The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-17


Both parties in this State approach cleo
ton day with disagreeable feelings OF I'M
certainty. Each is conscious of disor2an-
zation within its ranks and among its lead
ers. In both there are efforts to patch up a
truce, which fail almost as soon as they are
attempted; and the discordant elements OF
Conkling and anti-Conkling, Fenton, Nor
gan, administration and anti-administra-
ton among the republicans, and OF Tllden
and anti-Tilden, Kelly and anti-keily,
Short Hair and Swallow nil, Tammany and
'Hayloft and Cheesepress" among the
democrats, are quietly ready to defeat each
other, and each would rather fling the State
into the hands of the opposite party than to
suffer the faction he hates to rule and win
in his own party.
To the HERALD, and to the independent
voters whose organ it is, this condition
of parties is very welcome. When fac
tons fall out the people may hope for
good government The two old parties are
dead anyhow; the various energetic attempts
made to save them are efforts thrown away.
and we advise the politicians OF both sides
Let them go down to the seashore and III
some cool place think up new policies and
! consider how they can recover the conf
dence and support of the people by serving
them. 1t has been good time for
the politicians for good many years now.
They have feathered their own nests and let
the people go hang. State debts, city debts,
III L1a a
taxes are oppressive the number OF paupers
is rapidly increasing crime also is on the
increase while honest industry lacks re-
ward. Tho time has come when the people
deserve to have their innings, and the politi-
cal machinists may as well stand aside for
while We do not suppose the leaders
of either party in this State will pub
licly disband their orga nization as
the republicans in Mississippi and
South Carolina have very sensibly
done. They might as we'll, but they will
not. But unless they show strong desire
to serve the public rather than themselves
they may SEQ the people take this fall
send to the Legislature men who
have not been running the machine of
either party.
1t will not be possible, fortunately, for
the politicians to bamboozle the people this
fall with false issues The Southern ques-
ton is settled nobody except the Office
holders cares much just now for party lines
it is useless to pretend that the success OF
either of the old parties is necessary to the
salvation of the Union, or the safety of the
debt, or the re-e establishment of local self
government, or the security of liberty and the
constitution. Politics are, like other things,
coming down to hardpan. The people
begin to ask what they are to gain by voting
for the old partisan candidates. They talk
about economy and reform, and they want
to feel the benefits of economy in lower
taxes, and of reform in more efficient gov
eminent. We advise the politicians, there
fore, to take survey of the field to try to
comprehend what the people really need at
the hands Of the next Legislature, and to
prepare themselves to make O bid for public
support in the way Of good government and
necessary reforms.
ably honest political leader of either party
Just now we should advise him to cut adrift
from his party unless he could compel it to
promise in its platform certain important
measures of reform, and compel it at the
same time to nominate men who would faith
fully fulfil these promises. And we
should, perhaps, surprise our politi-
clan by putting at the head of his
platform for the whole State rapid
transit for this city. He would
probably ask what interest the people Of
the interior have in rapid transit here in
New York, but we should reply that our
city pays large share Of the taxes that
whatever tends to increase its population
and prosperity is direct and great advan-
tage to the whole State, and that while a
third of New York is kept without adequate
population the burdens of the interior can
not be greatly decreased There is the best
reason to believe that if we had had COM
petent rapid transit road ten years ago this
city would now contain three or perhaps
four hundred thousand more people than it
actually has; it's taxable valuation would be
probably third greater; and this would
afford relief in an important degree to the
taxpayers in the remotest parts of the State,
besides giving to oil the farmers and other
producers greater market.
Next we should advise our political friend
to insist on an honest apportionment of the
State according to the requirement of the
constitution. And we should urge this
whether he were a republican or DEM
ocrat. Honesty is always the best pol
icy, in politics, as in other nf-
fairs. TO delay or refuse justice to
party is very sure to strengthen
it. The independent voters, who are get
ting very numerous in these days, are very
certain To resent an ininstice committed hv