The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-10
Republican Fancies and Democratic
Facts,

The thirty-day limit allowed by the Con-
stitution for Executive consideration of
bills passed by the Legislature will soon
expire. and Governor FLOWER is keeping
the rust from his stub pen bya diligent dis
charge OF the official duties devolving upon
him.. Some bills he vetoes, giving his
reason in every case; SOM he signs:
all he examines with great care before de-
termining what to do with them; a few. no
doubt. will be lying on his desk as the hands
OF the clock in the Governors Room record
the close OF the period when his assent is
valid and binding.
The work Of the Democratic Legislature
has been satisfactory to the voters. The
work OF the Democratic Governor is prov
ing satisfactory. too: but. Notwithstanding
that. and Notwithstanding the multiplying
evidences Of popular approval. we observe
that some OF our Republican friends insist
upon having their annual political wolf
hunt. Past failures do not deter them: the
taxpayers must be saved from the r%avenous
Democracy: and in a general uprising of
public CONSERVATION and alarm. the De-
mocracv must be turned out and the Re-
publicans bs permitted to resume charge OF
the Empire State.
Our Republican friends have been en-
gagged unsucces sfully in this false wolf cry
for some years. In 1891. when the present
Democratic Governor and State officers
and a Democratic Legislature were chosen.
the Republicans in their State Convention
put forth this declaration:
"Appealis taken to the people of the State to re.
deem ITS Government from the discredit Brought upon
1t by Democratic malndlninis'raiion the result Of a
personal despotism in tho Executive office. which has
tolerated and fostered corruption and debauchery in
the state departments, pros ituted the canals, state
prisons, and public institutions. and ali avenues of leg.
isiation. to the ambition Of an audacious and selfish
Executive"
How little heed the voters OF the State
gave to such outcries was shown by the
overwhelming success of the Democrats mt
the polls. Since then, rs before, the attitude
OF the New York Republicans has been the
same: n Wholesale denunciation of every
thing Democratic. They denounce the roe
ORD OF successive Democratic Legislatures.
the acts OF popularity approved Democratic
officials. the public measures demanded by
the people. and carried through by Demo-
cratic votes In New York or Albany: they
become unduly exercised over what their
orators describe as the "monstrous enor-
mites of Democratic naladministration"
How little do such foolish assertions and
fcverish cries accord with tho facts known
to the voters!
The average tax rate. as fixed by six sue
cessive Republican Legislatures, was al,
The average tax rate fixed by Democratic
Legislatures since 1890 has been 1.s6. a
material reduction. The affairs of the State
were never better administered the bur-
den OF taxation was less under the first of
the recent Democratic Legislatures than
for thirty-six years previous. The State
finances are in a flourishing condition. The
various public departments are capably
managed. Indeed. the recent political his
tory OF New York might be condensed into
n few paragraphs with the appropriate
heading: What the Democrats did. and
the Republicans failed TO do"
A new a~pportionment was imperatively
demanded: the Republicans evaded it. the
Democrats reformed the task.
Constitutional Convention was ordered
by the people: the Republicans ignored the
demand. the Democrats complied with 1t.
The liquor laws required amendment:
the Republicans. when in power in New
York. did nothing to abate the evils Incl
dent to obsolete or impracticable regula-
tons; the democrats faithfully kept their