St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-13
But First Defends tie Tammany
Organization Against the
Charges Of DiSlOyalty
to Party,
And Reviews the Causes Of It's 0ppO-
sition to Cleveland with UncOm-
plimentary Reflections Upon
His Wisdom.
Arrangements Ordered for Grand Ratifca-
tion Meeting When Tammany
Viii Wheel Into Line.
Ex-senator Grady Relieves His Mind in a
Long Speech, and Announces
KeTl support Butler.

NEw YORK, Sept 12-An hour before the
doors OF Tammany hall opened this evening,
great crowd Of people was assembled on the out
side waiting to 30 in to the meeting of the Tam
many general committee, where il vac TO be de-
cided whether the organization would endorse
Cleveland and Hendricks. When entrance was
obtained the committee took seats on the main
floor, and very few prominent members were
absent. When John Kelly took his seat directly
in front Of the platform, the
enormous crowd cheered time and again. When
quiet had been restored Kelly said, owing to the
illness Of Sidney P Nichols chairman, and the
necessary absence of the vice president it
ais duty to caIl upon Senator Foster, Of the
Twenty fourth district, to preside After read
ing the minutes of the previous meeting, Gen,
f. b. Spnoia, chairman of the subcommittee
appointed by the committee on organization to
draft an address u the people, made his report.
The address was read and is follows:
New YORK, Sept. 12.-To the Democratic
Republican general committee of the city and
county Of New York. The subcommittee to
whom was referred the matter of preparing and
submitting an address, by resolution of the COM
mittee on organization at its meeting, Monday,
September g. respectfully submit the following
report:
uAMMAST HALL, NEW YORK, Sept. 12.-To
the Democratic party of the United States. The
DemOcratic-kcpubIcan organization of Tammany
Iull is the Oldest political body in the United
States It's existence under another name ante
dated the establishment of the present form of
government. lis members took an active part
in the election of Washington, jefferson and
Jackson and of their Democratic successors,
candidates Of the party nominated in congress-
ionai caucuses and national conventions. 1t has
seen the birth, continuance and sudden gradual
death of all the parties to which the ingenuity
OF politicians the necessity of occasion has
given rise, from the adoption OF the federal con-
stitutiou down to the present day. During all
these years il has swerved in its allegiance
10 the party, nor fatered in its support of the
candidates nominated and principles enunciated
from the platform of the national Democratic
conventions, and in but one instance in all its
history did it oppose the action of the party or
its nominee in the state, and that only after due
notice given and in response natures first
law, when the existence of our organization was
threatened and the personal and political rights of
our constituents assaed. To the truth of this
statement We invite the seyerest scrutiny Of i'm
partial history.
The principles of Democracy announced by
Jefferson have been informally followed, and in
their defense Tammany has not hestated to
CritiCise and condemn its pIblc officials, when,
in its judgment, they violating those prin-
ciples ard their professions of Democratic faith
made before their elevation to place and power.
at times measures Of great interest to the peo-
pie have originated with anu have been car
ried to d successful adoption by the Democratic
party in the state and nation. 1t was by our
constant iteration and discussion that public at
teutou was called to the corrupt course of the
Republican party in squandering the public do
main, by which over 1856 600 900 acres of the
public lands given to railroad and other cor
pOratOns. Tariff agitation by US resulted in
drawing attention to the neces-
sity of such a reduction of duties
would provide means sufficient for
the requirements o; the government, and at the
same time aL0rd the Incidental protection neces-
sary TO American labor. We nave advocated az
all times a reduction Of taxation, municipal,
state and federal in orde. tnat the burdens of
the people should be lessened.
Home rule and loca. self government have al
wavs been the cardinal principles of Democracy
in Tammauy hall. We have differed with the
state executive on the application of these i'm
porIaut principles Of the government because in
our judgment the truest Democracy is where the
least possible power, consistent with the proper
execution Of law, is taken from the people and
lodged with their representatives. We have al
all times opposed Capitalization OF power as
dangerous 10 Republican institutions,
and have not hesitaied 10 condemn the
unnecessary, unjust and undemocratic
interference OF the Legislative and executive il
our municipal affairs. Our opposition to abridge
ment Of the power OF the aldermen of our city
would have been just determined had the
common council been 2 strongly Republican as il
Democratic, and no alleged representative oil
the public meeting presided over by Republi
can advocating the passage of this and other un
democratic measures under the deluding cry o.
reform could blind us 10 the truth of the inten
and object of such legislation.
We championed the cause OF anti-monopoly il
1881 and the ensuing campaign OF 1882, that re
suited in the triumphant election of the presen
grtlAra rfn n he asrt il trra
among our adyersaries, the Republicans, haC
much to do with the great majorit!
which he received, but the intense feeling IL
the breasts OF thousands OF workingmen agains
the Republican party for its corruption and mo
nopOhsuc legislation, caused thousands OF thes,
voters 10 ally themselves with the Democratic
party, thereby protecting against such legisla
ton. 1t is no eNaggeratiOn TO say it seemed tc
| them that the drift OF existing laws was tendins
to debase rather than elevate labor that the
whole engineering OF the governmeutwas bein!
used TO foster the interest of the employer anC
capitalist at the expense OF the toll OF tho mil
lions. That these opinions were founded oil
substantial and iucontrovertible grounds, anC
we're not cOucoctions of the minds of dreamins
demagogues who sought to dupe their ignoran
but clinging followers, q candid observer mus
admit. in neigh0oring Republican state III
right of the people to peacefully assemble wa
invaded, and the militia of the commonwealth
was used tyr1pnicaiy to force the
press Of the country generally opposed labor
strikes, but no harsh criticism appeared agains
the capitalists and corporations who closed thei
factories against the wogkingmen or operative
the plea of lover production so that tn
returns of capital might not be diminished.
this condition Of affairs the eyes of wage Garner
turned 20 the Democratic party, and the,
willingly cast their lot with it. They expecte,
70 receive reward for their confidence and thei
labor IN such legislation as would ameliorat
their condition.
The people of this city demanded to have tn
elevated railroad corporations confined TO legiti
mate returns for the capital invested in the val
liable franchise which was conferred on them b
the city and state. After prolonged struggle
labor secured the victory in the Legislature oul
to be thwarted by 3 veto in the executive cham
Der.
They sought the adoption of alaw which woul
Il once prevent any prison authorities of th
state from contracting criminal labor, so as
bring It in competition with honest industry
The measure passed the assembl but was defeate
in the senate, by an uuholy combination G
Republicans and recreant Democrats VIII
ignored the pledges made in their party pla
forms. BY the efforts of the Tammany organi
zation, through one OF its senator's an act VIZ
passed and signed oy the governor to submit th
question of the abolition of the contract syste1
IN the state prison to the voters of the state an
the people sustained the measure by majorit
of 13S, coo votes, Notwithstanding hundreds {
thousands of ballots against the proposition wei
secretly distributed by the party managers an
members Of the Democratic state central con