New-York tribune., 1877-09-15
TDO UTrH NJYED.

Democratic Reform is getting a good deal
mixed. The whole party is fierce for reforms
of one kind and another, but they can't seem
TO hold together long enough to accomplish
any one of them. They differ as to what is to
be reformed, and how to reform it: and when
they differ they split and then they split
again. and continue to split, and then each sec
ton SAYS the other ought to be reformed,
until really there is no telling anything
about 1t, and the queer thing about all
the Democratic reform movements, and parties,
and sections and subdivisions of parties in
the city, is that the Democratic party itself
furnishes in all cases the objective point 1T
is always Democracy trying to reform Democ-
racy-and apparently never succeeding III It,
They never attack Republicans under the
Reform banner. Here. a few years ago,
there was a Democratic Reform movement
against Tammany, and the movers in it hav-
ing reformed the old Tammany gang out, in
stalled themselves in their places and hung
out the brand-new sign of Reform over the
door OF the old shop. Then, pretty soon Mr..
John MOrIissey and several other statesmen
discovered that the new Tammany needed
reforming and seeded for the purpose of re-
forming politics by putting down the new
Talnmany. These reformers have set up the
anti Tammany Reform party. And, If we
rightly understand the order of events, the
New York County Democracy Is a kind of re-
form of the anti Tammany Reform.
Aud now Mr. John Morissey has, according
to Mr.. Ira Shafer organized himself into still
another reform movement, the purpose OF
which is to reform the New-YOrk County De
nf To,
many Democracy, which aims at reforming the
Tammany Democracy, which did reform the
earlier Tammany Democracy out of Office and
into limbo. 1t seems to be reforming pro-
cess all the way down, with Mr.. John Morris
sey leading the way III a vain endeavor to find
| some place where he can be free from corrupt
and demoralizing associations, and with
| a good foothold and clear field, reform the
entire Democratic party, and the whole sys-
| tenn of politics to his liking. Mr.. MOrrissey
has been unfortunate in having bad men go
out with him whenever he has retired from
the various organizations he has undertaken
| to reform, so that almost as soon as his
new organization was perfected, he has felt
| compelled to go out again to get rid OF bad
| company. The amount of skipping round that
man has done in the past five years, III
| order to get genuine reform, on prop
er basis, fairly under way, is something
| quite wonderful. His last secession was
| from the New-York County Democracy,
and we learn from the earnest and impassioned
remarks of Mr.. Ira Shafer at the meeting OF
| the Executive Committee of that organization,
on Thursday night that he has, as it were gath
| cred himself together under the caves of that
noble party, with view OF refOrmingit by influ-
encingthe election of chairman Of the committee,
and controlling the organization. Mr.. Michael
C.. Murphy, who is proved to be Mr.. Morris
sey's friend, repelleG Mr.. Shafer's insinuat on
that his friend was engaged in any under
| handed attempt to reform the party or the
committee, whereupon Mr.. Shafer said lie had
nothing against Mr.. Morrissey, and would
gladly see him elected Senator
As before remarked, this business is getting
too much mixed. The average voter, who is
! also anxious for reform, does not clearly nm
derstand what it is all about AS soon as one
of the Democratic subdivisions gets well un-
der way in the work OF reforming out of office
the division it split off from, somebody gets
up, and goes out and organizes another party
to reform the subdivision. Aud so it goes on.
| 1t has got down now, apparently, TO Mr.. Nor
rissey and Mr.. Michael G. Murphy, and no one
knows how soon Mr.. M0rrissey will write Mr.
Murphy letter, Withdrawing from that or
! ganizatOn and start movement for reforming
Murphy. Where it will all end is beyond con-
lecture. Unless, indeed, Mr.. Morrissey, when he
gets positively and comfortably alone, shall