New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-04
NEW.HAMPSHIRE AND THE CAUCUS.

shire, which has just ended SO fortunately, did
not mean the decentralization of the Republican
party in that State. nor the general disinteRra-
ton of the party, nor any of the things which
the Democratic newspapers are glib in prophe-
sying of 1t. It was simply one more sign of the
growth of the Republican party away from
machine methods, and an apparent indication,
also, of the decay of the Senatorial caucus,
That time honored piece of party machinery has
been subjected to pretty severe strain of late
by the Republicans in the Northern States. In
New-York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania,
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, and
Colorado, it has been practically disregarded in
the latest elections of Senators. This was not
entirely due to the fractional warfare that ragged
in the party some time back, because there was
lust as much impotence with the caucus In
States where no division of the party into these
factions had ever been known as there was IN
New-Y York or Pennsylvania. The class of Re-
publicans who assumed the name of Stalwarts
hardly had an existence in Minnesota or Michl-
gan, vet the Senatorial contests in those States,
within the past year, have been long and fierce.
The New HAMPSHIRE struggle began at time
when Republicans were busy making peace
all sides to unite the party for the contest of
next year, when the supremacy not only OF the
Republican organization, but of Republican
ideas, will be Mt stake. Yet the New Hampshire
contest has beeniony about n week shorter than
the memorable deadlock in Albany in 1881.
These facts seem to show that the movement
against the caucus was general, and that while
Il was usually due to local discomfort 1t did not
grow out of the Stalwart and anti-Sralwart dis
mite. II will bo interesting to sec whether the
process of discarding the Senatorial caucus goes
ON. or whether after time it takes its old place
again in the party machinery.
The result that has been reached at Concord
seems favorable to the future of the party in
New Hampshire The contest had lasted about
IA long as il was safe To have 1t last-apd then 1t
ended. Both sides-machine and anti-nachlne
-ars contented. Senator Pike was the candi-
date most favored by Secretary Chambers
friends aft his election became impossible and
yet the Secretary's opponents are claiming the
election as their work Mr.. Pike is far from
being nobody, as many feared the new Senator
would he. He has had abundant experience as
legislator, is an able lawyer, and is esteemed
and admired as q man.
We venture To say that there is another thing
which the result in New-lIampshire does not
mean II does not mean that Mr. Chandler is
politically dead and buried, with the New
Hampshire Republicans dancing On his grave.
A portion of the press seem to take rather hys-
terical view of Mr.. Chandler. They really seem
to believe that he has horns We have never
been able to discover them. 1t is IA little diff.
cult to understand why ho should be 50 abused
| by some of the wel-meaning editors. 1t raises
the question whether they are not Oelaborlng
the Chandler of their own imaginations rather
than the Chandler of fact. He withdrew from
the contest as soon IA 1t was practicable after 1t
appeared that he could not be elected, and in
this showed, as he has always done, desire for
the good of the party that was stronger than
| any wish for personal success.