New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-22
zionist. Prosperity may make Canadian nation
atty "a political reality.
REpUBLICAyIZlNG THE METROPOLIS.

the cities of New-York and Brooklyn and re-
storing to them the right of self-government
| Mr.. Alyord announced his purpose to vote Tor
the bill as n sort of evangelical measure which
would "either consign the cities to perdltlon
or Christanze and Rcpublicanizc them" 1t
is not clear whether Mr.. Alvord, as country
legislator about to be deprived of his night
to regulate the affairs of the Metropolis,
was anxious to see the former result, or
whether as a good Christian and Republican
he was eager to bring about the political
millennium which he anticipated as the other
contingency. But if he had thought over the
matter seriously for moment he would nave
concluded that the cities had gone as far to-
ward perdition as they were inclined to be leu
by the Democracy, and that, whether the bill
passed or not, both were on the high road to
redemption through Repubicanism.
For years past the two cities of Newton
and Brooklyn have been tending inevitably
and irresistibly toward Republicanism. Every
condition favors the ultimate redemption OF
both from the wenigh ruinOus Democratic
rule under which they have struggled Tor
years. Intelligence is spreading, and 1t Is an
| impacable foe to such Democracy as has
ruled New-York and Brooklyn. Emigration
has almost wholly ceased to halt at these
points for permanent stay and Democracy
| cannot recruit its ranks, as formerly, at
moments notice, just before an election.
| Naturalization and repeating are not any
| longer as free as the dirt OF our
streets. The growing generation, whose
childhood was passed amid the stirring
and patriotic scenes of the war;
naturally prefers Republican principles, and
| Old Hunkers find themselves raising whole
| families of Young Republicans. The large IN
crease of our German population-greatcr than
| the increase from all other natiOnalitles for a
decade past-has swelled the Republican vote
| almost exclusively. The blight of the Rings
| hangs still around the Democratic party In
| both cities; and the burden of the debts their
frauds have imposed repels prOperty-owners
and taxpayers, without exception. The fierce
quarrels of the three factions in Newly York are
rrecOnciable and the distrust between the
rival Democratic leaders in Brooklyn keeps
the two factions there hopelessly apart, except
upon quadrennial occasions, when the hope of
capturing enough National plumber to go
round" adds cohesive power and attraction
which they cannot resist. But if they unite
|
| four years they are certain to divide during
the three intervening off years, when they have
only limited local or State spols to fight for
| The most exacting comparison of the returns
of elections in which the conditions were similar
will confirm this conclusion. Take, for in
| stance the National and State elections in
these two Cities as shown below, in years
when party lines were strictly drawn:
NATIONAL
New-York. Brooklyn;
IssO.-Hancocks majority ......... 41,2s5 9.3l1
Democratic loss, four years.. 1854 7,7l5
| STATE ELECTIONS.
| 1s7G.-Govcrnor. Dem. majority. 41,03s 15,s45
| Is7s.-Court OF Appeals, Dem. mai 36,Ol4 1904
| sO.-Chief-Justcc, Dem. majority 2l,GJ3 1868
Democratic loss. four years. -. 1855 11,I9O
| This is falling off largely increased
vote The municipal elections are more diff
cult of comparison, but it will be readily re-
called that at the last Mayoraty election in
New-York the Democratic majority was only
3,O45, while the Republicans carried Brooklyn
by 1851 majority.
This reform process, Or as Mr.. AlyOrd seems
to consider it, this political evangelism, is
| shown by the election returns to be going
steadily on year after year in both cities.
| There is regular decrease of the Democratic
majority in both plainly discernible when the
conditions of the elections are the same,
whether the issue be National, State or NUM-
cipa, but 1t is more marked in the latter than
in any other contest. In Brooklyn, where the
Republicans last year united on the eve of
battle, they captured the city government by
a more decided victory for Mayor and Alder
men than they had ever before attained. In
New-York, IN their very first contest on a
purely Republican ticket two years ago they
nearly overthrow the united Democracy. Last
year they beat it in three-cOrnered race by
a plurality of 10000 on the SurrogateShip, and
this year under the same conditions ought to
elect popular candidate for Mayor by II, 900
or 5000. And there is no good reason why
they should not elect a Republican Council, as
Brooklyn has done. The returns showed that
we could have done so last year if we had been
bold enough to try
Special legislation at Albany for New YOrl,
and Brooklyn appears to have been always a
bunder of the Republicans. 1t gave us few
| commissions, but 50 contracted and hampered
in their operations as to compel compromises
and combinations with one or other of the
Democratic factions which destroyed confidence
in our own leaders. The patronage we got by
this special legislation went for the benefit of
the "machlne" only, and built up the bosses, "
while it undermined the party. There was
no time when we would not have been
better off without it. The road to perdi-
ton for the Democracy was Unlimited power
to misrule the two cities. That power has been
| so freely used that both New York and Brook
yn promise 10 be Republican in few years.
| TORNADOES. WHIRLW Winds And CYCLONES.
f. 10 n common error to suppose that the lorna