The sun., 1880-12-13
THE THREE MOVEMENTS FOR DEMO-
CRATIC REORGARIzA TON

| CRATIC TI0k
To THE EDITOR OF The SUN--Sfr. After
the exposure OF the Tweed Ring there was i'm
perative demand for the reorganization OF the
clty Democracy. The only result was reor
Rnnizaton Of Tammany Hall under different
| leaders. Now. when the experience OF the past
| four years has shown that the power OF Tam
| many Hall is opposed to good municipal gov
| ernment and a menace to Democratic suprem-
| acy. n new demand for reorganization Is heard.
| Any effort to reorganize will be futile which
| does not strike Mt the root OF the evil This is
not Kelly. nor Kelly's dependents. They are
the fruit and not fho root Nor is 1t Tammnny
Hall. nor yet Irving Hail. Tnmmanv is merely
the branch from which the fruit hangs. and
Irving merely n graft from Tammany. The
radical evil lies in the fact that there 10 now no
| democratic organization OF Democratic voters
| In this city. To be democratic an organization
| must be framed to allow n FREQ expression OF
| the voters preference. and to give that express
| sion its due effect. An organization that does
| not allow this Ia not democratic whatever II
| may be called. There is vital defect in the
| Tammany system. 1t 10 ths The Tammany
General Committee appoints the inspectors OF
election for each Assembly district. and these
| inspectors decide who have been chosen mem
bers OF the General Committee at the primary
appoint you inspectors II you will return US as
elected members OF tho General Committee-a
| short and convenient process. by which the
committeeman can re6lect themselves to Office
indefinitely. or. II they wish. name their own
successors. It will be seen that this plan pro-
vides admirably against any effective inter-
There is no registration OF voters at Tam
many primary. Any man can vote whom the
| inspectors regard aB Democrat, but IL his vote
Ia not counted. or Is counted Tor the wrong per-
son. he Is helpless; Hence. the Tammany
little interest A gentleman who was formerly
member Of Tammany. but who long since left
In the old Seventh Assembly District. The
election was held in livery stable and lines
ing each faction fearing that its rival would he
first on the ground and take possession OF the
iy districts ~Sp' en exoeisnt IN neeIess under the
liberal mpartiality shown by the inspectors.
All voted to their hearts content. some return.
ing again and again to deposit large rolls OF
ballots A barrel and two feed bags full Of
votes were thrown. each faction voting al 1t had
speetors measured the votes. announced q
groper majority for the members Of the General
as elected and the meeting adjourned.
II. as often occurs. inspectors show indepen-
cord with the ruling powers the return OF the
inspectors can DO contested. Even II the Cen
fails senS % sp' sd Of ne s @
members exists. as admirable in its way as that
for the suppression Of independent voters at
many it ssd That Pa,eE e. DSy 81 was IN
1876 Chairman OF the Committee on Diseipline.
Justice.
Hall organlSaon cation its dependencS sx on the
both Democrats and Republicans. Most OF us
can remember when il came to Tweed's rescue
in 1870. The Young Democracy movement was
started in revolt against Tweed. ma
| lDrty of the Tammnny General Committee
were against him. Measures were to be- taken
as the meSsrs GS e Ss
Hall dark and squad OF police guarding it.
Kelly was the Grand Sachem OF the Tamnany
who have control OF the building and they had
refused to open it for the use Of the commttee.
Republican. Senators to support tho, city
charter, which gaye him supreme control 10 ! the he
, another place OF meeting. and were afterward
known as the Irving Hall Democracy.
many. 1t has inhsrtsd the main defect Of tho
= parent tree. AS in Tammany, the General Com
mttes apponts M the irsDes!9ps or o, elections. e, &
ers from whom it should take commands. do
not mean that Irving Hall has all tho vicious
features OF the Tammany organization. I say say
. arEassehtlally lunddmocrqtic.
The reign OF Tweed. happily. has passed
: away Kelly has been shorn Of his strength.
md will probably soon lose his supremacy in
Tammany Hail. But let us not make the mis-
take TAX; OF supposng that the deposition, of Kelly
|
continue to exist. and low Seasons will SEQ an
I other Kelly or another Tweed holding the for
8 times OF the Democratic party in his grip and
D delying tue people.
n There are now under way three separate
,, Democracy. The Young Mems Democratic @
: Club was the first to act Its Executive Com
% wSss w III ss, be- hs
evening. A conference Of promiDeut Demo-
Gratis has been held on several evenings at the
j Hotel brunswick for like purpose. The Ex-
t ecutive Committee of Irving Hall has prepared
I and submitted report embodying the main
', features Of a plan of reorganization. These
l separate and spontaneous movements show
i that the need of reorganization is generally rec
a Whatever plan is adopted must. in order to
Q succeed. DO democratic. iirst OF all. No board.
greater power than is absoia ely necessaTy for
purposes OF final decision OF contested cases.
The regisratiGn Of voters must be provided for:
and the voter effectively protected in the deposit
a the plan must not 10 framed with design to
t give any ona existing organization or Hall m
/ undue advantage. or i will meet tho bitter op-
: position Of rivals. and the movement will doGen-
. sh9Wd provide for such selection 81 S.aces for
A ho!Hng primary elections-liouor saloons be-
: ing exclqded-ns shall encourage the reepecta-
;. as the exclusive scheme OF any club, Hall. or
Q CLIQUE, or it will invite opposition and be re-
garded us a device to give prominence to the
l. body urging ii. The gentlemen who have un-
0 deItaken tho work of REORGANIZATION are ,enti-
!, ing Of n satisfactory plan is no easy task. But
4 1t should be horne in mind that getting it
, | adopted by the voters and getting those elected
under it recognized by the State Committed is
r yet more difficult Jefferson said: "All -xpe-
rience hath shown that mankind are more dis-
posed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to
. | right themselves by abOlishlng forms to which
they are accustomed" l think any plan, to be
, | successful. must appear as the result OF tho
, | combined Efforts OF those now engaged upon
/, | the work endorsed by the prominent and eN-
, | perienced Democrats of the tity.
. ANOTHER JEFFERsoNIAN DEMOCRAT
| H. Isna