New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-06
MON M'GAUCHLINS OPPORTUNITY.

Nurphy's election now seems to bo assured
Unless something unexpected happens within
the next fow days il is practically certain that
he will be chosen 70 succeed Senator lllScEk.
Tho practical basis Of successful opposition 10
his canvass is in tho Kings County delegation,
but apparently the autocrat Of that contln-
cent. Mr.. Hugh Mclaughlin Is as reluctant
now 70 cross swords with Mr.. Croker as he
was when he allowed Tammany 10 take the
Bridge patronage or when he suffered Chaplin.
his pet candidate for Governor and man who
marred a promising public career in the in
tercss of the Brooklyn Ring, to be ienomini
ously thrust aside for Flower, the NigWam
nominee. Then, rs now, Mclaughlin reused
public expectation somewhat by INDUCING in
mysterious threats, but nothing came of them
except an increased Democratic majority IN
KINGS County Indeed, these majoritcs APP
pear to be in direct ratio to the severity Of
the treatment accorded the Boss the worse he
is used hy Tammany, the moro patronage is
wrcsted from him, the more contemporary
his aspirants for State Office are dealt with, the
harder he works for the ticket. Mr.. Croker
and Mr. Murphy probably understand this
REGULARITY Of the brooklyn leader certainly
they act as though they did, for they pay no
attention 10 tho expoStuations of his news
paper organs or tho warning words Of his
hcnchmcn.
As a matter of fact, the popular impression
that Mclaughlin is a fighter needs revision.
He is not, and never was, save when the odds
were overwhelmingly on his side. lie was al
WAYS ready 20 bow before the storm, even
Il. .lc,i Il ;r+,,
ance, and few men in politics lIneel with great
or alacrity before a stronger antagonist. II is
hardly Just, perhaps. 10 say that no is timid,
but it is entirely in accordance with the known
facts Of his career to speak OF him as deficient
in those qualities of courage, bOldness and
faith in the people that make mp leader OF
tho first order. Did Mclaughlin possess these
qualities h. would certainly not hesitate now
TO cast in his lot with tho Presidcnt-ecc and
fight the Hill Murphy combination,
which has boon invariably arraycd against him
and his interests whenever they have inter
fcred in the slightest with the demands Of Tam
many Hall. Not ono OF the leaders now in
arms against Cleveland is McLaughlin's friend.
Shcehan is not. Flower is not. Hill promised
10 support Chaplin but refused TO keep his
word, while Murphy himself has never failed
70 consider Tammanys requests right or
wrong. above any interests of the Brooklyn
machine Why, then, should Mclaughlin hcsi-
tate to csp0uSe the cause Of the President
elect? lie might not bc successful in opposing
Murphy, but whether he won or lost he would
have the first place of honor in the State with
the coming Administration, and would GER
tainIy be at the head OF the new Democratic
organization that must inevitably be created
by the action Of Mr. Cleveland in donouncing
Murphy's candidacy. In no county in tho State
has Mr.. Cleveland more friends, propOrtionate-
y, than he has among the Democrats Of Kings,
where Mclaughlin was never more strongly
ntrenched 1t is difficult, therefore, to SEQ
what he has to fear from the enemies of the
incoming President, except unfriendiy legisa-
ton at Albany, which he can easily guard
against. 1t is equally difficult to see what he
has to gain by refusing to come to Clcveland's
aid at this time He has a golden opportunity
10 become tho Democratic leader of the State,
and if he fails to embrace it his failure can
only be attributed to n lack of foresight or
constitutional lack Of courage.
With Mclaughlin in line, Murphy, Of course,
can well afford to snap his fingers at such
light wasted opponents rs Senator McCleland
who. notwithstanding his humiliating expert
encc last session. still labos under the strange