New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-06
SOME SCORES TO BE SETTLED.

SOME SCORES TO BE SETTLED.
Election disappointments are not by any means
confined to the Republicans. Their disappolnt-
ment in this State was in the vote in the Interior
from which much was expected on account OF
the enthusiasm reported everywhere among he
publicans and in Brooklyn where they GER
tainly did not suppose the high spirited persons
who used bad language in the Saratoga Con-
yention because they could not have their own
way would rise up with enthusiasm and increase
by several hundred horsepower the machine that
had kicked and hammered them till they were
black and blue But the gentlemen who own
this town had their disappointments as well, and
in the quiet of their headquarters on Wednesday
they TOO discussed the questions concerning the
city vote, how it happened and who did it; and
it NAV be remarked that while Republicans pur-
sued their inquiries rather as matter OF curl
osity. with Mr.. Richard Croker and Mayor Grant
IL was matter of business. The gentlemen
who own this town are not actuated by any
motives of mere idle curiosity in considering
how it happened that they did not get the vote
they expected hele on their own stamping
ground When they set on foot the inquiry who
did it, it is easily understood that they mean
business Running this town is what they do
for living, and anything that threatens to dis
turb Their hold on power, as reduced majority
does is a matter requiring their serious conslt-
eratioE
Considerable interest accordingly attaches to
the views of Messrs. Croker and Grant on the
situation in this city. These views are expressed
by Mr.. Croker, who as usual speaks for both
in an interview published in Wednesdays
Sum- Mr.. Croker does not think that either
marty made much on the local issue which each
pressed to the front in the city. The Democrats,
be says, did not profit much by the Worlds
Fair argument, the people, to his surprise, not
seeming to care much about it. On the other
hand, the Republican cry against Tammany di-
rected attention to the honest and straightfcr-
ward methods of that organization and adver-
tised its fitness for power. What hurt the Dem
ocrats and cut down the majority for their State
ticket was what he calls the 9 treachery' OF the
County Democrats who, after having pledged
themselves to the ticket, fought against it from
the opening to the close Of the polls. Having
discovered the cause Mr.. Croker, with the I'M
erring instinct of Tammany Hall politician,
points out the remedy. "Th0se men, he says,
"who, while being in the service OF Demo-
cratic government, deliberately assal by under
handed methods the success of the Democratic
party should be punished" "The Sum-" by way
of explanatory note to this remark, says: =" Mr..
Croker did not care to mention names while the
smoke of battle was still towering over the city"
but it adds that he undoubtedly referred to ID.
Lowber Smith, Assistant Deputy Controller of
the Finance Department who has salary of
S4.25O a year, and "big Tom Costigan who
draws a salary of $4,000 a year as assistant
clerk of the Eighth District Civil Court. The
punishment, of course, is removal from office;
that being, under the limitations which tyran-
meal Republican Legislature have put upon the
men who own the town, the only penalty which
can be inflicted for voting against the Democratic
ticket Inadequate, to be sure, for so heinous
an offence, but such as it is, to be enforced.
Now it is not impossible that equally capable
persons may be found to fill the places from
which Messrs. Smith and CoStigan will presently
be bounced. So there is no danger of any pub
lie calamity resulting from the change, such as
might be feared were they to be replaced by
" satraps." But a great many persons" i'm
pertnent' persons, Mr.. Coudert would call them
=" backwoodsmen," according to that eminent
cosmopolte, Mr.. Roger q. Mills, of Texas-wll
be likely to inquire how, under the principles
of that Civil Service Reform which has been
so ably and consistently supported by the new
Tammany organ, 1.-THE New-Yorll Times" that
of which Mr.. Grover Cleveland, whos, renom-
nation, according to "The Evening Post" is a
logical sequence OF tho Tammany victory on
Tuesday is the prophet and apostle, and which
had its latest and most glorious vindication in
the election Of Roswell Flower-how under that
great reform, Messrs. Smith and Costigan can
consistently be bounced from office for not vot-
ing the Democratic ticket. They will say in
their impertinent,n "meddlesome" way that
this sort of thing does not look we'll in party
which upon the slightest suspicion that a post
master or customs inspector has been removed
on political grounds, rises up and howls itself
red in the face
At first blush it does look queer. But of
course it isn't. There would not be th, franl,
avowal If there we've anything unusual or in
consistent about it, The explanation of it NAV
possibly be found in Mr.. Croker's point of view.
The case is different from the removal of Fed
eral ofliceholders. For the Republican party
does not absolutely own the Federal Govern
ment. And Tammany Hall does own this town.
Postmasters and Custom House officers work for
the Government. and not for any party. Deputy