Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-02-20
Wednesday, February 20. 1884.
New York as the Presidential Battle
Ground.

marked copies of the Chicago Herald
which newspaper strongly advocates
making New York State the battle
field where the Presidential question,
next fall, is to be decided.
The Herald believes that, without
New York State, the Democratic par
ty will not be successful, but that il
the Democratic party will make an
earnest canvass, they could carry that
State.
On this subject we do not altogeth-
err agree with the Chicago Herald.
We do not doubt but that, with har-
mony in the ranks, and an enthusiastic
canvass free from local issues, they
would be successful. This, however,
in the present condition of New York
city politics, does not seem to us as If
it would take place. There does not
appear to be harmony in the ranks of
the New York Democracy.
A large part of the Democratic
vote cast in the State of New York,
is obtained in the city of New York,
and the Democrats there are divided
into three parties-the Tammany, the
Irving Hall, and the County De-
mocracy. In the ARGUS of Novem-
Der Dist, 1888, we fully stated our
views regarding the New York city
Democracy, and we still entertain the
same belief. They can not be relied
upon.
The New York city Democrats, or
more properly speaking, those who
lead and control them, are far more
concerned as to how they can keep
control of the immense municipal
patronage of that city, than they are
about the welfare of the people gen.
orally. To retain this patronage, they
have in the past, and, we believe, they
will in the future, sell the national
Democratic ticket to the Republican
party. That is, they will, if they
think their schemes of plumber are
in danger, trade their votes for ma
tional candidates in exchange for votes
for their city ticket. They have done
so in the past, and are liable to do so
again in the future.
While the New York Democracy
is in its present condition, any de-
pendence on them will prove disas-
trous.
To make New York State the bat
tie ground, in the present condition of
the New York city Democracy, really
means to surrender the management
of the national Democratic party in
to the hands of the INSCRIPTIONS pol
iticians of New York city. 1t means
mere scramble for Office, and the
control of the national Democratic
party by the political element that
always proved snare and pitfall.
1t means the abandonment of reforms
that are needed and desired by the
people. This surrender, we believe,
will not be made by the Democracy
of the west and south who are wearied
of the tyranical demands Of the va
rious political cliques of New York
city. They have had enough of the
facticus quarrels of those cliques.
The people at present, we believe,
are not interested in parties just for
the sake of a factious fight. They
desire real reform; relief from the
heavy burdens of taxation, and
better and more economical govern
ment. They will not leave the pur-
suit Of these needed reforms, Just
merely to help few thousand men
in New York city to retain their grip
on the treasury of that city; and, UNI
til there is some reformation in the
New York Democracy, not much con-
fidence will be placed in them.
These facts are known to every per-
son who has given attention to the
politics of New York city, and as a
further proof, we submit the follow
ing from the New York Sun, of Jan.
uary 25th:
There is one signal and long stand
ing cause Of weakness which affects
the Democracy of this city, and which
in any extraordinary emergency may
prove destructive and fatal to the
party, not merely in this locality, but
throughout the State.
1t is an instructive fact in politics
that whenever party is strong enough
to divide into factions and yet stand q
fair chance of electing its candidates,
such division is pretty sure to occur
In this city factional quarrels have
existed for many years, and thus while
the great majority of our people are
Democrats, they have no united, Wig
orous, and authoritative organization
of the whole party. Instead of this,
it is divided up and frittered away
in three conflicting establishments
These are known as the County Dem
ocracy, Tammany Hall, and Irving
Hall, all living, or trying to live, on
the patronage Of the various branches
of the city government, and all zeal
ously and constantly contending for
its possession. Each runs a complete
machine, with a general committee
and all the apparatus necessary for
the management of a party in great