New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-18
KALEIDOSCOPIC POLITICS.

One great drawback to any permanent
success on the part of our Democratic friends
in this city is the kaleidoscope character OF
their several organizations. They are con-
slant puzzle to the voter. OF course ali Demo
cratic organizations are III favor of Reform.
They have taken that attitude during the
past five or six years. and maintained 1t
in platforms and resolutions and newspapers
with the greatest aSsidulty. Whenever there
is big prize to be contended for they con-
soldate under the banner of Reform, and fol-
low some great Reformer whom they have
lately been denounclng as great rascal, In
solid columns and a combined assault. But
their performances, meanwhile, where there
are only ordinary prizes to be contended for
in the arenas of State and municipal politics.
are sadly confusing to the ingenious mind
seeking the best methods of political reform
and the most trustworthy opponents OF pure
politics. If we could have now a fixed Tam
many and fixed Anti-Tammany for a little
while, or long enough to make a catalogue OF
them, the average voter would be less
bothered But here we have Tammany trying
TO reform Anti-Tammany and Anh-Tammany
trying to reform Tammany, and each saying
the hardest things about the other, and
the Reformers skipping from one to the other
with such a rapidity and frequency that it
makes perfect kaleidoscope of our city and
State politics.
All this is not only very confusing but 1t
takes so much of the average voters valuable
time to follow the movements of the members
of the two organizations that he can hardly
attend to anything else. The man whom, ac-
Of l,a rosla
importance last year to elect to some
municipal Office or send as delegate to the
State Convention, is this year by Tammany
authority pronounced unworthy of conf
dence a corrupt and unprincipled Anti-Iam-
many person who must be put down. This
year Anti-Tammany is reforming by the same
men whom last year 1t was driving out, and
driving out the men whom last year
it supported. And so they skip hand
across - right and left grand politi-
clans change till it would puzzle
dancing-master to pick ont last years part
ners from this years set, or untangle the mess
they are snared up in. And still they are all
for Reform; all working like beavers to pu-
rify politics and purge the public service Of
each other. We have always been told by the
party organs that Democracy never changes,
but here seem to be two kinds OF
Democracy at daggers' points with each
other, each denouncing the other as
corrupt and claiming to be pure and
perfect itself, and the members and
leaders of each organization skipping from
one to the other with absolute loOseness, just
as though there were no principle involved.
Mr.. Tilden and Mr.. Kelly stand now against
each other with something like persistence and
constancy, but the people behind them fit
back and forth like the Irishman's flea.
Now there may be differences of opinion as
TO which of these two wrangling factions is
the more earnest in its professions of Reform
The voter may want to vote for a Tammany
man as against an Anti-Tammany, or rice
rersa. But if they keep Hopping about in
this way he has no certainty to depend upon
in making his choice between them. Here is
such man as "Tom" Creamer, who, not
content with vibrating between Tammany and
Anti-Tammany, turns NJ at odd intervals in
the leadership of the WOrkingmen's party,
the Greenbackers, or any other concern that
offers temporary notOriety And he is one of
the most reforming of RefOmers. He is only
q single sample. There seems to be no GER
tainty about any of them. Is not there some
way by which these earnest patriots can be
made to stand still somewhere long enough to
be labelled and classifed7
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