Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-02
Win Not the Machine Learn a Les
NeaU York Sun.

1t is an ancient maxim that it Is right to
take lesson from ones enemy. Now q
very plain lesson has been given to our
Democratic managers by the action of the
Republican Convention of New York in
forcing the nomination of Secretary FoIger
for Governor Of that State through the ma
nipulations Of the machine, differed by
confidential agents Of the President, and by
bringing to bear upon that nomination
every influence which patronage and the
most odious uses OF the spoils system could
excite to vigorous action. The outburst of
indignation from the Republican party, the
open denunciation Of the ticket by the New
York Herald (up to this time an advocate of
their cause), its repudiation by number of
other prominent Republican papers, and the
condemnation by others shows that the
limits of popular forbearance have
been reached in that State. Comparing
small things with great, the City
Hall and court house combinations in
the city of Baltimore are believed to
be using the same means here to control the
Judicial RndICouncil nominations that were
used In New York. The army of Office
holders, the influence of the appointing
power, which have always dictated the COM
position of the city convention, are bearing
down with steady and concentrated force to
mould the nominations for Judges and City
Council. With regardlto the Congressional
primaries, which were held Wednesday, they
professed the virtue of non-intervention.
Whether they practiced 1t faithfully may
not bear to be too closely inquired into. The
nominations for Congress of themselves
should have little or nothing to do with the
purposes and wishes OF the combination,
and they might very well proclaim aud
even practice neutrality as to them with the
very design Of making more effectual their
mnVamanta IN FaSnpQt tn fha aloaffnua ~ hfnh
so nearly concern their personal in
terests and personal feelings. But it
will be impossible for them to disguise their
intervention hereafter. The methods must
disclose themselves, and the results will
prove whether the familiar methods have
been employed. Jacobs voice will betray
itself, let the hair be put never so thicklV on
the hand to simulate that of Esau, but they
may rest assured that the people no longer
have the credulity of blind old man. They
are too deeply interested in having judi
eiary fairly chosen. They have too much at
stake In the effort to make the municipal
administration of Baltimore independent Of
low partisan influences to be deceived bv
cunning devices. Glands off ~ is now the
cry of the people to office-holding combina-
tions. Learn from the outbursts Of indigna-
ton in New York not to pass the limits
of popular endurance. What Republi-
cans have done with machine dicta-
tion in New York the Democracy Of
Baltimore may and will do with machine
dictation here at home. Do not force the
people too far. Remember that there is an
alienation which every Democrat would
deplore; that you may whelm yourselves
and the Democracy of the city into a COM
mon ruin. You are sowing the wind and
you may reap the Whirlwind. Why, then,
persist in blind determination to rule or,to
ruin the cause from the use Of whose name
your whole power has been derived9 II the
cause be ruined. you will assuredly be
ruined with it. No, the cause of Democ-
raeY cannot be ruined. 1t may, like noble
ship, have the waves pass over it; the pirat-
ical crew NAV be and will be swept from the
deck by the passing storm, but the ship
viii pass unharmed throughsthe tempest,
will then man her and guide her course
by the polar star Of justice. But is 1t true,
indeed, that the ssgacity which has been
trained, educated and shArpened in machine
management, by long dwelling on the small
ness Of the instruments and the smsllness
of the motives and impulses with and upon
which it works, becomes so near-sighted
that it can no longer perceive that there are
instruments of higher order, motives and
impulses Of larger moulds Is 1t true that
It can no longer recognize the fact that there
is such an impulse in the human breast as
generous indignation. such q motive as
patriotic feeling, such q power as untram-
meled thought, such an aspiration as the
public welfare? These are being aroused,
and they will illuminate the way of the
people towards political emancipation.