New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-22
REpDBLI CAN REORGANIZATION.

REPUBLI CAN REORGANIZATION
There is only one way to represent the people.
That is to leave the people entirely free to
select their own representatives. 1t may be
that they will not choose the persons whom
some most excellent citizens prefer. But our
government is not an arstocracy, real or pre-
tended; it il a government of the people. That
party will prevail, and ought to prevail, which
most faithfully represents the peoples will. Ii
the Republican party means to continue Its ex-
istence, it must strive to express the will Of the
majority, as constitutionally represented, more
nearly than any other party; it has triumphed
in the past only because it has done SO, and
has been temporarily defeated every time 1t has
sought success in any other way. Wherever 1t
has preferred the voice OK boss to the voice or
the people; wherever it has cared much for
dispenser of patronage and little for the plain
votars who want no Office. it has suffered. In
the main, and in the long run, 1t has sought to
make itself the instrument through which the
plain voters could carry out their wishes, and
they have made it what it is.
This involves at times the selection Of! some
persons who do not seem altogether worthy to
intelligent and refined citizens. The majority
Is not always wise In every locality. Some
times the intelligent and refined citizens fail to
attend primary meetings; sometimes they do
not happen to be in the majority 1t cannot
be helped. Self-guvernment, being human
government, would not be self-government ii
it did not sometime err. But the results at
tanned on the whole are infinitely better where
the people feel that they are responsible, and
actually are responsible, for all that is done in
their name, than where they lean upon boss
or a club, or an aristocracy of leaders, to do
their governing for them.
The object of party reorganization Ia New
York was to secure fuller expression OF the
will of the people. There were over 10000
Republicans in this city; the associations in
cluded only about 10, 900, and were thought to
be swayed by few individuals. Hence there
was danger that the few individuals might not
always correctly represent the wishes OF the
majority of Republicans The consequence OF
that kind of organization is seen to the full in
the workings of the Democratic halls" Mr.
Kelly names one set of delegates, Mr.. TildcD
another and somebody else third, and of
course there is wrangling. The Republican
marty, in spite CT its own defective organization,
has had vast advantage in New York he
cause the Democratic organization was much
more defective-further removed. from the Will
of the people and more autocratic. Ii will have
a still greater advantage when all the Repub-
lican voters come to understand that they can
make their wishes known and needed by reg
ularly attending all primary meetings.
At present the results of rrorgan cation do
not seem perfect to some people The voters
who took the trouble TO attend the primary
meetings have seen fit, in good many cases.
to elect the same men that would have been
elected by the old associations. Well If they
represent the people they are the men who
ought to be sent TO convention. In many
cases they undoubtedly do. No sensible man
has ever imagined that the machine" In this
city was entirely devoid Of support from the
Republican voters. On the contrary, IL was TO
bo presumed that it had really reflected the dis
position and temper of the majority of active
Republicans in most of the districts. The
other Republicans, who are not sufficiently
active to attend meetings, cannot blame any
body Dnt themselves If their wishes are not
made known. The root of the difficulty IL that
they are not active; they neglect their own
duties as citizens and then find fault because
others have not the same understanding OF
duty that they have. There is at least this 10
be said of those who do attend primary meet
ings-they do not neglect the first duty of cit
izen. If they distinctly prefer to be represented
by those VINO have been the most active aud
Jealous inipolitcsl work, 1t Is not astonishing, it
cannot be helped, and they are entitled to their
preference.
Meanwhile, it was not expected that the mil
lennum would come with one free primary cleo
ton. Anything worth having can be attained
only by patient and continued effort. When
the Republicans OF this city understand that
they can all vote il they will only take the
trouble, a larger proportion of them will attend
meetings, they will know more of each other,
and be able to select representatives more in
diligently, and the will of the majority will be
moro fully and surely expressed. Those who
quarrel with the acorn because it is not IN oak
must cultivate the virtue of patience.
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A SERIOUS CHARGE.
Robert A. Maxwell is Treasurer of the State
of New York As surh he receives and takes