New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-17
THE EFFORT FOR REFORM.

THE EFFORT FOR REFORM.
| Whether from superior virtue, or from Eick
of the opportunities and temptations offered by
| the possession of power, the Republican Party 81
| this county has never until within the past year
| undergone the cXpcrcncc-SO common Win New
York Democrats that it may we'll be called their
normal condition-0f an uprising III lis OWL
| ranks against the methods and practices "f us
| own leaders and i'll favor Of party re"rGah|a-
| ton and reform. The revelation which III" ram
| MANY rulers of this town had made during me
brief period in which their party had been III iuli
| control of city and State. not only 81 ln"hu-
mental ncapacy for the responsibilities 81 GOV
| crnmcut. but Of arrogant contempt Tor law ana
Justice. of au1lciouS rapacity AMI Shame
less greed had startled ana alarmed cit
| liens OF all parties even before The IeXow
| investigation had begun 70 disclose the "X-
| tent of the rottcnncsS. ar The probe Of Golf
| had demonstrated that from top to bot
| tom there WAS neither sound organ. Wholc>"in"
| function nor healthy fibre. But the Republican
| Party Of this county bad been 50 long In help
| less minority and Democratic scoandrcl> in con
| troll Of the election machinery had found II so
| easy 70 render them more helpless 10y open.
| shameless and nnrcbukod cheating them Of the
| votes they did have, that they had little courage
or enthusiasm. and the spirit Of the party seemed
| 10 have cbbcd away The victory II lS!t; WAS
| somewhat of IA surprise Nobody organized II;
| nobody's money bought or figured n factor
| in il. /, was fairly flung AT III" party hy the
| great body Of voters who had Sickcncd ~ The
| mess The Democrats had made and max
| ing Al once all men saw that in the ordinary
| course Of events the Republicans would present
| " be returned 10 State control. They saw loo.
very clearly that in that contamination lay the
| only ray Of hope for the citizen ana taxpayer al
| this misgOvcrncd metropolis. grooming under me
rascally rule Of Tammany rogueS-
| The conditions were suggestive. Especially
| among earnest and sincere Republicans who
| have pride In The party'S history. belief III It's
| pr;yrcss and faith in its mission, they provoked
| serious thought And the conclusion they reached.
| that on the threshold Of such responsibility II
| was The first duty Of The Republican party OF
this county 10 purify and purge itself and SET lis
| own house in order. was so nearly Unanimous rs
| To Justify the description of the ensuing demon
stratOn great uprising Of the party. The
| most important fact in The situation was that
| through the indifference of the more upright ana
| conscientious Republicans who were looked up
| 10 as leaders or through thcr unwllngncss 10
descend TO the ihanklcss details OF campaign
work in Il forlorn hope. professional politicians
| lad been able 10 put themselves in positions OF
| Influence and power in the party and 10 use
! those positions for the most isnoblc purposes.
| That they used their power for selfish ends was
, not strange perhaps In the circumstances But
| they had done worse They had used il r"ach-
| erously 1t was notorious that they made Il
| practice Of trading and dealing with the party
| they ostensibly opposed. habuay brtrIying
| their own II is not necessary 10 name the men
| who were responsible for all this scandal. Their
| names were on every lip during the discussion
| OF last November and December There was no
| cOnceament Of the fact that The uprising for re-
| organization and reform was against them ana
| tlcir methods There was never any cquivOCl-
| tion or evasion in the sraightou, talk Of Rcpub
| leans on this subject. Their purpose. frankly
| avowcd was 10 dcpoSe the leaders who had be-
| traycd their trust and rcorganize the party upon
| the basis Of honest and straight forward methods
| and new men in the direction. Nor Is ii necdful
| 10 repeat the familiar story Of the divided coun-
| sells through which there came to be two rival
| organizations claiming recognition in the old
! party The alacri,y and even zeal with which
| the discreslitcd leaders fell in with II movement
inspired 10y Indignation AT their own misdoings
| very early excited the disrllst Of The Tribune
| That dsirist il frankly expressed while rccog
nzing the sincerity Of purpose which animated
| the majority Of those who acted with them. II
| further avowcd its belief that the end in view
| was more likely TO be attained through the in
strumcntalty Of the Anti Machine organization
of young Republicans than by the other.
The rivalry was warm and earnest but through
the efforts Of The Tribune TO soften the aspcri
ties and infuse something Of good nature into
the debate it was comparatively free from bitter
ness leaving no wounds that will not quickly
and easily heal. The early Endorsement Of The
Anti Machine movement by ex-senator Plat
had the effect Of confusing the minds Of many
Republicans who. justly or unjustly connected
that gentleman with all the trading and dealing
with Tammany which had dishOnorcd and dis
graced the party The zeal Of faction magnifict
his influence and the hostility TO the ex-Scna tor
which il unfortunately general became Tho
most important factor in promoting the success
OF the rival organization. Whether or not thi'
was done with purpose is, of course, only
matter Of conjecture. II II was. il must be sait
that the adroitness Of the plan by which Mr.
Platt himself conspicuously favored one organi
cation while his associates quietly and un0sten
tatiOusly secured control Of the other was worth!
the genius Of that exceedingly clever politician
The steps by which the Committee Of Thirty or
ganizaton came to be recognized as regular
| by the State Committee need not be recouned
Since II was effected we have reason to believe
| .bot MANY ~ thnsa rnost nrfivA n m