New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-11
INCIDENTS IN HARLEM.
HARD RrOwS FOR TIE DEMOCRACY-lTAl-
IANS LIKE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
REPUBLICANS ACTIVE.

ranks Of the Democracy. Al mec'lhs Vi ~, na,,
American Republican Organization Oh h'lloni, N''
Friday night at It's headquarters NO l'I' i"i'u' 80
Leonard Lavendol representing the manufacturing hrh'
:, r., !, ~ ~ Nos AZ to AZ West HOustonSt.,
" o,.ooA ,ba, although for thirty one years he had
-. o,,rc the straight Democratic ticket, he had been
comneIIed 10 come into the ranks OF the kepuDnoas
nm the ssne Of protection. Mr. Lavender s'lu an
40, q noutician although have been an ardent sup
nor,er Of the Democratic party all my lfe Vo'ed ioi
cleveland I'm 1854 simply because he was ile'o'r"'
ond renresented Democratic principles as theh sup
o.d In 1888 voted for him again, but with some
on account of his FrceTrade uteranceS bn'
in 1902 have been absolutely driven out OF the Demo-
cratic party far the PreNidentla contest Is oon
cerned by the FrceTrade plank inserted In lis pat
form and adopted at its recent convention at 'oaSo'
do not see how any American having the interest
of his country at heart can vote the Democrduo
ticket at this coming election when the leaders OF that
party have 70 openly announced their hostility 10
American interests. 1t IS not at all necessary iof INC
Republicans in this campaign to resort to ndlcuie OF
10 the distortion of facts, much on the SUD
lect except upon this vital point of protection 10
American labor and American Industry. you can
never ridicule Democrat into being Republican, ana
i can also say that you can never argue MN h'o
being q Republican by fmsy or unsubstantial argi-
mcnt But there are a great many Intelligent men IN
the Democratic party to-day who have han mlssiNlh6S
for some years on this question OF prOtecuon 10
American industry, and they are thinking ana thhh-
ing seriously too. and numbers Of them, without
openly ayowing it. have decided to support the Re
publican ticket have in my pocket here hSt
OF thirty-one Democrats, and life long Democrats III
that who are personally acquainted with me, ana
with whom 1 have everyday dealings In business
who have come TO the same determination III TINS
matter that have. They simply will not vote against
their own interests and say to some OF my Demo
cratic friends here tonight who are present In ths
land they are absolutely and unqualifedy voting to
take the bread out of their own mouths
Mr.. Lavendols address made profound impress
sion on all those who heard him. An immense
number of people WAS crowded into the hall, many
OF whom were his friends and were Democrats ana
had come to see If he really would renounce his NE
long allegiance to the Democratic party. When he
finished his remarks scarcely cheer was heard, and
INDEED marked silence was observed all through his
address, As he admitted when lie first spoke, lie Is
not an orator, but plain-spoken rd-headed man
OF business who spoke Of what he knew and brought
out in his plain, blunt business-hke way, without
any attempt at oIatorca adOrnmcnt, some SOLID
chunks OF political economy that evidently had great
weight with his hearers. Mr. Lavendol has not been
In active politics up to this time, but now at the age
Of ffty-six he has entered upon an earnest ana ei
fective canvass against Grover Cleveland for the
simple reason he said that his business interests
are menaced by the Free Trade attitude OF the Demo
cratic party and by the inimca utterances OF Grover
Cleveland which are aimed with the accuracy OF
death shaft at the heart of every American INDUSTRY
In the United States.
Although Mr. Lavendols change OF poltica! faith Is
perbars the latest and most demorallLng blow that
the Democrats in this part of the city have thus far
received at the hands of their former partisan friends,
it is by no the only one. In quiet way
Democrats have been coming into Republican clubs,
or sgnfyng their intention of supporting the Repuo
can nominees In nearly all the Republican organize
tons In Harlem. The movement might well be termed
q stampede Opposed 10 this encouraging state OF
affairs is the apathy and langor with which the
Democratic meetings have been conducted and at
tended Last week in one Assembly DISTRICT alone
three prominent Democratic clubs were wiped
ont of existence They are the West side Democratic
Club. which is pronounced by Democratic paper III
being "dead,; the Claremont Club and Mohican Club
1t is true that there is some sembance OF uniting
these clubs into new club TO De called the Pontiac
Int the bone and marrow OF the old clubs have re
VOTED against the attempt 10 make them Tamnany
organizations, and have withdrawn their support from
the Democratic clubs altogether. The West Side
Democratic Club was one Of the most influential and
prosperous organizations in the XXIld Assembly Dis
:rct. Ii had a handsome clubhouse at No. 80 West
Nmety-sixth Columbus-ave., dpd 4 provision
in its constitution prevented it from being Tammany
organization. Under-Sherif sexton. the Tammany
leader Of this district became member OF the club
md taking advantage of the absence from the city OF
large number OF the independent members OF the
club succeeded in putting through an amendment 10
the constitution by which the club permitted tC
engage dctvely in local politics. having accomplished
this purpose Mr. sexton and his friends had absolute
control OF the club although he made his headquar
ters at the CIaremont Club at No. 20 West one hun
dred- and fOurth-st, COlumDusavc., and seldom
visited the Of the West side Club The blight
Ing influence of the Tammany tiger, however, began
TO be felt on the West side Club and It resulted in
the Withdrawal Of most o. the who have been
supporting it; consequently that organization soon
ran heavily into debt On Thursday night The FOR
mallty Of winding up the affairs OF the club was gone
through, and Friday night the ClarcmoDt and Molcan
clubs were also wiped out OF existence. The new
club, TO be known as the Pontiac Club which has
been built upon the ruins OF these three Democratic
clubs is an out and out Tammany organization, and
Mr. sexton will be the undisputed boss OF the Demo
cratic organization in the XXlIId Assembly Dis
tJct.
The new clubhouse OF the Pontiac Club will be In
hundred and fourthst, near Columbusave., which
Is the old building OF the ClaremOnt Club That tho
Democratic clubs have improved their prospects by
this uniting is a matter oil considerable doubt. The
Pontiac Club by no means has the membership rep
resented in the three clubs that wiped out OF
existence TO make for 1t. The best elements
that went to make up these old clubs have refused e
enter the Pontiac Club, and will have nothing 10 Dc
with that organization The officers OF the new
Pontiac Club are: President George c. Coffin; first
Vce president, Isaac Fromme second yice-president
Joseph Leavy treasurer, Thomas j. Brady; fnancia
secretary Edward H. liawker, ir; corresponding sec
Rotary, Charles l.. Guy recording secretary. Edward
II. Warker directors, John b. sexton, Max ID. Stern
Thomas T.. Leeman, James J. Phelan, John Comedy
Edward II. Murphy, Thomas J. Brady, f. V. skinner
Joshua Gregg, John J. Smith, Joseph Jordan. b. L
Levy Bryan l.. Kennedy, David Ryan and Joseph A
Carberry.
Unusual efforts have been made to arouse interes
among the Italians living the east side OF the city
between Eighty fourth and One-hundredand-twenty
ffth-s In the issues OF the campaign. In the XXNlu
Assembly District alone over 100 Italians will shortly
take out naturalization papers and Will vote the Re
publican ticket representing the best Interests OF TN