New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-21
Td.N.MdNY DECOYS.

1t is not the thicl-a nd thin partisan news
papcr-thc advocate that can always be trusted
to support regular nominations, and that never
kicks in the traces or bolts the tcket-that rem
| ders such leader as Mr. Croker and such
party as Tammany the most useful service It's
| attitude and its influence are already discounted
before the nominations are made or the can
didates brought out The intelligent reader
knows what TO expect. and Is never disap-
| pontcI It's function is not To influence, by
| argument or appeal. the doubtful. wagering or
| indcpcndent voter but simply 10 cheer up and
encourage the faithful. distract attention from
real ISSUES OF importance. supply enthusiasm
and create diversion. Ii NAV exhibit great IN
ccnuity in discovering and pointing out weak
| points in the candidates or the course OF the
opposing party. may interest or am'ise by the
kccnncss Of its thrlists or the subilety OF us
satire and may sometimes even stir up the
aggards and rouse the apathctc by vigor OF
| STYLE and apparcnt carncstnrss Of manner but
| it makes no converts. brings In no recruits. II
soothes and comforts. encourages and inspires
the camp. but does not add numbers to the
army
The most useful servants OF Mr. Croker ana
most valuable allies of Tammany are the news
papers that make n great show OF independence
between elections by critcisine Cookers meth
obs with unsparlng severity and dcnounclng
| Tammany Hall without measure. The time Tor
doing this Is carefully chosen. 1t never hap
mons when II can do the slightest harm 10
| Croker. or interfere In the least degree with
the plans and purposes Of Tammany. Croker
mnnifcsts DO annoyance. and 1t all rolls OH
Tammany like water OF II duck But the
simple souls who constitute the following oil
such newspapers read the vigorous protests ami
sweeping dcnunciations and accept them ~
honest utteranccs sincere expressions Of virtu-
Gus Indignation and holy horror There *
usually n Pharisacal swaggcr about them, con
vcying the impression that the press gchcraiy
Of both parties Is in collision with Tamniahy
and conniving nj It's villanics. AMI that only the
sanity editors Of the sct-sylcd independent
newspapers have the spirit. the honesty ana IN"
courage to speak ont against them This goes
Oh until there comes time when that sort OF
talk would be to the purpose and might do
good There's an election in sight. Mr.. Croker
gets his Tammnny together and by methods
which have been condemned In these news
papers day after day puts candidates In nom
nation whom they have denounced daily us In
competent. dishonest and corrupt. Then what
happens? They just turn the ticket over with
glance at the names and say Well, this Is
much better than we expected. IL * not bad
ticket after all Indeed, take 1t I'LL In all. II Is
the best ticket In the field" IL isn't cnthusi-
astc support. to be- sure, but II answers. Ana
the simple souls who read that sort Of news
papcr and believe in II follow Mr.. Crokcr's
recruiting officer over into Mr.. Croker's camp.
This has been done so often during the Inst
few years that the trick X coming to be pretty
well understood The simple souls are getting
fewer The regularity with which Croker and
Tammany are held up to public cxccration all
summer and pronounced In the fall not so very
bad after all, has become monotonous and the
simple souls are getting tired Of II. The most
conspicuois instance Of this sort Of virtue that
begins the day after election to swaggcr and
assert itself. and tear passion to tattcrs in de-
nunciation Of the vancs and infamics Of Tam
many Hail. keeping il up till within IL few
weeks Of the next election. when II gradually
tapcrs off and falls into line with the Tam
many procession Is our ncighbor. 1.-The New
York Times" We presume there may he a
reason for 1t: that 1t Is all in the way Of bust
ness We have observed I'm our contemporary
however. during The last few days disposition
to preach to Republicans concerning their duty
as citizens and voters. And 1t occurs to us that
the preachment Is little out Of season. 1t
would fit in much better somewhere in the
eleven months when its virtue is staggering
and aggressive than In this one month when
it is dsintegrating aud fabby.