New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-01

Tammany is desperate. i his Is apparent 10
the dulest observer of the present political
situation. No better evidence OF the fact IS
needed than the issues that have been raised
within the last few days by the organs OF the
Wigwam. Tammany certainly must be In a
terrible plight when it falls back upon It's
record in the Worlds Fair, for it is difficult
to conceive that any citizen of NewYOrk out
side of Bloomingdale will be deceived for a
moment by the absurd arguments advanced by
the advocates of Mayor Grants reelection, to
prove that Tammany was not responsible for
the failure of this great enterprise. The briei-
est retrospect is all that is necessary to show
that it was to blame, and that the course
of Mr. Platt, who is charged with being the
destroyer of the Fair and the Republican
Senate throughout the controversy, was en-
tirely cOmmendable.
Everybody knows that Mr.. Platt was heartily
in favor of the Fair at the beginning For the
first time in fourteen years he appeared upon
the floor of Republican State Convention to
advocate the proposition OF holding the Falr'
offering resolution committing the party to
the great enterprise. This resolution, the hrst
adopted by any political convention, was car
ried unanimously, and will be found as part OF
the platform of the Republican State Conven-
ton held at Saratoga, September 20, 1887.
He supplemented this effort with contribution
Of 81 {, 900, and i'll every way within his power
sought to cooperate in carrying the Fair idea
to a successful issue. lie continued to do so
until the appointment by the Tammany Mayor
of committees to have charge of the work.
Then he found that four-ffths of the General
of
incorporators only two-fifths were Republicans,
while among the Executive COMMITTEE u
whom was intrusted the immediate direction
of everything, there were only nine Repub-
leans.
The Democratic membership of this com
mittee included the present chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee, Calvin >.
Brice: former chairman OF the Democratic
National Committee, \ BRAN ;. Hewitt; the &C
knowcdged autccrat OF Tammany Hall, Rich
ard Croker the late Democratic Secretary OF
the Navy, William G. Whitney; the Tammany
Recorder, Frederick NJ. Smyth; the general
counsel of Tammany, John VI. Bowers :; the
late Democratic State Engineer, John Bogart;
the Democratic Controller OF Newly Ork, Theo-
dore w. Myers: the treasurer OF the Newly Ork
State Democratic Committee, Edward Cooper;
the proprietor of Iammany's favOrte hotel,
f.. L. Merriiield Tammanys representative in
the New OIk Board of Aldermen, Walton
Storm: and the late newspaper representative
of Tammany at Albany, William McAlsrtle
Speer, the secretary of all the committees.
The chairman of this and other important COM
miltees was the Tammany Mayor, Hugh j.
Grant The advisory member of the committee
was the Democratic Governor Of this state,
David Is. Hill. In other words, the whole
affair, involving the expenditure of millions
of dollars, had been put into the hands of the
Democratic party-had been made in fact,
mere annex to Iammany Hail.
There was only one course for the Repub-
lican Legislature, having any regard for party
featy and honest craftsmanship, TO pursue.
1t was bound to insist upon the Fair being
taken out of politics and put upon non
partisan bass. Tammany refused to do this,
showing plainly what It's purpose was. a
deadlock cnsucd. This continued until COM
promise was suggested, involving the non
partisan principle, that is. requiring a two
thirds vote instead of majority of the EX-
ecutve Committee to be necessary in all action
that might be taken. Mr.. Plat accepted the
that he was perfectly SINCERE in wanting the
Fair on a partisan basis. This was made
so clear that the mass meeting called at Cooper
Union to dcnounce his course broke up i'll
cheers for him. When the Fair was finally
given to Chicago ii was done by the combined
efforts OF the West and the Northwest, sup
piemented by the assistance of the Southern
members of Congress. Of eightyni South
ern members only thirteen voted for New
York, a fact illustrating the value of the state
ment that the Fair was lost to New-York
through Republican influence.
This is plain, unbiased statement of the
affair as every weil-nformcd citizen knows
and no effort on the part of the frenzied or
CANS of Tammany Hall will deceive anybody
in the matter. The Fair went to Chicago be-
cause Tammdny Hall tried to make it a vast
political machine That is all there is about it,