New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-30
TIE c0NKLING NLNOEITr.

THE (ONN LJN'r -Ni-NH!tI ! l.
The E.rullic,n members of the Legislator,
have refused to hold a caucus y majority Of
them have refused To S;cn a call. in spite g.
the most desperate cloI.~ ty Nr. C"nLllng and
his surpoItcrS The whole power of " The
machine" has been brought to bcu upon
douhtnc members, hut it has failed. After
week of impulent lying, during which II Was
lictcndcd that Mr.. Conkline's call bad been
signed by ffty-s ven members, II turns ont
that the document never had the assent oil
bare majority, aud that some who did >l-n 1t
have now refused to attend. Mr. ConEhnE
must see that he has been outragcOu>ly de-
ccivcd by his supporters. 1t Is hardly possible
to ovcrcstimatc the importance of this defeat.
The will of "thc Boss" has so long been th"
Law of the party in this State that his oppo-
ncnts have found it hard to believe in their
own strength. This called "a ma
chine LEGISLATURE" Nobody doubted that
large majority of its members were personally
devoted to Mr.. Conklng until he made the
fatal mistake of resgnng. That nc shoad hc
unable To get the assent of majority OF Re
publicans in that Legislature to a call for eau
Gus TO rtnominatc him. seemed incredible. That
every member who wished Mr.. COnhlng elected
would sign a call for caucus was
taken for granted, and it WAS prcsumablc that
some. who might not be disposed to resist
public sentiment far as to vote for him,
would, nevertheless, be influenced by " the
machine" to Join in call. Under these cir
cumstanccs, Mr. Conking's failure proves that
he is not the choice of a majprity of the Re
publican members.
Much Of Mr.. Conkling's strength thus far
has been derived from the false prctcncc that
lc had the majority of Republican members
with him. 1t was generally believed that a
caucus would inevitably he called. if not i'll
regular manner, and that members who re-
fused to attend, and those who declined to
obey the will of the majority. would be- stig-
matizeA as holtcrS. Men have signed the call,
and others have expressed then intention To-
vote for Mr.. Conklins's reelection, who
will change their purpose AID their course
at once now that ii is certain that
Mr.. Conhling has not majority in
his favor. Then, too, m'm'';- who rotu1i
from Its to their cor~titacIt~ on Sunday
are certain TO have seen ia most districts h,W
proof Of the overwhelming popular fcrl.n:
in support of the Administration. II viii h,
strange if Mr.. Conh,ius's forces do not
prove tomorrow to Ice >rn1llor thar they
have been at any time since hi> resignation.
Possibly it may bc the purpose of hi iicud-,
since they cannot secure enough Republican
votes to elect and must therefore rely upon
Democratic votes if they are TO succeed 1T ,dl,
10 avoid any Republican nomination, So that it
may be more easy for Democratic members to
support the senator on a bare platform Of
hostility to the Administration.
To this depth haa Mr.. Conl>ling been re-
duccd at last. His intimate friends are sclrn-
ing to get Democratic votes for him, 10 induce
other Democrats to stay away from the Lcgi'-
laturc so that smaller number may elect, or,
if these plans fail, to defeat any election until
next year. How are the mighty fallen, y
little while ago the Boss expected the whole
Legislature to get down on its knees rs soon
as he marched into Albany. Now his friends
are dckcrng to get Democratic support, or to
defeat the election of any other Republican.
How many Republican members are there
who would vote for Mr.. COnhling and Demo
crat There ought To be not one. Those
who have supported Mr.. COnkling thus far, if
they find him in league with Democrats,
or receiving single Democratic vote, ought
TO drop him instantly. 1t is very doubtful,
however, whether enough Democrats can he
induced to vote for Mr. Conking to pull him
from the mre OF defeat. Absence from the
baloting by Democrats will he everywhere
INTERPRETED aus equivalent to vote III his favor.
In a full convention, 81 votes are needed to
cIect-at least 30 more than Mr.. COnking
has been able to command as Republican.
For every Democratic vote cast in his favor,
there ought to he at least one Republican vote
Immediately and Indignantly withdrawn from
him.
The Democrats will probably do what they
can to adjourn the Legislature without an cleo
ton. But every Republican knows that their
object is to take advantage of the contest to gain
q majority in the next Legislature, and at
the same time to keep the State unrcprc-
scented, and the United States Senate under
Democratic control As soon rs it becomes APP
parent that Mr.. Conkllng cannot have the sup
port of majority of Republicans, such Of his
friends rs are sincere III their regard for the
party ought to advise him to withdraw. If he
refuses, then every Republican ought to drop
him at once and seek for some other candi-
date who may be able to unite the party.
With Mr.. Conkling out of the way, there are
several worthy and distinguished men III the