New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-13
ZEAL BROOKLYN REFOR ".

Thouchtful men DESTROYS of improving Inc
conditions of American politics have laid stress
for many years upon the necessity of purify
ing the primary sources of party power. Inc
New England town meeting in its original form
has been regarded as the best type OF demo
cratic government because it enabled ever!
citizen to bring his influence to bear directly
upon public opinion ESsayists on political re-
form have rung the changes upon this theme.
Pulpit moralists have denounced the indiifer-
cncc and apathy of lcthargic citizens, who nave
allowed the politicians to obtain complete con-
troll of party machinery. For thirty years crl'-
les of American institutions and rcforlncrs OF
every grade have declared that the pohtlcs OF
the country could never be purihed un'll the
great body of citizens should make it their bust
ness to attend primary meetings ana TO take
an active part in the election of delegates TO
nominating conventions.
A practical reform of this nature has been
wrought in Brooklyn this year by the Kcpup-
lican party. After the defeat of last Novcm-
Der the necessity for radical reorganization
of the party was recognized alike by political
managers and progressive RcpuDllcans. coih-
prchcnsivc scheme with the election district as
the unit was adopted and carried out Win III
immense deal of labor In consequence OF 'hls
reorganization the enrolled membership III
Kings County has been increased to 3o,ooo' ana
in the primary elections of the last week 26,ooo
Republicans have voted. The nominating con-
vontions under this new system now represent
the rank and file of the party more Directly
and adequately than they have ever done De-
fore Those conventions are armed WIN Il uc-
gree of authority which they have lacked III
former wears and which Democratic cohVch-
tions do not possess 1t has been most whole
some and useful political reform, conducted on
the very lines laid down by the preachers. cs-
sayists and moralists in their homilicS on Inc
dutics and responsibilities of citizenship.
Now that this work has been done, what Is
the attitude of censors and moralists toward
il: Anomalous rs it may SEEM IL Is one VI
Indifference and contempt The brooklyn
Eagle" when the reorganization was encc'cu
early in the year. commended 1t rs right III
principle and salutary in practice, ana auihi''cu
that party conventions would be rcndcrcu
by it more representative and party acuoh
strengthened and purified. But now mat I'LL
election is close at hand that journal assumes
,bot nothing whatever has been accomplished
nv reorganization. that the Republican party
& os much Of "a machine" as ever it was. and
that the City Convention is about TO nominate
"Jakey Worths man," subject to politicai
deal For weeks it has been attempting III 'iiis
WAY 10 discredt in advance the ACTON Oh tiih'
convention and 20 prejudice independent citl-
zens against the nominations 10 be made Some
If thc most active men in the Citizens Union
have blindly followed this cue. and have sought
70 Justify the nomination of third party can
didotc for Mayor by the plea that one machine
is ~ had rs the other. and that Jakcy Worth
has made a secret bargain with BOSS MIC
Lauchlin They do this apparently under the
impression that they are helping on good gov
eminent by cOndemnng scheme OF party TO-
organization which embodics a practical re-
form Of the first magnitude.
Now there ought TO be something like reason
and consistency in reform politics. There ought
also to be an approach to truth, justice anu
morality in political discussion. All inns 'aik
about a Republican machine in Brooklyn Is
simpIv n false gag Democracy over there Is
n machine with Mclaughlin as the chief engi-
ncer and owner The Republican party, WIN
its GAS centres of local influence, is not ma
chine in that sense 1t has no boss" NO man
can rim if. The leaders are jealous OF their
mower and do not recognize the supremacy OF
Mr.. Worth or any one else. The conventions
are representative bodies. such as are unknown
ON the Democratic side. "Jakcy Worths
man" exists only in the imagnations OF those
who in Mr.. Grcclcy's phrase, may want to help
on a good cause, but don't know how. 1hcrc
is less evidence Of his alleged deals y with
Mclaughlin than there is Of the " Bosss de-
pcndcncc upon The Eagles" cyncism ana
the vagaries Of Independent marplots in So
curing the reelection Of the discrcditcl and dis
craccd Body. What is wanted in Brooklyn is
more common sense and civic courage with
plaincr recognition Of the fact that the Rcpub-
lcan party has been purified in the primary
sources Of its power