New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-22
cOOD FAITH IN REORGANIZATION.

There has been some criticism on the plan for
reorganizing the Republican party in tins city,
due only to misinfolmation as well as some,
due largely to malice. The honest objection can
be easily removed by mere statement OF
the facts.
It is not true that the dates for re-enrolment
in the plan adopted were fixed by the Com
mittee and have since been changed by the
Machine. By unanimous vote of the Com
mittee, taken when every other detail had been
az reed ION, the dates were left blank, al
though contrary impression was given to the
reporters by member who was otherwise
occupied when this vote was had.
The result aimed at in the plan adopted was
fair count of the free vote Of every Republican
who took the trouble to cast it, and the rule
then of the majority thus ascertained' The
practical men thought an enrolment necessary,
to prevent Democrats from taking possession
of The primaries and this was agreed to. But
it was represented that no full enrolment could
be made in midsummer, the men who are
most dissatisfied with machine rule being the
very men then most likely to be absent at the
seashore or on the mountains, and new en-
rolment made at time when they were known
to he absent being more likely TO increase than
to allay the discomfort.
Here then was the dilemma "A reorganza-
ton IN this city that should admit all Repub-
licans was thought essential to success this fall
Yet a reorganization including re-enrolmert on
the plan agreed upon would take over three
weeks, and, unless done in August, could not be
finished in time for State Convention in Sep
tember If done in August, when 50 many OF
the Independent Republicans were sure to be
absent, the cry would at once be raised that
this was trick of the machine men. and the
last state of that effort would be worse than
the first.
To meet this difficulty it WAS proposed that
tor the primaries this fall the machinery OF the
old organization should be used, but with these
important changes IN its Methods
Q) Every Republican entitled to enrol under
the new plan-that is, every one who voted the
Presidential ticket in 1880. or would say that
he expected to act with the party IN 1888
should be allowed to vote -
(2) A competent supervisor should be sent to
every primary, representing the Independent
Republicans and
(3( No return of the election at any primary
should be valid without his signature.
This threw the primaries open TO The whole
body of Republicans, and gave to the lndepend-
eut Republicans an absolute veto on return
from any one where they thought the election
unfair In other words, it put the proposed
reorganization in effect Immediately, excepting
as to the safeguard of enrolment, and IN lieu Of
this it gave the Independent Republicans the
safeguard of final power over the return. If a
plan fairer 10 the Independent Republicans
could be devised, we should like to see it
stated. To this plan Mr.. OBren and other rep
resentatves of the machine gave their ap-
proval, and pledged them selves that it would
be carcicd out in absolute good faith. Mr..
O'Brien added bis belief that it would give n
delegation to the State Convention whom the
Republicans of the State would recognize as
fairly and worthily representing the whole Re
publican party of this city. We believe he
means it, We believe, too that with a
united party in this city, thus repre-
sented in the next State Convention, the way is
| open to a clear and conclusive Republican VIC
tory in this State this fall AS we'll as to the
fair choice Of State Central Committee for
the larger work of 1884.