New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-03
ANTI ia NM8NY.

ANITA NM8Nf.
We have seen too many brief and futile in
surrcotions within the Democratic Party of this
city to expect an easy victory for the band OF
malcontents who have just published procla
nation against TammanY, calling upon the
friends of good government, regardless of
party, to join them during the next campaign
in "a combination against the dictatorjal and
arrogant successors of the Tweed Ring" Tho
constituency which follows Mr.. John Kelly is
noted for n blind obedience To its political
chiefs and stolid indifference to all those
public considerations which usually affect the
fortunes of parties The average Democrat of
the metropolis cares little about debt and taxa
ton he bears the burden of mlsgovernment, but
he does not know it. He hears the complaint
about extravaganza expenditure, and he mag
ines that the money is collected from the bond
holding aristocrat and spent upon the hard
handed son of toll He VIII vote for any gov
ornuicnt which promises to make work for its
supporters and give them good pl1ce for it,
and to pay fair days wages for fair days
voting If it is to this class of men that the
leaders of the Anti Tammany movement direct
their appeal, they speak in vain.
II is quite true, nevertheless, as they say III
their address, the opportunities for making a
stand against the abuses Of Tammany are
better now than usual. When Mr.. Tilden be-
gan his campaign for the Presidency, he
forced Tammany to unite with him III press
ing the issue of Reform, and doing at least
something to show the sincerity of its probes
sons. But the i, ant of the Old Guard never
was in this sort of thing, and since the events
of last Spring tie luminosity of the organiza-
ton against Mr. Tilden, and the determi-
nation of Mr.. Kelly to return, not, indeed, to
the robberies of Boss Tweed, but to the po-
htcal methods of the Ring, have been fla
grant public scandals. Mr.. Kelly has insisted
upon liberal municipal expenditures he has
fought schemes of retrenchmcnt; he de-
mands a thoroughly partisan Police Board and
dualrcls with the Mayor because that officer
refuses to make a nOtonCusly bad appointment;
be grasps at the cOmmOn-scho0ls TO convert
them into q political engine, and he SCOTS AZ
the idea of managing the business OF the city
upon business principles. Ali this because he
is bent upon manipulating the city for the
benefit OF the Democratic Party outside OF the
CITY. Now it happens fortunately that this
troublesome" Of the Ring methods occurs
Just at a moment when the attention of the
better class of citizens is especially directed to
municipal wrongs. The times are hard. The
pressure of taxes is unusually heavy. The
maadmiuistraton which embaraSses business
seems almost ntOleTabe when business al the
best is so feeble and uncertain. Men are cast
ing about in every direction for relief. If the
taxpayers are to he pmndcred again in the
old style in order to pay the retaincrs of Tam
many Hall, their patience will giyo way.
Before any independent Democratic organ
ization can attract support from the Re-
publcans and n0I-partissns, it will nave 10
show a great deal more intrinsic vitality and
a great zeal more character in its personnel
than most of the ventures of that sort which
have hitherto applied for the confidence OF the
public. There is one thing, however, in which
Republicans and anti-rammany Democrats
can very well work together without for
ing any entangliDg alliances; and that is in
the election of Aldermen. Politics can have
no legitimate connection with the choice of
these civic functionaTies. We should be well
content to see the Board unanimously Demo
cratic if by making it so we could infuse into
II a stronger element of honesty, decency and
common sense Recent events have proved
how powerful these officials can be for
evil, how much of the misgOvernment OF
the metropolis is directly attributable to
their ignorance, their seltiShness, their disrepu-
table partisan intrigues, their shameful indlf-
ference to the interests they were appointed to
guard. If we could induce a sufficient num-
Der OF our best citizens to accept 81 ats at tho
Board of Aldermen, we should make long
step towards municipal reform; certainly we
,hould render some of the evils of the prcsens
situation impossible. And 1t is in this quarter
that the dictatoral anu arrogant succession
"of the Tweed Ring" seem to be most assaila-
bic. If the Reformers will bcstir themselves in
season they may accomplish a great deal.