New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-30
POOR CONSOLATION.

The faculty Of extracting sunbeams from GU
cumbers is as nothing compared with the
faculty of Democratic editors for getting com
fort out of disaster. Here is q wise Democratic
journal, for example, which heartily congratu-
lates its party upon the fact that the Republic
cans will no more enjoy the political force and
leadership of Mr.. Conkling. He was political
Boss of marvellous power, this journal says, and
he is now retired to private life, and the Repub-
lican party is therefore SO much the weaker.
1t is a curious circumstance that every one of
the Democratic members of the Legislature
stood fast, through long and weary SEES
sion, at great sacrifice of personal interests, and
kept on voting to the end, in order to save for
Mr. COnkling his slender chance of ultimate
success. These Democratic members--were
they traitors to their party Did they sell
themselves, and barter off the interests of their
party, in order to help Mr. COnkling out of his
scrapeg Hardly. 1t was their belief that they
could harm the Republican party most by keep
ing Mr.. Conkling politically alive. They repre-
sent the Democrats of this State, and know the
situation if any Democrats do. 1t is absurd to
suppose that they were all mistaken, and that
one Democratic editor is the only person who
has been able to perceive the truth. Either
they were false to their party or the editor
from very unwholesome and collie producing
cucumbers of defeat.
AS for the Republican party its representa-
tives in the Legislature were originally nearly
all personal friends of Mr.. Conking. Yet they
voted for weeks, more than two to one for his
retirement, and finally. cast their unanimous
vote for another candidate. 1t is quite probable
that they know what is good for the party.
lhey had ample opportunity, during n long and
exciting contest, to hear from their constituents
ana to learn whether the retirement or the re-
election of Mr.. Conkling would serve the party
best. With great personal reluctance many of
them came to the conclusion; which others had
adopted earlier, that the Republican party
would be the stronger if Mr.. Conllling should
be permitted to retire. The chances are a
thousand to one that they understand The situa-
ton at least us well as the Democrats who are
trying to gather consolation in defeat
The plain truth is that the Republican party
In New-York is stronger to-day than it has
been at any time since Mr. Conkling assumed
the leadership. Among those who were his
staunch friends there are many who perceive
the fact, and some who are much more compe-
tent to assume the leadership and to bring VIC
tory to the standard which Mr. Conklng him
self threw away, than he was at his best His
remarkable qualities will not be moderated nor
forgotten. But he also had remarkable faults
and failings, and these in the end outweighed
his acknowledged force az political manager,
The Republican party in New-Yorh has been
managed little too much. What it wants is
little more freedom, little more of its early
spontaneity and freshness of zeal, little more
respect for the individual wishes and convic-
tons of its members. Gaining by the change
now secured, it becomes more truly the party of
the people, and incompara bly, stronger than it
has been for many years.