New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-31
4 NATIONAL CONTEST

The fight for reform in this city ana for hon
est government throughout the State is being
watched with intense interest in every part OF
the country There is no doubt rs 10 this III the
mind Of any person who has had an opportunity
to observe even casually the current Of public
discussion No fact is more familiar in news
paper offices. where the journals of all parties
and localities are carefully ScIutinizcd. No
traveller who keeps his eyes and ears open fails
to bring back from "trip in any direction Il
strong sense of the anxiety which the contest
here has universally inspired. Nothing else is
talked about" said public man of wide
celebrity and long experience in politics The
other day. meaning by that eXacgeration to i'm
part a vivid idea of the state of feeling which
had profoundly impressed him. 1t is perfectly
true-the Nation is watching NewIork.
Nor upon reflection does 1t appear strange
that this is So The fact is due in great part,
as we are glad TO believe. to Il general enighten-
ment as 10 the existence and causes OF eve
degeneration and the awakening OF a strong
moral impulse. 1t is due in measure, natural
w. to the spectacular interest of the SITUATION
in this city and State, which, if no other cpnsld-
erations were involved. would attract the attcn-
ton Of intelligent and curious citizens every
where And it Is partly due also TO roallZa'
ton Of the effect which this contest Is bound To
have upon the National campaign Of next year.
The people of the United States were impelcd,
by all the influences which move a great voting
population, to watch the uprising In Newiork
last fall, and 10 take note not only OF the I'LL
mediate result but Of what followed n large
ma iority Of them, we must believe, reJoiccd IN
the triumph Of civic morality and sincerely
hoped that the party commissioned To- make
great possibilities real would rise 10 the level gf
its opportunity. But they were not unmindfui
of the fact that representatives do not always
represent, and knowing how hard II may he 10
get purpose and platform embodied III law,
while recognizing also some special obstacles IN
the way Of honest Republicans in New-lork.
they kept on watching
That has been their attitude ever since There
will be no reason in the near future why the
voters Of any State, whatever the issue of the
contest here may be. should conclude that the
Democratic party, just turned ont Of power in
every part Of the country is fit 10 resume con
troll of National or local affairs. But II is indis-
putably true that failure on the part Of the
Republican Legislature at Albany to do the
plain duty laid upon it by the people last No
party Everybody knows that nothing was
needed to establish Republican supremacy III
New-Y York this year and next year and prcsun-
ably for rlany years to come. but answering
fidelity to the principles which prevailed at the
last election. Everybody knows that the only
hope which the most sanguinc Democrat now
feels for his party in this stale Is inspired by
the possibility that his adversares may throw
away an unparalleled opportunity by neglect
Ing an imperative obligation.
This is the dshOnorablr sacrifice which q
selfish and impudcnt Boss IS determined to
exact from the Republican party through his
creatures in the Republican Legislature. The
country Is watching the processes by which he
is seeking 10 accomplish his purpose with indig-
nation and disgust. Outside the journalistic
chorus which he trains and pays in this State
not Il Republican voice Is raised in his support.
lie is wellnigh universally cxecratcd and do
spised as Il trcachcrouS and malignant enemy
of the party which he assumes 10 command.
The question to which the Republicans of every
State are anxiOusly awaiting an answer is this:
Shall the triCkSler bc;ray the people. or the
people destroy the trickster?