Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-25
THE DEmoosAr1c mANIFEsro.


that the Democrats have no right to criti-
else it. The corrupt elements in the
Albany Legislature, no matter how aligned
in the late contest. all sprang originally
from the same source. 1t must never be
forgotten that the New York Republicans
of the better sort have for years been ex-
Guided from politics by the "Boss " sys-
TEN which Roscoe Conkling had set up
there. The tBoss system, however, was
in great part the result of an Ubiquitous
understanding between the Republican
and Democratic party leaders. Tammany
Hall has always been ready to make COM
promises with the Republican managers
when there was question of plumber in
volved, and it has been one of the leading
counts in the indictment of the "ma.
"chine " that its use leads to just such cor
rupt and corrupting compac!s. Again and
again Tammany Hall has played off the
city against the State, and again and again
have the Republican managers been will
ing to profit by these arrangements.
The New York Legislature, SO far as its
Republican members are concerned, was
the product of the machine Whatever
of corruption, therefore, has been mani
tested by either of the Republican factions,
is attributable to the influence of the ina
chine in making the Legislature. There
can be no reasonable doubt that if the
genuine and honest Republicans OF New
York State could have obtained proper
representation in the Legislature, they
would have made short work of Mr.. Conk-
ling's endeavor to force his way back into
the Senate. But the task of rebuking his
insolence was difficult in proportion to
the weakness of the material through
which alone the anti Conkling fight could
be made. All the Republicans, or nearly
all, were originally machine men, and
it was not possible to proceed rapidly or
satisfactorily with such people. The Dem
ocrats are largely responsible for the main
tenance of the machine system in New
York. The truth is that the system has
always been SO completely in accord with
the principles Of the New York Democ
racy that they could not quarrel with it
seriously. Nor did they dare to do so, for
they were well aware that it served as a
most useful bulwark to their own corrup-
ton, operating as constant hindrance to
the introduction of political reforms.
The establishment of civil service reform
is quite as distasteful to Tsmmany Hall
as to the Republican machine" managers
The former knows that if the Republicans
once succeed in giving reform a firm
foothold, its hold upon politics will be
doomed. For this. among other reasons,
Tammany has always been on terms of real
friendship with the Republican machine, y
and has always helped it in preference to
assisting the reformers. The history of
Democratic politics in New York is a
record Of the most amazing, audacious and
unrestrained corruption and fraud to be
found anywhere. There is no kind of
roguery which has not at some time been
perpetrated by these partisans. Tammany
Hall long ago became stencil in the nos
trils of the people, and save when quar-
rels arise over questions OF the spoils, Tam
many Hall represents the Democracy of
the State. In truth it belongs in the same
category with Conkling's machine, and
there is so little room for choice between
the two that to find it denouncing the
machine" would be amusing if it were
not disgusting.
The contest at Albany has been in many
respects disgraceful one. OF this there
can be no doubt, and it is equally true that
the discredit does not attach entirely to
the Conkling faction. Nothing baser or
more indecent than the device adopted to
force Plat out of the fight was ever de-
vised or carried out in politic4 It was a
deed which none but rufians and black
guards could have suggested or perpe-
trated. But, as we have said, the real i'm
plication of this is that originally both the
parties to the contest were in the same
faction and obeyed the same leader. They
were all of C,pkhng's choosing, and they
showed what kind of men the machine .
has to work with. As to the Democrats at
Albany, they did nothing merely because
they were powerless. Had they possessed
the power, however, there is no ground for
supporting that they would have acted more
periodically than their opponents.
The Republicans at Albany may be a
poor lot. but If they are it is because they
are the results of what may be called natu-
raj Democratic methods OF selection. The
Democrats therefore have no right to de-
nounoe their opponents. The truth is
that between ConkliDg's machine and
Tammany Hall New York politics have
fallen into lamentable condition. The
late struggle, however, has done one dis
tinctlY good thing. 1t has destroyed
Conkling's machine" and pulled down
his power, we trust forever. It has thus
opened the door for reform and if the
Independent Republicans Young
"Scratchers and those who think with
them-have the courage and wisdom to
take advantage OF the opportunity thus
presented to them, they ought to be able
to lay the foundation for a reform move
ment which will eradicate the last rem.
nants of the machine, emancipate poll
tics from the throttling grasp OF the spoils
system, and at the same time prepare the
downfall of Tammany and all its works.
cogKLIHG AND HIS sPARTANs.
Conkling's toploftical message to his
dacark,D, -