Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-10


The Democratic Unpleasantness in New York.
The New York state democratic convention
will meet at Albany. tomorrow, to nominate a
ticket for state officers below that of governor.
The usual fight between factions over the
admission of delegates is on hand. this time
assuming triangular shape from New York
city Last year the leaders and managers of
Irving Hall virtually abandoned that organiza-
ton and proceeded to organize the New York
county democracy. which has been recognized
by the party authorities of the state and by the
US district court as the regular democratic
party of that county. A few politicians got
possession of the deserted Irving Hall and set
up claim to the title OF regularity, after
having formed a coalition with Tammany as
against the county democracy. The
police commissioners, in alottng DEM
oeratic inspectors of election, recognized
this claim and divided the inspectors
between Irving Hall. Tammany and the county
democrats. Judge Blatchford, however, in APP
pointing supervisors of election, decided that
all the rights. title and interest in the demo-
cratic organization formerly belonging to Irving
Hall had passed to the county democracy. Tam
many and Irving Hall will demand recognition
of the convention but it is evident enough that
both will be refused. The country democrats
have become disguised with the neyer-endng
Quarrels of the city democrats, and they mani
testify hold Tammany responsible for most of
past troubles of this character. Irving
Hall is regarded as simply small tail to
the Tammany Kite The declarations of the
country delegates and of the democratic papers
leave no room 10 doubt that Tammanys applica-
ton for admission will be promptly rejected.
Irving Hail will probably be served likewise.
Then the question of what Tammany will do
becomes OF interest Kelly may boldly oppose
the democratic ticket, as he did in 1879. The the
DRY OF the regular democratic leaders is that an
other refusal to give Tammany any share or lot in
party affairs Will disrupt its organization and
bring its followers back to the democratic fold
Individually instead of collectively. Boss Kelly,
however, has wonderful influence over his fol-
lowers as has been shown by his maintenance of
order and discipline through months of hard
fighting without any patronage whatever to dis
pense among them.
In this day and generation, when brevity and
eonciseness are regarded as essential in writing
for the public. why should the old system Of
wordy legal phraseOlOgy be retained? Take the
Gniteau indictment for example. 1t is words
words, words, repetition upon repetition. But
the lawyers say that it is done to prevent any
haw being picked in the construction But the
question is, does this ancient and cumbersome
method of drafting legal documents prove more
effective in this respect than brefer and more
direct style? The records of courts every day
show cases dismissed because of defects in the
language of indictments. The pOnderous YER
bosity of one of these indictments Is of itself
confusing. 1t would seem that the very SUPER
huity of words is likely to cause a blunder or
defect in a lengthy instrument OF this kind; and
that document of the same character could be
written in the brief. concise method employed
by newspapers, which would, at the same time
b. ineligible to the general public and legally
accurate. If the present laws do not admit of a
common sense form of Indictment devoid
OF all this tedious verbiage, it is time they were
amended