The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-24
A DEAD LOAD ON THE PARTY.


organization known as the Tammany Soci-
ETY., in New York city, is a dead weight on
the Democratic party of the United States
which must be removed if that party ex-
poets the people to again entrust it with
power in the nation. Organized during
the revolution as benevolent cociety, and
afterward chartered as such by the legisla
ture of New York, it has grown to be a
dangerous political association, and is used
to control the Democratic party, in an un-
democratic way. For the last twenty
five years we have heard it denounced by
Democrats as a secret power used to aid
the political aspirations Of its favorites and
thwart the masses of young Democrats in
their ambition for voice in the councils
of the party of the people. With pen and
voice. flor all that time, we have labored to
couuteract, among country Democrats, this
deep seated feeling. Others have done
the same, and at the same time have met a
sentiment among our friends that it was
not Democratic to sustain a secret society
III our organization. During residence
in New York city we were enabled to see
its workings in the wards. The nomina
tons of the party are made by the Tam
many General Committee, and the COM
mittee is made by secret power, control
ed by little ring inside the doors of Tam
many Hall. We know that they GO
through the form of electing the general
committee by the people of the wards
but the people have no more to do with it
than the man in the moon. The ticket j:
made up in secret by the ring 1t is ther
printed and sent out to be voted on. Blu
the election is farce. A few people g
and vote, but it makes no sort Of differ
ence how they vote-nobody is declared
elected but the men previously agreed OIL
by the ring in secret. Democrats who ge
up any other ticket fer members of tn
general committee from their ward out tina
sent out from Tammany Hall to be voted 70
incur the displeasure of the ring an
henceforth are shut out from any partici
patton in the local offices Q
the party. The dictation of tina
secret society will not be endured by tn
people, and if the Democrats of New Yor
wish to aid in restoring the party to pow
er il the Union, their first step should b
to repeal the charter of the Tamman
Society, and reorganize the Democrat
party of New York city on the basis of it
; organization everywhere else-ward dele
gates, chosen by the people; and ope
nominations, in which all the people ca
have voice.
q The load we had to carry was heaN
g enough before Tweed's day; but he CO
/ cred Tammany with an odium which C;
:. never be removed. We know that TweC
: and the Tweedites have been kicked o
of Tammany; that the organization b
been purified; that it is now controll
% and managed by good men; that Mr.. Jol
! Kelly is as pure and we'll meaning ma
re as could be placed at the head of the (
5. ganizatiod; and that his ticket, last ia
.e was a good one-a much better one tn
NJ that which was elected. But after adm
ir ting all that, the society is stencil in
il nOstrils of the people and heavy 10
on the party-a load that it cannot a
will not carry, and which will keep it FRI
power as long as this secret and ode
re society exists. Let the good men of n
n York open their ears and listen to
voice of the country, and abolish and
S'0 ever break up and destroy the Tamm;
organization, if they would restore h
mony both at home and abroad.
rs, sooner they realize this fact and act u
ln it the better for themselves and the DE
led ocratic party of the nation.