New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-27
found him a much moro definite article thar
Won suDDOsedf
THE CAMPAIGN IN NEW-YORK.

In the campaign in New-YOrk the advantage
of position is very strongly with the Democrats
They made their first move as long ago as
last wear when they made Mr.. Tiden Cover
nor, for it was distinctly understood at that
time that Tilden's victory over shrewd ana
powerful opposition committed the party 10
tho bOdest policy of administrative reform
The movement then begun has been resoluteiy
pushed forward. The special message on the
Canal Frauds, the contests in the Legislature,
the work of the Investigating Commission, the
prosecutions of Democratic canal swindlers,
the changes in the State Committee, ana the
vigorous action of the Syracuse Convention are
all advance steps i'm the direction Indicated by
Tildens nomination. The address issued by
the State Committee follows up the advantage,
and as a result we see the Democracy OF this
State exhibiting itself as the special champion
of reform which not only commands the
popular sympathies but fascinates the public
imagination. The shrewd politicians who
manage the campaign are not likely to neglect
their splendid opportunity, and although the
Canal Ring will make a fight to secure
what it can of the legislative and judicial
nominations, we have hope that the candidates
still to be selected will be, for the most part,
AZ respectable as those already put forward.
The Republicans had an awkward but not
really difficult course before them. IL was
embarrassing of course for the average iinre-
generate politician to recognize any good III
conspicuous opponent, but the obvious policy
of the Saratoga delegates was to support the
Canal Reform with all their might and if pos
IL ne in no vi oT
attacks upon the Ring. Here they miserably
failed. They passed a general resolution ap-
proving all reforms, and coupled it with
most undignifcd sheer at the Governor Tor
what they were pleased to term his "boastful
OBSERVATIONS pretensiOns." And the party press
has been still more ridiculous than the Conven-
ton II has not been content with sneerng
mt the Governor il has abused him with twice
as much heaitiness as it has ever put into It's
condemnation OF the thieves he is pushing
and it il now Safeguarding the head of the
Investigating Commission as a sneak, politl-
cal harlequin and Il Wall street swiudler, be-
cause he would not accept Il Republican nomi-
nation for Secretary of state. Thus lar Ill
fact the Republican managers have been doing
the work of the canal thieves who are too
thoroughly frightened to act for themselves.
A great deal may yet be done, however, to
repair the mistakes of the fyst weeks OF the
campaign Gov. Tilden has often reminded
his friends that most Of the work OF Canal
Reform must be accomplished in the Lcgisla-
ture and that the chief duty Of. the Reform
party now is to send honest men to the Sen
ate and Assembly. Here is an opportunity,
perhaps, for the Republicans to 90 beyond
Il I'd n
port of the movement which is inevitably
to be the winning one in this State, and to
seize n share of the honors of victory. With
out sacrificing any of the pretenSions OF Their
party, they can nominate rcfOrmers OF char
acter zeal and ability which the whole COM
munity must recognize. The Democracy can
not make itself the party of reform unless the
Republicans permit it to do so.