New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-26
4 SVGGESTIVE CONTRAST.

How does it happen that the Democrats OF
New York are united in this campaign ard
that the Republicans are divided ? TO answer
this question is to discover another reason for
holding fast to Repubicanism and distrusting
Den ocracy. 1t is vastly to the credit OF the
Republicans that they are not unit to-day,
lust as it is vastly to the dscredit of the Demo-
Gratis that they are. The discussions In the
ranks of the former are so many indications
that those moral forces which brought Repub-
licanism into being are still dominant in the
organization. And so Democratic unity, inter-
preted in the light of plain facts, is seen to be
merely temporary agreement of factions in
spired by the hope of spOils.
In the Syracuse Convention of 1879, it will
be remembered, the Irregular" Democrats
took what was denOminated by some of their
organs as {" IA NOBLE stand" What they actually
did was to renomlnate Lucius Robinson in
lofty disregard OF Tammany's threat. made on
the floor of the convention, that it would not
support him under any circumstances. They
could afford to be beaten, 80 the regulars said
at the mouth of their leaders at Syracuse but
they could not afford to knuCkle down to Tam
many, to submit to the dctatiOn of Il reckless
majority. Robinson having been renOmnated
and Tammany having made good its threat 10y
running Kelly, the regulars again asSumeda no.
bic stand saying. ave renOminatcd Robinson
because we realized that he had made good
"GOvernor. Weare conscious that we did right,
L" and whatever the result of the Tammany bolt
ave have nothing to regret" Thus in 1879.
How in 1882 Alas! this year the Democrats
decline again to take a noble stand. Since they
had met in Syracuse, three years before. they
had reved Tammany increasingly rs constltut-
ing the worst element in the party, an element
composed Of bummcrs, deadbeats, traitors and
strikers who mcrited no recognition except the
recognition of exclusion from the party 5 conven-
tons. But acting in palpable disregard OF these
facts, the regulars who met ut Syracuse in Sep
TENDER took John Kelly and the other repre-
senlatiNes of Tammauy 10 their bosom, admit
ted them to seats in the convention without re-
monstrance and with evident delight, and per-
mitted ,hem to play an important part in the
proceedings. Why this great change in the
treatment of Tammany by the regulars Had
Tammany changed since 1872 No. The only
reason that the regulars can give for their
action is not that they hated Tammany less but
that tley hungered for Office more The much
Vauntcu DcUOCGdllC unity III llllS ass - IL
tribute not to the unselfshness and selt-fOr-
gett illness of the two factions, bat to the lusty
strength of their appetites for spoils
Republican dissension means no such sor-
did or vulgar thing. 1t had its origin in de-
votion to those cardinal American principles,
justice, fair play, the light of the people to nom
mate their own rulers. Thousands of members
of the Republican party i'll this State believe
that the methods that prevailed at Saratoga
were unfair and corrupt methods, that the
results achieved reflected not the untram-
melled will of the Republican masses, but
the selfshness and avarice of the Bosses
who control the Machine. And so be-
lieving. these Republicans resolutely decline
to hold their peace, resolutely decline to con-
tribute to the unity of the party by winking at
fraud and forgery, believing in their lnmost
hearts that 10 unity can be of any account
which is not based upon right.
Independent voters, which Of the two par
ties in the light of these considerations is the
better entitled to your respect Which is the
more deserving of pros porous futures