The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-04-16
Democratic Necessity.

it would be well generally TO hold IN
mind. Whatever conclusions 1t may
come to with respect to the tariff or any
other public question, there is no
chance for it to succeed at the coming
National election if it does not lend its
support to a gang Of politicians in New
York City who have long been
disgrace to popular government, The
better citizens of the metropolis are
struggling to free themselves from the
control OF the successors OF the Tweed
ring, while the whole Democratic party
must put its shoulders to the wheel to
uphold these political plunderers in
their grasp upon their prey. The
Democracy can not win this fall unless
it carries the State Of New York, and
it can not carry the State of New York
unless it secures that large majority In
New York City which can not he gained
without the cooperation of Tammany.
II may be defeated Notwithstanding the
aid OF Tammany with its fifty thousand
votes, but il is certain that it can not
succeed without it. Tammany support
il beyond all manner of doubt the st'ie
qua non of Democratic Success.
And Tammapy does not sustain the
Democratic ticket as labor of love.
That sort of thing is not what it exists
Tor. 1t demands and gets high price
for all the political goods 1t has to sell.
1t is troubled by no principles or scru-
pes whatever, and 8 commanded by a
man who has both the will and the
nerve to array it against the Democracy
whenever has not been duly promised
the remuneration insisted on and the
payment is not amply secured. But a
ew years ago Kelly himself ran as an
Independent candidate for Governor
for the sole purpose OF defeating the
regular Democratic Lominee, and did
il. The prise Tammany insists on is
the control o. the fat Offices in New
York City, and that pr.ce the Democra-
cy must pay il 50 far as II lies in its
power to do so. Il goes without saying
that the party will sign and seal the
compact. And what is it that the De-
mocracy of the Nation must aid In its
hold on New York City? The State
Legislature has been beSought to inves-
tigate il W tn view Of in,ttuting some
kind of reform, and committee has
been delegated to do 50. IL has made
a report which the Times says, ''con-
tains record of corruption and abuses
in the public service OF the City and
County of New York which would be
astounding II we were not accustomed
to look upon that service In the hgh,
Of past re- elations as system Of plum.
der carried on by professional politi-
clans OF the lowest order. r. 1l
The report is not merely general In
its nature. The particulars are def.
nitely given, and they constitute an ex.
tensive system Of blackmail on the
people Of the city, who have grown SC
accustomed to it that they have actn-
ally learned TO grin philosophically as
may be and bear It. There are Occa-
sional rebellions and efforts at reform,
but they have hitherto all died down,
and matters have resumed their Gus
tomary course, The particular attempt
which is made now Is to cut down the
avenues Of plunder as much as posi-.
BILE by Legislative enactment, and to re-
move from the Board Of Aldermen the
power Of confirming the Mayors ap
pointees. This latter Is something Of 9
leap In the dark, for Tammany says II
would rather have the Mayoralty under
such conditions than the Presidency oi
the United States. The hope Of secur-
ing relief through the change rests in
The belief that an honest Mayor can be
elected, while an honest Board Of Al.
dermen is an impossibility. But this il
DEPRESSING. What we mean 10 show !:
that the Democratic party at large In
order TO elect its President, must lend
Itself 10 the defeat OF the efforts at re
form in New York City, and obey the
behests Of the political brigade com.
posed Of the criminal classes, plug
uglies and riff-raff generally, which
rises into large and powerful proper
tions in the chief city Of the Nation.
Many will be inclined 10 scout the
proposition that body OF fifty thoussnt
voters, crowded into the space Of a fet,
square miles, holds the destinies, oi
rather all the chances OF success, of the
whole Democratic party in the Presi
dental election in is hands; but sucl
is the living fact, and the more 1t Il
looked into the more will It's truth ap
pear. II the Democratic party doe
not agree 10 permit this low-lived crew
to 90 on with its plundering it can no
elect its man. At times the more de
cent elements Of the New York Democ
racy have revolted at the degradation
of keeping such men in power, and sew
eral years ago they had Il grand reor
ganization which was indorsed b.
virtually all the party in the State
Tammany refused TO dsorganiz
and was left out in the cold. Blu
it stood as firm and fixed as Napo
Icons hollow squares in Egypt. /
might get nothing itself, but the regu
lar Democracy should get nothin,
either. II adhered 10 its policy, an,
the regular Democracy weakened an
fell. The same weapon which Kell
holds over the Democracy Of the State
he holds over the Democracy Of the Ma
ton. No general account, or plan @
action, can be made up without Kelly
And this Is the party which depend
mainly on the cry Of publication 1
high places for It's campaign material
There is a law Of compensation in pol
itics rs well as In other things, and thi
apparently unavoidable bargain wit
Tammany, though il may bring In I
the Democracy large number Of vote
in New York City, will probably er
large the Republican majority in othe