New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-21
PLANNING THEIR ANNUAL DEFEAT

PLANNING THEIR ANNUAL DEFEAT.
The annual experiment of the Tilden De-
mocracy to conciiate John Kelly with a club
provokes The usual outbreaks of impotence i'll
many of the Democratic organs They are
unable to comprehend the wisdom of the per-
Torrance. \ simple and sure mathematical
calculation shows them that Democratic
ticket which has not the support of Tammany
cannot be elected, and they are unable to UNI
derstand why in the face of this fact, the
Tldch managers open the campaign by whack-
ing John Kelly over the head. This plan of
action, which at first appears so unacconntabe,
has a very simple explanation The Tildcn
managers adopt it because Mr.. lildcn tells
them to. No other reason has e5er been given,
and we are confident that no other exists Mr.
Ticn regards the party as his private property,
and next to his determination to retain exclusive
control of it, thc strongest purpose OF hi; life at
present Is 20 keep John Kelly from securing
any political patronage. He would rather
see the party defeated than have it succeed
with the assistance Of Tammany, for that would
give Kelly claim in the division of spols.
As ex-governor Robinson remarked several
years ago, it is merely fight for the ileshpots.
Mr.. Tilden wants them all, and prefers defeat
to Il division with Kelly.
This is the uudccolated truth Of the situa-
ton. OF course Mr.. Tilden and his agents call
their side of the contest reform struggle.
They are trying to nd the party of the baeful
influence of Kelly. Every thing they undertake
Is a reform. Even the cipher conspiracy for
the purchase OF the Presidency was concocted
and carried forward in the name OF reform.
NJ. l.,f1
of any kind, but he has never had anything
to do with so Infamous scheme as the cipher
conspiracy. lie makes no conccalmcnt OF what
he is fighting for. and does not put on the airs
of a SAINT while nc is doing the work of pol
iticun The pretence of the Tildcn managers
that the party can have no success worth hay
ing ill Kelly is annih1ated as a political cle-
ment Is very feeble They say he assumes to
he the party's Boss and must be destroyed
Yet these very managers make no move, even
of the 81 ghtest consequence, without first con-
sulting Mr.. Tilden No party In any State
ever had a more absolute Boss than the sage
is of all of his party here except Tammany. He
appoints the dates of the conventions, names
the candidates and outlines the platform. He
goes further than this, and DEGREES defeat by
Tammany This is Boss rule in its perfected
state. Ordinarily, when the policy Of Boss
results in his party's defeat, the Boss is de-
posed but it Is not so here. Mr.. Tllden has
led his parry to defeat after defeat, and yet they
meckly bow to his decree and take precisely
the steps necessary To bring fresh defeat this
year. This is the kind of BOssism JOHN Kelly
says lie is opposing because 1t is bad for the
party and he certainly has the facts on his
side.
It is impossible for the 'Iilden managers to
be deceived about their ability to reform the
party in this way. They tried it Thoroughly last
year. We all remember the flourish OF trumpets
with which the famous County Democracy
organization was formed. Committees of able
1ilden statesmen sat hour after hour for
months together evolving the schem me. when
it was finally completed and put in operation
for the campaign we were assured that it
would reyoluionze the politics Of the city and
dispose OF Tammany forever Well, the cam
paign was fought out and election day came.
When the votes were counted the glorious re-
suit of the reform by the County Democracy
stood revealed clearly that all men could see
it, The Hon. Mike" Norton, statesman, and
jurist Of long practice behind IA bar at COney
Island, was elevated to the position OF Civil
Judge. That was the beginning and end of
the great reform victory. We undertake to say
that no party was ever reformed and regen-
Grated at such an enormous expense of money
and time merely TO transform a barkeeper