Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-09
WHlTNEY'S PLEA FOR HILL
he Says It is No Time for Democrats to
Fall Out.
He Doesn't Believe in Changing One
Machine for AnOther-The Chance
to Down Tammany.

| last night for publication Mr.. William c.
| Whitneys letter to Mr.. Hinckey declining
| the latters invitation that Mr.. Whitney
| act as chairman as a member Of the
| democratic Campaign committee. The letter
| Is dated October q, from Ruslyn, L. 1. Upon
| receiving Mr.. Whitney's refusal Mr.. Hinck-
ley appointed John Boyd Thacher chairman
| of the committee. Mr.. Hinckley said that
he desired to say nothing about the letter.
| which is as follows:
| MIR. Whltncy's Letter.
| ROSLYN, L. l., October g. 1894.
Hon. J. w. Hinckley. chairman Of the
| state democratic committees:
| Dear Mr.. Hinckley: 1 have thought
| over your request that assume the chair
manship or accept membership Of the cam
paign committee. and l cannot reverse the
| decision. which 1 expressed to you verbally
| that cannot accept either position. 1 wish.
| however. to assure you that this decision
| does not arise from any indisposition to
| assist In the campaign. l refused a similar
position in the national campaign two years
| ago, although, as you know, / did not on
| that account refrain from doing what l
could to help the ticket l desire to remain
| in the ranks.
II am quite free to admit that If ever /
| felt inclined to break over the rule 1 have
| made for myself it Is now. / do not wish
| to be misunderstood. and as / have been
| VII OlHei OCcdSlOiS opposed 10 Governor
| Hill l wish to express myself emphatically
| as feeling deep interest in the success
| OF the democratic nominees and desiring
| to give hearty and unqualified support
| of their candidacy.
| should Sink Differences.
ut seems to me that there has never been
| time when democrats ought to sink per-
| sonal differences aid stand together for
! the principles ard perpetuity of their party
! as now. In 1892 the democratic party was
| intrustel with all branches of the national
government for the first time in thirty
| years. Ii Was not an accidental victory,
| but upon principles. and for a great ma
| tons purpose. This is the first election
| taking place since The party has made a
permanent record Of it's national policy in
| tne ieS1Slatlon OF the present Congress.
| little reflection must show that the general
| purposes or the party as a national party
are at this very time having their greatest
| test before the people. L might criticise as
| TO details. as many do, the manner in
which the party has, during the last year,
discharged the trusts committed TO 1t, but
| at this moment differences among demo-
| Gratis are not being fought out; it is against
the republican party, our common enemy,
| that we are drawn up. While democrats
are making faces at each other MCKINLEY
| Is being preached on the stump and in
the press, and the verdict of the elections
| VIII be assumed to have been handed in
| upon this great national issue. Nothing
| that democrats can do will prevent this
| Thls state Is the Keystone of the entire polit-
| icai situation. Defeat here will mean dis
| couraSement for democrats and encourage
| mSnt Tor republicans throughout the coun-
| try.
| Dissatisfied Democrats.
| 1t is useless. Of course. to disguise the
| 1act that there Is a good deal of dissaIis-
| faction In the party ranks 1t is to be
| said, however, that this is generally true
of the democratic party, and that very
| fact Is one of the chief sources of it's
strength Nor would many, 1 apprehend.
deny that there is at the present time some
excuse for this dissatisfaction. The man
| agcment of our state organization is felt by
| very many to have been narrow and ar
| bitrary. j cannot quarrel with any one
for this feeling, and have myself antago-
| niZed on many important occasions this pol
| Icy and assisted candidates in opposition
| to the party orSaniza ton.
| But this is a partisan fight-a struggle
for party supremacy. The lines were never
| more closely drawn. If the manag ement of
| the democracy Is narrow, do not see that
| the republican machine Is any the less so;
! and II ever republican victory would be a
| machine victory, 1t Is now. IL the more
| liberal republicans had shown a disposition
| to cooperate on a non partisan basis with
| the anti-machine democrats, the situation
might be different. But they have done
| actly the reverse. Instead of rising above
| prejudice In an honest endeavo to perform
the work Of good citizenship, they have
given their undivided attention to the task
| cratic dissensions.
The Fight on Tammany.
For example-it is rot to ba Questioned
| that a large body of our citizens are dis
| satisfied with the conduct of ou- local at
fairs by Tammany Hall. They are good
citizens. and they have earnestly desired to
sink party differences and unite in a nom
partisan movement for a broader treatment
Of our municipal affairs. What has been
the attitude of the republicans regarding
| this situation? Have they been willing to
| disregard party lines in the settlement of
| local issues? If they mad, and in good faith
| they would have said: This city has nearly
two democratic voters to each republican.
| and on reasonable basis of co operation
In the interest Of good citizenship should
! have a democrat for nayor; our right is to
see that he is good man. But no. they
| want to defeat Tammany Hall, of course,
but only on condition that heir machine
shall take the place Of the Tammany ma
| Chinese they demand that .hc great body
| of democrats. through whose votes alone
| form can be achieved, shall cast their bal
| lots for a republican, the choice Of a ropub-
| lican machine, and a man who, II elected,
could be depended Upon o place the patron
| age of his office at the disposal of the re-
| Is this the unselfsh work of patriotic men
| who place the general welfare above the
success of an organization and the greed
| of political plumber? Is 1t anything else
| than a determine ton TO make party gain
through democratic dissensions?
The Constitutional Convention.
another illustration Of the extreme par
| tisanship Of the republican majority is seen
| in the work of the constitutional conven-
| ton. This temporary wave of democratic
| dissension is to be utilized by them to fix
upon this state an apportionment which will
| permanently transfer the state legislative
| power to the republicans For ten years 1t
| Is not to be changed. AS the republican
| machine controls absolutely the republican
| party in the state. II enacts a practical
| transfer of the state legislative functions to
| this machine.
] IF, in the presence of enemy with
| such singleness of purpose as the repub-
| licans display we deem this the Occa sion to
| crafty personal animosities and work out
our antagonsms, republican supremacy
| everywhere will certainly ensue. There are
persons, know, who are inclined to oppose
| Governor Hill on the theory that this CAM
| paign will have an important bearing upon
| the candidacy Of the party two years hence.
| / wish to suggest to such that 1896 may be
| safely left to take care Of itself; 1892 did,
| and 1896 will. Neither Governor Hill nor
| any one else will be able to secure two
| thirds of the vote in the next national con-