New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-11
SPECTACULAR DEMOCRACY.

II has always been plain enough TO Obsorv-
ing persons that the Democratic party IS an
organized appetite for spells. with preference
for Infamous ways Of getting them. But proofs
Of this remarkable fact have probably never
been quite so numerous and conspicuous as they
are now. Let us consider some OF them, begin
ming only two years ago that nobodys
memory will he strained
The people having refused to give tho Demo
cratic party control OF the Legislature OF TINS
State AT the elections OF 1891, the leaders Of
that party proceeded 10 steal IL. They succeed
ed. and rs a matter Of course their creatures
at Albany obcyel orders implicitly. First OF
all the most scrvIceablc Of the conspirators
was rewarded with a seat on The Court of APP
pcaS bench. and that act Of peculiar bascncss
having been completed, the stolen Legislature
was ready for business. Tammany had already
snatchcd control of the New York Police Board.
but 10 make that body thoroughly efficient for
fraud AT elections II necessary TO have
partisan boards OF election inspectors through
ont this city so the Farquhar bill was passed,
giving Tammany two out Of three inspectors in
every district. With the passage OF that act
the bosses. already strongly fortified In Demo-
cratic centres. obtained all the law they thought
they needed here Their plans worked well IN
1892. and, having knit up few loose ends ut
Buffalo and elsewhere during the session of
1893. they looked for easy triumphs Of fraud
in last falls election and thereafter for IL term
of years. In that expectation they derived pc
crlar pleasure from nominating Maynard for
the judicial office which he had occupied for
two years by appointment, and word was
passed along to give him the finest sort Of vim
dication by employing all the swindlirg ma
chnery which had been set up so carefully.
Never were orders obcyed with more cheerful
alacrity. In the lower wards Of this city, IN
Grayescnd. on Staten Island, at Albany at
Troy. ut Buffalo and elsewhere elaborate prcpa
rations were made for magnificent frauds. But
the leaders had been reckoning without the
people; or rather, they had calculated that the
State contained Il majority Of active and pas
sive scOundrclS. They began to fear that they
hal made mistake before Election Day, but
still they felt much confidence in their machin-
cry and were generally cheerful enough To an
ticpate particular pleasure in reading about
McKancs great work at Gravescnd But this
time the people were really mad, and the food
Of honest votes left scarcely enough of the
Democratic party in evidence to hold n wake
over. Facts about the frauds which the lead
crs had engineered have been coming to light
ever SlHcc anu IL HOsl vi party p'tS VIII III III
Jail before long unless Justice is swindled. SO
much for the Democracy of New-York.
In Ncw-Jcrscy somewhat similar prcparn-
tons were made and expectations cherished.
And there. too. the people took a hand aud
turned the rascals out; but because in that
State their opportunity was less complete, they
were not quite able 10 convince the condemned
that the sentence pronounced against them was
irrcycrsbc And 80 the sncaks and ruiians
have gone 10 work in The name Of the Demo
cratic party. with the cooperation of the Dem
ocratic Governor. To set aside the popular iudg
mcnt. They may possibly succeed IN making
themselves AMI their party still more dcsplscd.
but that Is al that they can do. If they haven't
had quite enough yet they only need 10 give
for the Democracy OF Ncw-Ierscy.
At Washington the men who were sent there
under an insane dclusion to misrcprcScnt the
people are dischargng their mission with con
spicuous success. A Democratic Congress and
II Democratic President. partly IN combination
and partly on separate lines of imbecty. are
proceeding 10 multiply and coppcrfasten I'll"
disasters which their mere advent TO power
was sufficient 10 produce. And rs II the prin
clpal scheme for intensifying and prolonglng
present apprehension and distress We're not
enough, they are experimenting it with various
subordinate adjuncts OF u shabby and igno- !
mnious character. Thus the party which
stands convicted before the whole country OF
manifold attempts to steal elections Is the