New-York tribune., 1881-10-03
DEuOCRATIC .STALW1RTS.

We rarely find anything cdiiying in the
columns of our Democratic contemporaries III
this State, but during the last two or three
weeks there has been unity OF sentiment and
effort among them in reference to the Rcpub-
lcan State Convention which is not without
its lesson They are almost without eXcep-
ton actively engaged in the support
of Mr. Conkling in his desperate
attempt to regain his control of
the Republican organization, and they survey
with something like panic the possibility that
the voters of the State may take matters into
their own hands Ihe Courier of Buffalo, is 50
agitatcd about 1t that it cannot tell the
truth, and the outcry of Tie World and of
The ALBANY Argus i'll favor Of the ex-
Senator and against the Garfield Rcpub-
licans can only be described in the
expressive language of Mr.. Conlling himself
as "halcyOn and yOciferous." Gou cannot
meet friendly Democrat on the street with
out his informing you that your party will he
ruined unless the ex-prmate be restored to his
Primacy and in the sympathetic atmosphere
of the several Halls, Irving. Chickcring and
Tammany, the dismal prediction is necessarily
repeated "It'll he a cold day for the Rcpub-
Cleans if they take the lead away from
Roscoe COnhllug'
If there were any capacity for learning left
in the blind followers Of the machine in this
State, they would see from the indiscrcct adula-
tons Of their enemies precisely where their
present work is tending. The machines all mn-
dcrstand each other, and a sincere popular
movement Independent of them is equally
alarming to them all. The full aud complete
reports presented in our columns yesterday
and to-day of the successful struggle of the
great majority of Republican voters against the
petty tyrants who have so long assumed TO
manage their politics show clearly that the
rule of petty rings Of politicians is after all
not such difficult thing to break, if the mass
of citizens will 20 about it with courage and
energy. Without previous concert of action,
without any perfected organization, without
the promise or the hope Of patronage from any
quarter the independent voters have come to-
gcthcr in every part of the State, and have
made their will apparent, to the confusion
and amazcmcnt Of the local rings every
where They have done this not only in
spite of the reckless and desperate re-
sistance Of the machine managers, but
also in spite of the claim made by them
which is as false as it is hbcIlous to the PIesi-
dent-that the power of the General Govern
ment will be used against the opponents OF
Mr.. Conklng. All over the Republican pOr
ton of the State, in those quiet regions
where the green- grass grows" and where
corrupt appliance cannot be brought to
bear the people have uttered their emphatic
protest against the ruinOus and turbulent rule
of Mr. Conkling; and it is chiefly in the
strong Democratic districts, where the Rcpub-
lican organization has been kept in few hands,
and has been more or less contaminated by
Tweed and Tammany practices, that he has
gained even an apparent Endorsement.
1t is not remarkable therefore that we see
the Democratic press all enlisted vociferously
on that side. They assert that Mr. COnkling
is certain TO control the Convention, but if they
thought he was sure of it they might be more
prudent in expressing their wishes about
i. The simple fact is they see that power
full revolt against mere ring rule is in pro-
gress throughout the State, and that meal
mischief to the traders in politics of every
faction and kind. There is not a Democratic
huckster in votes in this city, but feels that
he is losing his market if Mr. Conhing does
not control the Convention next Wednesday
They know that his continued ascendancy
means discord and disturbance in our politics, |
the development of petty personal issues |
which is the death of healthy partisanship. |
There should be two parties in this State,
divided upon clearly understood questions of |
public policy. In that case there would be
no room for the dirty traders of |
the Halls and the factions. If there were one
honestly organized Republican party there
would be one Democratic party and some chance |