New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-09
DEMOCRATS TO REORGANIZE
THEY FAVOR ADOPTING THE PLAN sUG-
crsTED BY EX-SENATOR MILLER.

p1,RIJCANs TO THINK ABOUT
-vr prcl1 AR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBUNE.1
Albany Sept s-While Thomas c. Platt and |
.,,srPla,, Republican leaders are sneering at the
n,osramne Of the Independent Republicans of the
s,o,e n enlarge the Republican State Committee
.d N change the basis Of its representation, FOR
.,a sake of creating more efficient piece of party
machinery and of giving equal power to all Re-
nuhrcans In the controlling board OF their party
the leaders of the Democratic party have secretly
determined to reorganize their State Committee
rocisely upon the lines sketched out by the Inde-
.a,dent Republicans. This will be one of several
.urnrises at the Democratic State Convention.
CONFESSIONS TO KICKING" DEMOCRATS.
Another surprise at the same State Convention.
,,o, recent indications. will be the granting OF
-enresentation in that convention and In the
Democratic State Committee to the various bodies
q, "kicking'' Democrats to the Shepard Demo-
Gratis In Kings County, t. the Grace Democrats IN
yew-York and to the Cleveland Democrats OF
Rochester and Buffalo. Not sufficient representa-
,on Will be granted to these Democrats who have
bsen In insurrecion to give them possession OF the
machinery Of the Democratic party, but possibly
enough TO make their selfshly interested leaders
think they have forced themselves at last into
nlsces of some political power Outwardly at
least the Democratic party this fall therefore, is
likely TO present the appearance OF union. and II
cannot be denied that even a senblance OF mar
monv among the factions Of political party has
n. value at the polls. If the Democratic party
also intends to reorganize it's party machinery. to
n,odernize II and make 1t more efficient, possibly
the delegates 70 the Republican State Convention
will not look with favor upon Mr.. Platts plan. and
that OF his followers to cling to that unjustly or
ssnized antiauated and inefficient piece Of party
machinery known as the Republican State Com
mt,ee. which is not entitled to the credit Of
state victory since 1853. the victories of 1893 and
1894 were not due to any action by IT.
PRACTICAL POLITICS. NOT REFORM.
II need not be said that the men in control Of
the machinery of the Democratic party In this
State have no sentimental regard for reforms
NJ any nature When they favor, as they do the
abandonment Of their present plan Of organizing
their State Committee. which follows the lines
Of the Congress districts of the State. the rea-
sons for their action are not based upon any
IDEAS advanced by "Sunday-school" politicians
No: they are severely practical" Every practi-
cal politician will recognize them to be such
Their party has been badly beaten in this State
for two years past: in 1893 by 100000 majority and
IN 1894 by $50 900 majority. Those defeats were
mainly due. of course. to the bad record OF the
Democratic party at Washington and here
In Albany. No efficiency Of organization would
have saved the Democratic party from defeat.
Yet the faulty nature Of the organization Of the
Democratic party contributed largely to the re-
suit In both years
Ike the Republican State Committee. the
Democratic State Committee has far too many
city members and too few rural members. The
cities do not need attention at the hands OF
State Committeeman: because all the work is
done by the city committees Of the political par
ties. Few city residents know the boundaries of
the Congress distrIctH In which they i've
and II would he considered udicrous for any
member Of State Committee representing
city Congress district 10 connne his work
and attention especially TO II. city as a whole
is considered. not any special part OF 1t. in a
political contest.
WANTED A BETTER ORGANIZATIONS
In 1892 the leaders Of the Democratic party
perceived that their State Committee was not
well Informed to political conditions In the
Interior Of the State. This due TO the fact
that a State Committeeman had far too much
territory to supervise and make reports upon to
the central authority IN NewYork City. AS
remedy the State Committee practically
discarded. and forty Democratic politicians were
selected 10 DO its work Into their hands was
were the best Informed and brightest Democrats
IN their localities. No nan was intrusted with
the care OF more than two countless 1t being
eSSOned that they could not manage effectively
the interests of their party in more counties than
that number Under the present plan of crgani-
cation Of the Republican State Committee. and
Of the Democratic State Committee by Con-
gress districts men have the response
bilty for the management Of their partys inter
ests in four or five counties. No man with that
amount Of territory TO supervise can do thorough
political work
William F. Sheehan the chairman Of the Exec
utive Committee Of the Democratic party in the
year 1892, was able by the creation of this secret
organization Of Democrats outside the ranks OF
the regularly organized State Committee 10 make
A most thorough canvass OF the State for votes,
and to carry ii for Cleveland. 1t was their ex-
peTience in this campaign Of 1892 which now leads
the Democratic party to abandon the old plan Of
electng Democratic State Committee by the
Congress districts, and to decide to enlarge the
committee and TO elect II upon different ana
more comprehensive basis. The main idea Will
be TO increase the number of agents Of the Demo-
cratic party in the rural parts of the State.
EX-SENATOR MILLERS PLAN FAVORED.
Republicans will smile when they hear that the
pan Of organizing the Democratic State Commit
Zee which is just most favored by the party
leaders Is that which has been suggested for the
Republican party by ex-senator Warner Miller.
namely. TO have a State Committee composed OF
ue cnhrmen OF the sixty county committees,
with additional members to represent those coun-
nes which have more than one Congress dis
ulct. ach county TO have as many additional
members as II has Congress districts. Ihus
New York City would have eleven members under
t.is arrangement one the chairman OF the County
Committee and ten men representing Congress
ohtricts. The Democratic leaders here say
'nat the chairmen of the county committees are
usually the ablest politicians and the best IN
formed In their several counties. A state Com
m''tee 50 organized would have ninety-four mem
oefs. sixty representing the counties and thirty
TOUT representing Congress districts
There is nothing in the argument that such
committee would be too large. said lead
ing Democrat here to-day 'for II could meet
-FOUR members Work would go on in New-York
under an Executive Committee. as AT present,
and the Democratic party would have In every
county armed with additional authority as
member Of the Democratic State Committee an