New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-24

tolerant and comprehensive, Is tnuS an unhlIAcu
good |
4 HrYDRED "BOSSES" INSTEAD or ONE.
1t is not to be denied that the outlook
for free institutions has been greatly I'M
proved by the action of the patriotic
Democrats of this city, who in des-
ucrate cndcayor to DO something worth while
for the human race have lately snapped oil"
one Boss for n hundred, and announced II as
the success of a great and important Reform.
There was q time, not long since, when, by
fbe general consent of all good Democrats,
Tammany and nd-Tammany, Tilden and Anti
Tilden. Regular Irregular and Defective, Mr..
John /. Davenport was held 10 he the arch
enemy of mankind. Clothed with despohc pow
ers which he exercised to the discontinue OF
the Democratic party and the defeat OF
the Democratic ticket, he contained Ill
himself the chief peril of the Republic, the
overthrow OF that liberty which had long been
enjoyed by all active and progressive Demo
crafts. of voting whatsoever, wheresOcver and
"a often as they pleased. lie had interfered
with the most sacred right of the repeater,
and endangered the health OF some of the
most useful voters by combining them in
waiting for sow-footed justice, TO breathe the
mcuhitic atmosphere of each other. Democrats
fed from before his face as before pestI-
lcncc, hardly staying to vote even poor and
Inadequate once before their flight. Demo-
cratic House of Representatives investigated
him, and a Democratic Senate undertook to
pursue him into his Businesses The pursuit
was not so successful as had been hoped, and
the party. exercising the same discretion and
the same versatility of genius in skipping
from one question to another and to opposite
sides OF the same question which for twenty
wears has taxed the wonder and admiration of
the country, fitted easily and gracefully from
thc pursuit of Davenport the despot to war
of determination upon Kelly the " Boss"
Again free institutions were in danger
again tyranny Tcd-mouthed rs well as red
handed threatened to wreck the hopes OF
mankind by forcing the nomination of some
particular beer-pusher' for Civil Justice or
Coroner when the better sentiment and the
higher tone of the party clearly demanded
Tor some other " becr-pushcr' the place. Then
came to the front the Dcvelins and the Hew-
tits, the Whitneys, the Coopers and the Olneys
10 the number of an even hundred From the
back seats of Tammany they tumbled with
patriotic cagcrncss TO the front seats OF
Chichcring Hall, where, dressing 70 the left,
with every stomach in line, they set mp
their standard with the inscription " Not
one Boss. but a Hundred" They have gone on,
with Tammany as their objective point and
John Kelly as their special mark, until they
have made what may be called quite sue
ccs,lu beginning. They have not, to be sure,
demolished Tammany, nor have they eliminated
John Kelly from active politics. But they have
adoptcd some prcambes of considerable merit,
and adopted a great many good resolutions;
they have gained recognition from the
State Convention they have nominated
several candidates for Office and they have
crowned all, and shown themselves worthy
REPRESENTATIVES of the greatest Irish city on
the GLOBE by declaring war against England.
This is great deal to have accomplished in
less than twelve months. 1t briShtens up the
rusting hopes of humanity, and makes MS all
feel how much better it is TO have a hundred
" Bosses" than one.
II il true of courSe-and cavaliers ut the
movement will no doubt make the most of
the circumstance-that so far as the nominal
tons made thus far are concerned, they are
the average of those heretofore made under
the dictaton of single Boss" And it is
true also. that the one respectable nomination
was made Mt the virtual dictation of
the "Boss" against whom the move
ment is directed. He offered them the
candidate and they accepted him. But
these are circumstances of trifling import as
compared with the great achievements already
recounted. There may be those who, reading
the proceedings of the County Convention the
other night, where Mr. John r. Fellows and
Mr.. Ecclesine, and dozen Others equally well
known, figured as prominent and influential
Reformers, and remembering, albeit somewhat
vaguely that all these eminent patriots have
been skipping from one "Halln to another and
from the retinue of one "BOssn to another for
the past twenty years, will inquire incredu-
lousy concerning the precise merits of the
great Reform. Disagreeable persons will very
likely ask what sort of Reform" it is that
gives us "Mike" Norton, "Tom" Creamer,
Jimmy" Hayes, "Jake" Seebacher and the
rest as representative statesmen under the
new organization, when the same men figured
in the same relation in the old. And these dis
agreeable persons will insist upon knowing
IL