New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-15
WHAT ARE We GOING TO DO ABOUT IT! |

discuss all questions with seriousness and SIN
cerity, addressing itself to the enlightened
Judgment and reason of men rather than to their
prciudiccs or passions. Its readers are not Of
the sort that need to have their faded intellects
stimulated each morning with some unwhole-
some sensation or kcttle-drum- and-iiSh- horn
alarm. That business is left to the mountc-
banks who do il daily and find their profit
in il. But there are times when the pcrnlcouS
activity of the baSer element in politics, and
the aggreSSions of the criminal classes which
not only thrive under corrupt rule but AFRO
ganty and audacious V seize the fountains OF
Justice in the judiciary, and the sources OF
| power in the Legislature and Executive, seem
| TO call for something more than mere phlo-
sophie speculation or the ordinary processes
of dispassonatc debate. We believe that po-
litical affairs in this State have reached the
point of such serious danger, and that popular
Indifference to the situation Notwithstanding
some tokens of awakening, is still so great that
the note Of alarm should be sounded. Are
the citizens OF this town who pay taxes and
earn an honest living, and whose only in
terest in politics is in the maintenance of a
government that will give them protection in
the pursuit of their callingS and the defence
Albany? OF what has been going on there
for the last three months? OF what 1t means
for them and their children, for this city and
State, and very likely the whole country? DO
they know what sort of men are making laws
for them at Albany? And what sort of laws
they are making? How. with only an occa-
| sional jar i'll the machinery, which is quickly
| oiled OF a Jolt in the progress. soon over stead
ily relentlesSly. nmoved by public opinion and
unawed by popular clamor as they boast, these
| men are moving straight on toward their ultl-
mate end of so establishing themselves III
permanent control and so fortifying themselves
| in places of power that no outburst of popular
| indignation can affect no uprising reach, moth
! inc but revolution and blOodshed unSeat them?
| The seizure of the State Senate was bold
and audacious crime. IL was only steps the
| first one in the thoroughly organized conspiracy
which has been in process Of development for
the last three months, and is now al the point
of elimination. Ii alarmed some of the more
sensitive of those who had helped put the con-
spiratorS in power; but, unwilling 10 discredlt
their own work soon. they made no sign.
The promotion of the chief criminal 10 the
! bench OF our highest court startled them. Ii
was bad enough TO have TO remain silent over
the transaction by which their party came INTO
power; worse to be compelled TO defend 1t
but TO lift the man who should have stood III
the prisoners dock bodily to the bench of the
highest court was such an astounding exhibit
ton of contempt for common decency as could
not be passed over in silence They protested.
What followed? Jeers and laughter from the
Iibald crew at Albany, who, having agreed be-
| 60 nd
10 whom they owed their places, turned the
investigation of his crime into an occasion for
blackguardsm and abuse Of his accuscrS
What then? by false census they pre-
pared the way for gerry Wandering legislative
apportionment which is TO fasteI their hold
upon the Senate and Assembly free the Tam
many gang from all danger OF legislative in
reference insure them the official spOilS Of
all the State departments with corrupt control
| of all the cities and two nited states senators
Leaving no opportunity for gaining dishonest
advantage unused. they carved the State into
groteSque and hidcouS Congressional appor-
lionment with the sole purpose, as they openly
avoWed. of getting all they could out OF IT.
All these things are but successive steps in the
great conspiracy to bind this people hand and
foot The l." Iucllleberry'' and Speedway bills
which have aroused considerable opposition are
only the tidbits thrown out by Tammany TO
appease the appetite of its following. They
are the incidents of the conspiracy.
The Election Inspectors bill is intended TO
remove another and almost the last impeachment
in the way of the Tammany gang TO unOb-
structed control of the machinery of elections
in this city. 1t simply removes one watcher
from each ballot box, and leaves the TGmmany
gang in absolute unhndered, irresponsible
control of the casting Of the ballot and the
counting of the vote. 1t has no other meaning
no other purpose. 1t tightens the clutch OF
Tammany upon the throat of the citizen and
taxpayer. 1t ntrcnches the gang. And then
what follows? Why, whatever these fellows
please. Are they the sort Of men TO be trusted
with such enormous power, such vast response
bility? Read their proceedings at Albany :
Go look at them in the City Hall Witness
their subservience to the mandate OF one man.
and he private citizen whose only badge OF
authority is derived from his irresponsible posi-
ton of Tammany leader: their uncOncealcd
contempt for pablic opinion their browbeatng
insolence toward opponents the shameless bru-
tally of their behavior toward the most emf
ncnt citizens Of the State when they uttered
a respectful protest; the whole series OF III
famcs which they have perpctIatcd in the last
three months Are these the sort Of men i'll
whom To repoSc 80 great Il trust?
And must we recognize Richard Croker as the
uncrowncd King? Richard Croker, whose
word is law TO the whole gang? Is Richard
Croker to make and unmakc our laws at his
own sweet will? That, fellow-citizens, is what
,vo are Gaming to- And what are we going to
do about il?
Long LIVE THE KING!
1t has been suspected for a long time, but
now we know il. No citizen Of New York