New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-18
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
PREPARING FOR THE PRIMARIES To BE
HELD NEXT MONTH.

THE DEMOCRATIC MINORITY HorELESsLY IL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO ANNEXATIoN--
NOTES AND GOSSIP FROM THE FIELD
With the increased vote for Morton for Gov
ernor over that for Fassett three years ago there
Will be considerable increase I'm the Republican
representation in the County Committee In Brook
Ism next year. According To- the basis selected IN
the party reorganization last year the number Of
delegates representing the various ward committees
In the County Committee IL AT present lW While
the actual Increase viii not b. known until the
official count 81 the Is declared il Is computed
that there will be at least sixty-seven new mem
bers added to the body The system OF direct rep
rcsentation which prevailed in the nominating con
venons this fall has not yet been extended by the
Republicans to the governing body OF the party.
The experience In the past when there were over
/ 40 delegates. that IT Was not conducive to
orderly proceedings to have 50 large a body. and
little could be done TO expedite business. But In
the Democratic organization and reorganization last
winter the system OF direct representation was
adopted ami found to work satisfactorily. In both
the regular and the reform Democratic organza-
lions the ward associations or committees do not
exist and there are only the district associations
and the county committees. 1t Is probable that
an effort will be made 10 introduce the direct
representa- ton system IN the Republican County
Committee.
Primaries Will be- held early next month In the
I election
to the ward committees. which in turn will name
the delegates to the County Committee OF 1925.
This will be an entirely new body although many
Of the present members will doubtless be returned
! 10 It.
The question OF the man TO MI the presiding OIL
GERS chair will soon be an cngrossng one. When
the party reorganization effected In 1893 Will
lam j. Quilting who had been elected chairman OF
the old committee I'm the preceding January. was
retained al the head of tho new body. In the sue
ceeding election he chosen Sheriff. and with
his assumption Of political office he retired from
the head Of the committee. and was succeeded by
| BENJAMIN T. Blair. Mr. Blair had been active In
securing the reorganization OF the party and gave
much time to perfecting the system. which has
proved successful thus far. He found much TO do
In working out the details OF the plan OF district
representations and has sacrificed much time TO
the party benefit In the last year But he feels
rewarded for all his work by the success which
crowned his party at the polls Some time ago
! Mr. Blair made up his mind that he would not
seek reelection to the craftsmanship of the County
Committee. He has decided that he has earned a
period rest. and Will sail for Europe early next
month to he gone three or four months. He Will
| probably call "A special meeting OF the committee
before his departure. to fix the dates OF primaries
and conventions the date OF the regular meeting
! I'm December Will be too late for this purpose
! Among the names OF the men who are under
consideration for the post OF president OF the com
! mittee is Irving l.. Bragdon. former secretary Of
| the Brooklyn Young Republican club and an active
marty worker. The fact that he comes from the
same ward as Mr.. Blair will probably initiate
against him. Some OF the newer wards where big
Republican majoritcs rolled up. may seek the
| chairmanship T.. j. Kaltenbach. of the Twenty
eighth Ward would probably be an aspirant did
not John X Neal of that ward desire TO continue
| In the Office OF secretary.
The regular Democratic General Committee will
endcavor to gather some crumbs Of consolation In
the midst OF the ruin which has befallen the party
prospects at a meeting to be held in the Athencum,
In At.antic-ave, Wednesday evening. meet
| ing OF the Executive Committee Will be held to-
morrow evening to receive the report of the Cam
paign Committee and prepare "A report for the
General Committee. The party finds itself not
only In a minority In the election. and routed al
most wholly from office holding. but also n divided
minority with no hope OF union unless the old
machine surrenders to the reformers Meyer before
In the history OF the party In Kings County has
II been wholly out OF Office IL will be after
January L. The bestowal of patronage, which kept
the camp Followers at the beck and call OF the
with IL the coherent power which made the party
army instead OF mob. The reorganization
last year was by no means as effectively carried
out as the In 1852. when by apparent surrender
TO the reform forces the machine secured new
| terms OF office and more uncontrolled power than
| ever before The Shepard Democrats have already
taken stock since the election and. although they