New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-13
ENCOTR AGEMENT IND U1RNING.

1t will not be disputed by any citizen at all
| observant Of passing events and the trend OF
public opinion that the overshadowing issue OF
the present political campaign in the mhuS oi
the vast ma iority Of voters in the city and coun-
| tv of New-York Is the demand for a radical ana
sweeping Reform in all departments of the
municipal government. We do not say REFORMS
| in the plural number with a lower case r
for that might mean discrimination as to de-
grccs of dcpravity and varying methods OF deal
| ing with them. What we mean. ana what 'he
neople want. is Reform in the singular number
with a capital II; Il Reform that shall turn 'ils
fostering hive of municipal corruption bottom
side up. and clean ont every vestge OF the S!s-
fem under which for So many years law and
order and decency have been trampied Under
foot while crime has stalkcd unpublished and
criminals of every grade have been hoDhoopihs
with corrupt Judges while dividing the plumber
taken from the citizen with the policeman WHOM
the citizen paws to protect him. The people have
been aroused by the LexOw exposures To COLI
sciousuess that they are living under the rule Of
the swindler eXtoriOner blacklnaller anu Iop
her. and that the very machinery Of law and jus
tce which has been set up for their protection
has been made the most potent fundamentally
hot about it. They make all other ISSUES. Ma
tonal or State subordinate tc ms; Tor 'hls
comes directly home to them. 1t presents itself
in the flh-laden streets that threaten health :
In the protected dcns Of vice that menace pri-
vate and public morals; IN the staggering POI
| lcemap. swinging his billy with brutal malig-
nty. or opening behind him the greedy palm
| ~ the blackmailer: in the ribald jest with which
| the ignorant bully in the seat or the magistrate
dedlcs the bench and makes travesy Of jus
tice; in short, in the spectacle OF besot'eh X
norance and utter depriviiy on view III ever!
| department of this great city
They mean 10 make an end Of it. There -
| no installing their purpose There Is great Ell
couragemcnt for the friends of good govern
mcnt and honest administration III the present
outlook. In whatever direction We turn ii is
manifest that the rOgues are Oh tie run ih's
hear the hue and cry behind them and under
stand its purport. The thieves who stole the
State three years ago and the thieves who have
| subSisted for years on municipal plumber are
| all in the same boat And the people are ny III
| arms against them IS never before III me
J Stat. ~. NAV be sure that the cause of Reform
will be advanced by the election OF the R'pub
| Iicau candidates for Governor and Lieutenant
| IL
| sembly There will then bc 10 obstacle 10 the
passage Of greatly needed legislation relating To
| municipal administration. With the retirement
| OF the present Tammany Governor the last CD
| struction will b. removed. An Incidental ad
| vantage 10 the cause, which Is not 10 De I'LL
| dcryalued, Will be the disappearance from TIE
| chair Of the Senate Of Licutenant-Governot
! Sheehan, who last year created some disturbance
| by erecting himself into coordinate branch oil
| the State government with veto power OF ms
own. Meantime present indications point win
almost absolute certainty 10 the election of q
| Mayor in this city in whose hands not only
| will affairs be honestly administered but every
| measure of reform possible III existing cond
| tons or 10 be made possible by legislation al
| Albany, will be- carried out with ihorOughness
| and determination and practical business skill
| All these things are full Of encouragement fol
the advocates Of radical reform in the govern
| mcnt Of this rogneriddcn town.
| But In the midst Of these hopeful conditions
II must not be lost sight Of that Republican sue
cess will lay upon the party the burden Of very
| great responsibilities. They should be contcm
| plated with seriousness rather than with ella
ton. Chief Of these is the responsibility fol
| wise and farseeing legislation nj Albany, which
| shall not only take this city ont or the nahd'
| of the Tammany plundcrcrs. but put il beyond
| their reach for long time TO come. and II pos
sible forever For this purpose We must have
| in the Assembly Republicans Of the highest
| standing for ability and integrity, men Of char
| acter. influence and position. who have the con
| fdence Of the best men in the communities they
| represent. They must not be mere politicians
| or the tools Of politicians such as have some
| times brought disgrace upon the party, but mus
| be broad minded independent citizens absolute
~ free from embarrassing cntangemenis viii
leaders, either recognized or selfappolnted, wht
| are under suspicion Of having heretofore en-
| gagged in deal, dicker or trade with the Tam
many crowd. Let 1t be understood that this il
| no time either TO make compromise with Tam
| many or TO trust any one who talks compromise
ganizatio or any Of its leaders, but that this il
| "a fight for funeral" From high sense OF
duty. not merely &c the Republican party. bu
| TO the thousands Of honest non-Repubcar
voters. who are about TO put their trust in thu
party by supporting its candidates. As well. Til,
| Tribune utters a note OF warning now. Scruti
nze closely the character and qualifications O
every candidate named for the Assembly. ant
see to II that no political triekser, no creatur,
of the Bosses whose interest il is 10 defeat by
craft and cunning the movement for radca
municipal Reform. secures either nomination
| or election 70 the Assembly. The responsibility