The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-12
The Committee Of seventy-five.

After an impressive but profitless and I'M
necessary delay, the Clerical Citizens Com
mittee Of Seventy-flve, which Mr.. WHEELER
II. PECKHAM was empowered to appoint, has
made its appearance. The movement thus
formally inaugurated may be said to start its
existence with blunder at the outset. Its
members are not chosen from districts near
ly all Of them represent single and small
minority element OF the population; and in
the composition OF the committee there is no
pretence of representative character, or OF
powers delegated by the voters. Each men,
Der stands for his own vote and his own
views. solely and exclusively. That is the
augurated which are destined to die young
and unregretted.
Viewed with reference to its Individual
parts, the committee OF seventy-tiye gentle
men appointed by Mr.. PEoKHAM to repre-
sent themselves and each other, may, &C.
cording to the formula In use among ana
lytical chemists, be fairly divided as follows:
Lawyers without political following. .......... $500
Labor AgtatorB without political tollowinR. 1900
Sporadic reformers, without political following 6.7o
Perpetual reformerS no political following. 2o30
Men OF Affairs, who desire to keep out OF PoliticS
and will continue to keeT I. by continuing
members of the PECKHAM Committee .......... 500
Adheronts of W MALACHI IyNs. ...............N None
CORNELIUS JATHAwK FLANINGo DooDT............ COL
Citizens OF political influence. None
Henry GeorRes trace
Miscellaneous voters "a
100
The undertaking upon which this Commit
tee Of Seventy-iive has embarked would be
difficult under the most favorable cir5um-
attn hif 10 bat
those gentlemen who stand for anything
represent discredited and rejected plans
and policies, crank notions, minority views,
and day-dream politics, 1t will be seen that
the Windsor Hotel movement Is without
cohesion, and that at the first manifestation
of Indifference or neglect, or the first dis
agreement within its ranks, it will
fall to pieces. Mr.. WHEELER II. PECK
HAM, who is at the head OF It, Is q gentle
man who has contrived with singular sue
cess to be upon the wrong side Of nearly
every public question OF popular bearing.
AS long ago as 1887, he was at the
head of the movement for a property
qualification for voters. 1t was to him that
the Hon. JAMES FITZGERALD, now Judge of
tho Court of General Sessions addressed
on Nov. l OF that year the letter which
first brought its writer into prom
inence as leader Of Democrats. Mr.,
PECKHAA was then member ola Committee
OF Fifty at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. That
committee was In favor OF restricting tho
franchise TO those who owned real estate,
or who paid specified rent of more than
$40 q month. Tho committee sent out
circulars. One OF these was sent to Mr..
FITZGERALD, then a candidate for the
Assembly, and this Was his answer:
"In reply to the circular of your Committee of Fifty
desire to say that unGlterably opposed to any
property qualification and Will II elected devote my
best efforts TO its defeat regard the proposed abridge
msnt of tho suffrage dangerous for II adopted II
would establish the precedent for other restrictions"
The Committee OF Fifty opposed the cleo