New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-09
WILL THEY KISS THE FOOT THAT KICKED
TUEM1

From the time the County Democracy was
organized under the auspices of Committee Of
One Hundred, appointed at a mass meeting of
indignant Democrats in December, 1880, it has
had apparently but one purpose in view and
that has been to compel Tammany Hall to di-
vide with it. 1t was born out of the disgust
which thousands Of Democrats felt at what they
considered the treachery Of Tammany in the
Presidential campaign of 1880. 1t was intend
ed to unite all the factions heretofore known
rs AntiTammany; and its early pronucia-
mentOes declared war TO the knife against that
corrupt, treacherous and deSpotic organization
They had a ringing sound, and seemed to be in
downright earnest. But it was just after cleo
ton. 1t was rather howl Of disappointment
from the dust of defeat than declaration of in
dependence or an earnest protest against wrong.
Some excellent speeches were made at the mass
meeting--which was called an uprising by the
persons who rose up in it-one in particular by
the Hon. Abram s. Hewitt, which contained a
great deal Of outSpoken truth which has been
often quoted since, but the fiery ardor of the
uprisers began presently to cool, and by the
time permanent organization was effected and
the machine got in working ORDER another cleo
ton being at hand, it occurred to them that, on
the whole, they had better fight for diyvy"
than a funeral SO they shook dice for first
choice of offices, and there has been no quarrel
since except over the division of official plumber.
Meantime there hae been much skipping back
and forth from one organiZat IN to tho other
by local statesmen who failing TO secure nom
nations from one hoped over to the other
where they were welcomed as returning prodi-
gals and nominated for the places they aspred
to. Some of the liyeliest skipping of this sort
it may be remarked, has been by candidates
for the Office of Dstrict-Attorney. The two
concerns have, as a rule, fought each other with
fairly good feeling and a perfect understanding.
The hippodrome has been going on for ten
years. Though they have seemed sometimes to
be pummeling each other, neither has been in
the least degree hurt in the fracas, but both
have come up smiling and divided the gate
money. But this year things are somewhat
changed. Tammany has grown tired Of diyid-
ing power and pundcr with an adversary that
has no earthly reason for being except to divide.
It has started out with the proposition that it
alone is the Democratic party. 1t has secured
the assent of tho party in the State to that
proposition. Now and hereafter tho County
Democracy has no standing in the party il is
unrecognized impotent Whatever Of spoils it
may get hereafter it will owe to Tammany's
charity and not to any claim upon the party.
The action of the State Convention has blotted
it out.
Now comes the question whether the County
Democracy, after having been kicked out of a
State Convention by Tammany-not because it
H.
might be some excuse for that-but simply that
Tammany might assert its own power and show
its contempt for the rival Observation-Disclosures
the County Democracy will not merely submit
it has already done that-but will help build
up Tammany power and rejoice in its own down
fall and disgrace. The career of the County
Democracy has not been signally glorious thus
far. 1t remains to be seen whether ii will