New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-13
SOMETHING To THINK or.

In the address To voters issued OF the eve or
the late election the Republican State Commit
zee said. speaking of the encouraging prospect
in this city and Brooklyn Heretofore the Ike
''publicans OF the interior have cOnplaincd-too
"oftcn iustly-that they were rendered apathctc
"bv the failure Of Republicans in Ncw-lork ana
"Brooklyn to do their duty Ii was not per-
haps Just then the time 10 say il. but II might
have been truthfully answered that the kepup-
leans Of the interior were not themselves en-
tirely bameless for the political conditions in
,hi, city and Brooklyn, under which there
seemed TO be- a failure on the part of Repub
Iicans to do their duty. The Republicans Of
these two cities have had To contend with the
most thoroughly organized and most powerful
political machines ever known. The invesIisa-
lions Of the last year have disclosed only III
par, the complcxity and extent of the vast Sys-
TEN of organized corruption ana crime which
the Tammany Democracy has established by
means Of which il has held its helpless victims
by the throat The appeal to motives Of self
intcras, among Republicans affects only the
small number who hold or hope for offices
Tammany on IN other hand. has had vast
body of adhercntS who. living upon the vices
and crimes the Weaknesses and follics Of snci-
ETY.. have not merely the motive of sclfincrc>i,
allegiance and fire their devotion. They never
wavcr: the need no argument: they vote W III
sinct 1t is an enormous forcc-if our friends
in the interior will rcicc. moment with which
Tammany starts off. lis inherent elements and
natural strength make il formidable. almost i'll
vincbe. without external aid or accrctionS from
the general drift. cur fight against il Is always
an uphill one ana is always against odds i'ul
a, 4 hui fp he
,rary Notwithstanding. that The Republicans Of
This town have ncycr by any failure in duty on
their part furnished the excuse for apathy 10
Republicans in the interior.
ON the other hind, if our Republican friends
in the interior will give little thought Ia the
subject and take the trouble 10 inquire INFO III"
history of legislation at Albany for several years
past: of the motives that inspired il. the means
hv which il WAS Effected, and ihc men who
directed IT, il MAJ perhaps appear 10 them that
the Republicans f this town havr 81 D." grounds
Of complainr aganst their party friends up III"
State They might appropriately ask themselves
if their own representative. AT Albany. who.
whenever the Republicans have controlled the
Legislature. have constituted The majority. in
deed. almost the entire strength Of The party.
and have consequently been responsible for
legislation relating 10 Ncw-York and Brook yn
If they have been III the habit Of consulting with
RcDubcalis of these TWO cities who are trusted
by their own parry. and 10y all good citizens.
! men whose devotion 10 principle * beyond qucs
| ton and whose motives are above SUSPICION or
| whether they have habtualy been governed by
| the Orders-not the advice. but the orders
| a sclfconsttutcd Boss whom the vast INA jority
Of Republicans in these cities and III" whole
State bclicv, to be governed by the lowest mo-
tives of sclf-intcrc-t and incapable Of rising
above the atmosphere Of intrigue and petty par
tisanship To the level Of high principle or broad
! policy If Il has been the habit OF Republicans
| i'm the Legislature from the interior Of the State
10 take their cue from sclf-cOnstitucd Boss
in this city who. withou, much rs residence
or vote here, assumes the responsibility Of lead
ership and against the protest Of ninetcnths Of
the party acts as its Spokesman. General Man
| ager and Receiver; if they have done this with
The full knowledge they could not help having
that this Boss was using his usurpcd prcroga-
tiyes TO deal dicker and trade with Tammany
rascals for the purpose Of obtaining offices for
| creatures Of his own. from the most vcnal and
corrupt elements Of the Republican party, TO the
intense disgust and Indignation of the vast ma
| iority: if this has been their habit, it may be
/
sideratioa in accounting for what Chairman
! Hackctt calls failure on the part Of NewYork
and Brooklyn Republicans 10 do their duty.
There could not be better time Than the
present for the sincere Republicans in the in
terror, who are earnestly and ardcntly in favor
Of measures for strengthening the party at this
end of the State. 10 consider this aspect of the
situation. The magnificent victory Of last week
! fI,rrui in thc
cIsc for ordinations or determinations; no oc-
casion to lay blame for failure in duty or apathy
upon any one. But it brings upon the incoming
| Legislature a greater responsibility than has de
vovcd upon any Of its predecessors. Rcpub-
| licans from the interior constitute the bulk Of
the majority. and theirs is consequently the
greater weight Of the responsibility. In the in
terest of good government and honest admins
,ratlon for the benefit Of all citizens Of all par
ties, they are expected to ovcrturn the present
dispensation by radical measures of municipal
reform That in itself will strengthen the Re
publican party in city and State. But strength
enng the party must be only incidental and not
by any means the sole purpose Of legislation.
Republlcanism can only be made permanently
strong and permanently useful as it affords the
best government and most upright adminisra-
ton for the whole people. When il desccnds
from that high plane TO mere partisanshp and
| the promotion Of partisan schemes and selfish
ambitions, 1t not only impars its usefulness but
undermines It's own strength. II the Repub-
lican majority in the Legislature is actuatcd. as
we sincerely believe ii is. by an earnest desire
to carry ont the wishes Of the Republicans and
the good citizens. who, acting with them rolled
up an unprecedented majority at this end Of the
State for the redemption OF the whole State