The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-10
FAL Sc LEADERSHIP,

FALSE LEADER SHIP.
In the letter in which Congressman
Duuphy announced his resignation from
Tammany hall, occur sentiments
which, in view of the Trojan outrage,
sppear almost prophetic. For example,
witness this "Our efforts to prevent
our political enemies from interfering
with honest elections should be as great
and as earnest in our own political
household and thu ballot should be
guarded from all danger OF every
kind. We must not neglect 10 insist
on it that the man in our ranks who
arranges or encourages colonization,
false registration, illegal voting. or
false returns. or who. having the re
sponsible position of leader. purposely
closes his eyes while such practices are
going on and atterwsrd crowds honors
on the eyil.doers, shall be notified in
no uncertain tone that there Is no place
for him in our party. Otherwise we
travel under false colors and our fell
low citizens, with truthfulnsss, will
charge us with want of honest purpose.
1t is only a small handful OF men who
favor corrupt elections and these are
men who have no real love Of country,
who have never appreciated the value
of citizenship, who look upon the sa-
cred right of suffrage only as some
thing to be bartered and sold. and who
imagine they see in such shameful
traffic either an easy way to political
importance and prefsrmsnt or q Ger
tain way to psrpatuate their power. "
No one who knows anything about
the inner workings of Tammany poll
tics, whether pra:ticed Immediately in
New York city or initiated in Buffalo
Albany or Troy oy the facils copyists
of Tammany methods. will seriously
maintain that the moral responsi bility
of such men as Croker ard Murphy
ends simply at ''purposely closing their
eyes" while ballot stufIing and electoral
outrages are going on Their partici.
patton in crimes against the suffrage is
more than negative; it is Extensively
aud aggressively positive. Their sins
are sins not Of omission, but Of COM
mission. They actively plot the
schemes which their hsnchmen carry
into obnoxious execution; an1 il they
are, in ths' majority OF cases, too cun-
ming to take personal part in the dirty
work that carries with it serious risks
of public exposure and condemnation.
they are none too scrupulous to enjoy
to the full limit the profits Of such ras-
cality and to make it the capital Of
their political barters and sales.
No self respecting Democrat can af-
ford to appear in the role of apologist
for the Crokers and the Murphys of
the Democratic party. for the simple
reason that, to leave all considerations
of morality out of the question, thes q
meu are the worst foes the Dsm
ocrscy can possibly have. A political
organization can fight fair and honest
opposing organization with a conf
dence born of its known numbers
strategy, discipline and strength. But
no party can rest secure while the high
places within its own ranks are filed
by uncomfortable mercsnaries, as ready
TO drive the dagger home into the backs
of the rank and file, should that course
suit their selfish purposes, as to plnnge
il, in open and crsditable struggle with
the common political enemy. From
the very nature Of things, a leadership
that is builded on intrigue, crime and
hagrant branch Of trust cannot cohere
1t ia inevitable that it shall some time
crum5ls and disintegrate, through
cheer force of intrinsic corruptness.
Foolish is the party that jeoparis is
cause BY reliance upon such sand-boun1
captains.