New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-11
THE HIGHEST DTTE.

RcvuhlicanS mt Albany. Make no mistake
The voters Of this State were In downright ear
nest last November They did not send You To
the Legislature To trife with matters Whcl
seem to them Important and wcighiy Nor 10
have you mix up in the consideration ol these
matters your own petty differences your small
icalousies and ridiculous rcScntmcnS your per
sonal ambitions and schemes Of selfish aggr1n-
dizcment either in the line of political promo
ton or grosser material benefits. They sent
YOU TO Albany with specific mission, not less
clearly defined nor less doubtful in terms than
If ii had been expressly stated by each voter
upon the ballot he put In the box Have You
forgotten IL:
Let us recall to YOU the conditions existing
last November. The Tammany machine WAS
in absolute control Of The Democratic party III
this State. It's leaders had by fraud ana VIC
lcncc. SO ntrenchcd and fortified themselves
that they felt their mold upon power To be secure
and permanent. So sure were they that by
their control Of all the departments. and cS-
pccially of the Police and the election mnchin-
cry of this city. they could retain their grasp
upon the State th,t they did not hesitate 10 defy
public opinion ard alfrOnt the popular SENSE "i
dccency. by nominating candidates Of notorious
mfitneSs and riding roughSh"d over the pro
tosts Of large numbers Of the best men i'm their
own party. They laughed AZ all rcmonsirnnc"
spurncd advice. jcered at eXpostulation. ana
arrogantly refused n hearing 10 the suggestion
Of prudence and the counses of diScrctio". In
that spirit in the temper Of civic tyrants who
had their heels upon the neck Of the public ana
their hands to the armpits in the public treas
ury. and were revealing in the sense Of absolute
IMMUNITY and security, they went joyously 10
the pols In November. confident that nothing
could disturb them. What gave them that con
fidcncc: Simply the fact that they were In pos
session Of every municipal department in this
city-the Police. the Parks. the Docks the
Streets. the Schools, the Excise. the Tax Com
mission, the Health Board. Fire Department.
and all the machinery and paraphcrnaa OF The
wealthlest city on the continent. BY holding
these sources of power with all their posi-
bilitics Of dishonest gain, thes" men believed
themselves able 10 hold in pcrmancncc, not
only the city, but the State.
The people who sent You TO the Legislature
rose up on that day in November and said:
I'VE have had enough and too much Of this
Let there be an end made Of H." And they
sent YOU to Albany 10 make al end Of II. How
Certainly not By permitting The Tammany
creatures row SO safely bestowed in all the
places OF trust cmolument and power In this
city to continue IN them and Use all the re
sources they furnish to defeat the purpose Of
the great body Of voters who rose up in wrath
against them last November For that there
can be no excuse no eXtcnuation. The people
demand Of you the legislation necessary 10 In
sure the results Of last NOycmbcrs uprising
They demand the passage Of law under which
the honest voters Of This city. when they turn
out. as they assurcdly will next November
every Tammany creature they can reach, may
complete the triumph Of good government ana
honest administration by a clean sweep of the
heads OF departments and the commissions. by
whose means the rascals hope to prOonG their
power.
The people gave you commission. not 10
stick pins into Tammany or worry the Tiger
with daggers Of lath. but TO cripple the organ
izatlon beyond healing and cut the Tigers tail
close up 10 his ears. They want il done. They
expect you to do II. And they will have Wig
orous reckoning with whoever fails them in this
emergency A reckoning that will CO. not only
10 dismissal into private life, but will follow
them into obscurty with the scorn ana con
tcmDt of all honest men.