New-York tribune., 1890-08-05
rur DrJy OF WATTTNG.


I'm an address 10 the voters o! Newly or',
CITY. printed elsewhere in TIE TRIBUNE this
morning. the Committee on Municipal Eiec-
t,ons Of the Republican Club states clearly and
Torcibly the arguments in favor OF a straight
Republican ticket this fall. strong as many
Of these are. we must say frankly that the time
ha. not yet come, III our judgment FOR coUi-
mtting the party definitely 10 this or any OthcT
poiicy There i evidently splendid opp0f-
tunity Just now for the dchVcrancc ot New
York from the clutches of Iamm1ny Hall, ana
we have plainly expressed ON. opinion thai
nothing is gained for municipal ro!oIm hy The
mere substitution IN power OF one DcmocId'Ic
faction for another. An organ oi the County
Democracy the other day cndcaycfed 10 rciut"
this by pointing ont that many Of IL" appoint
menr, made hy Mayor Grace and Mayor Hewitt
wcrt excellent. There il some truth in this
statement. and just far as 1t Is true II IS an
Argument why the Republican panty should
never aid in clcc.ine Democrat 10 the Mayor
alty. If the efforts of Mayor Grao" and Mayor
Hewitt T. give the dty good government ana
70 deliver it from the saloon, and the rotten
political LosSc, represent thc bcS' t'ai can j..
done Nv good Democrats, 1t follows that the
difference hctN"cN 4 bad Democrats wor''
and good Democrats best Is too slight o.
Justify Republican, in abandoning their panty
and Tho possibility i, aiioId, them oi lca. aHd
permanent reform.
II j, Of small practical vauc to thn city e.
aipoiit a few respectable persons ~ the hc1dN
OF SOHO departments il that Is the beginning
and end OF a Mayors good achievements.
The same Old County Democracy gang who
ran the Department Of Public Nos> under
Hubert q. Thompson ran Ii aie) under Ncntra4
Newton. The same cDirupt wad-Worhcis
whom Nr Graco and Mr. Hewitt found in
Office were left there when they retired or ii
any changes were mado, they "crc mcie
changes ia idcutity. not in chaIaotor Taking
note Of every good thing waich may be credit
ed 10 these Mayors, II i, still Just {, say that
they failed utterly 10 establish decent city
government. The boss, bos-cd almost as
effectively under their administration ~ they
DO now under Grants. 1IIE 1RiEr NJ would
he opposed. therefore, 70 any union this fall
which merely meant the defeat of ono Demo
cratic faction and tho fail Of one set OF corrupt
uoliticiars and The IiSe Of another faction and
another .et oi politicians. II could not approve
Of any plan by which The Republican paiis
vas 10 he used solely to promote the interests
Of ambitious Democratic trckStcrs. Indeed II
we are bound 20 be ruled by hlaclgIards the
viIcr they are the better, perhaps Thea. ii
ma be hoped, the people will come 70 their
senses and will soc that the only way they can
escape another Tweed Ring is by cl'c'ing hon
est and honorable men who arc not under obli-
rations 10 the halls and the clnmiS.
But it has not yet appeared that the only
possible union this fall is one that involves the
sacrifice OF public interests and party pnn-
ciplcs The campaign Is still a long way of.
The conditions under which it will be fought
are still doubtful. The wise and prudent pol
ICY for Republicans is one OF watching and
waiting We should not commit ourselves IL
ANYTHING unrcservcdly. We should see how
| the situation shapes itself. When the time TO
az. is at hand il il probable that much greater
light will be thrown on the duty of the party
! than i, now available.