New-York tribune., 1883-03-13
TOO EC0NOMICAL or BAIT

The ease and fluency with which Democrats
talk about doing the honest and proper thing,
when they are out of power and have not the
opportunity, are only equalled by the dlihculty
and reluctance with which they contemplate
the same thing when they are IN power anu
happen to have the opportunity for DONG IT,
When the Republicans are in amWority IN
Congress or in the Legislature and contest
comes I'D in which the Republican sitting men,
Der is plainly in the wrong and the Democratic
contestant is entitled to the seat, they can
point out the duty of the majority and diate
upon the virtue of sef-sacrifice in parties In a
manner most eevating and refreshing. But
there's great difference between administer
ing medicine and taking it, between preaching
and practising. 1t alters the case materially
when the sitting member wrongfully declared
elected is Democrat, and the rightfully
elected contestant iss Republican NO amount
of testimony is sufficient in their judgment to
unseat Democrat, and as for practising SELL
denial or self-sacrfce themselves, they laugh
at the idea. When in minority they are
ALWAYS anxious for the publication OF politics,
for the abolition of partisanshp, for the estaD-
Iisbmept of iustice and equity. Give them
control. they think of nothing but pursuing
d" the good old fashioned plan, that they shall
q get who have the power, and they shall keep
"whO can"
A plainer case than that which came before
the Assembly on Thu sday night In the report
of tho Committee on Contested Seats III FAVOR
of Henry l.. Sprasue, elected from the Alllth
District of this city against Thales ,. Bliss
holding the certificate and the seat, has seldom
been presented. Mr.. Spragues tight to the
seat was so manifest after full hearing Of the
testimony that the Democratic committee to
which it was referred was constrained to make
a report in his favor. But his opponent, MI.
Bliss, was and is member OF that eminent
body of political reformers known rs the Tam
many Democracy, and his iclow-reformers in
the Assembly had not the slightest notion OF
permitting him to be unseated, no matter what
the testimony or the facts To the Iammany
mind reform goes backward when it dimlnlshes
the power and influence OF Tammany Hall
or puts Tammany man out OF oihce. Ana
the Tammany mind on matter OF that sort,
like the eyes of the dying horse, is sot.'
There's rc moving it by testimony, precedents,
law, Justice or equity. There were few DEM
ocrats in the Assembly-descrbed as "younG
men-whO thought this was an opportunity Tor
the party to show its sincerity and its unseltish
devotion to truth aud justice at a very small
cost. They reasoned that the party was strong
enough in tho Assembly to get along without
Mr. Bliss, who, as had been shown, was never
elected They said the party would really
suffer no loss by tho sacrifice of Mr. Bliss, but
that on the contrary. it would by this appear
ancc of fairness win over large number OF in
dependent or unattached voters whs acted
from principle, and that the party must win
them if 1t would succeed hereafter.
In other words, the young Democrats said:
" We need fish, and even gudgeOns will not bite
aat tho naked hook. Here Is Mr.. Bliss, who
"was never elected. md has no business here
sapd VIC can get along just as well without
@him. Say We cut him up for bait 1t was
good chance for the party in the Democratic
boat 10 catch n number of gudgeOns; perhaps
who knows 7-enough to keep the ships crew In
provisions for four years cruise, with all the
chances for piracy and piage that four
years voyage would furnish. One OF the
young Democrats remarked in tho course OF
the discussion that the party seemed to him to
he on the edge of another blunder." Ii was.
He was right. And the party was never on the
edge Of Il blunder that II did not break oil the
crumblng verge of 1t and fall in. In presence
of this question It had one of two things to do
Ii had either to bait its hook for gudgeons with
n seeming Of fairness and Justice, at no expense
whatever except the sacrifice OF one useless
member of the Assembly or il had to throw up
all its claims to decency and honor, save its one
Tammany member, and go on fishing for
gudgeons with n naked hook. So now the As
aop,blv poes on with the unelPcted member
Mr. Bliss, in the seat to which he was not
chosen, and the gentleman who was fairly and
honestly elected cheated out Of it, And the
Democrats in tho Legislature are so short
sighted that they cannot see In this saving of
bait a loss OF fish. 1t is great party. Ii might
sometime catch fish, but that it cannot afford
the bait IL eats tho bait and loses the fish.
NOT 4 TIME FOR STRIKES.
:.4o,.o orN,aitiOn m tbp now tariff