Of Treasury, municipal,
State, or national, there you will find set of
men intent on keeping up not only their own
| but tne opposing party is"hi@''o"' "A.~
opposng strenuously all attempts to break
down party lines for independent action.
Tammany kept it up until the people saw
through the cheat of craftsmanship, and COM
bined without regard to party to lead thieves
out by the ear.
| 1t may not be that the office-holding ReDub-
licans in this State have to-day the same mo-
tive in keeping the Democratic party together
that Tammany had In inducing the Republi-
cans to nominate regular tickets in the city
so long-but it certainly has that appearance.
| IL they are not anxious to keep up party
| fight to conceal corruption and prevent re-
| form, they act very much like it. For there
is no reason why honest men of all parties
should not unite in favor of honest govern
ment No one of these political blather-
sixties who are 30 anxious to have two
great parties can lay down the
lines OF define the issues which divide
them no one of them give o sensible reason
for the course he is urging. The straight
ticket" business was the life OF Tammany
for years. SO long as the Ring succeeded in
keeping the two parties under discipline and
ac constant war, they were safe in their
schemes of robbery and plumber. The Admin
istration Republicans have learned the trick.
1t remains to be seen how long they will
syeQssd tP it. The people haYs lsszaed some