The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-12
The Road to Party Ruin.

The Road to Party Ruin.
Speaker Hamilton Fish. of the New
York assembly, has at last publicly ad-
mitted that he Is responsible for the
hold up" of the bill to reform the rot
ten police system of Troy; and he virtu-
ally intimates that he win not consent
to any proposition for the Improvement
of that corrupt system which Is not
satisfactory to Senator Edward Muir
ply. To be sure. this amounts 10 as
bare-faced reputation of prediction
pledges as was ever known In the his
tory of Empire state politics; and 1t is
one of a series of regulations which is
elicitlng from such far-seeing Republi-
cans as ex-senator Miller and Chauncey
NJ. Depew most solemn warnings indi-
cative of the danger of such reckless
ness to the party which the people will
hold responsible for it. But Speaker
Fish is Platt man: Platt is lighting TO
retain his arrogant czarship over a
party TO which his leadership has
brought nothing but defeat, and the
present is not the first time that Platt-
ism has played into the hands OF Sena-
tor Murphy and his gang.
The result of this grossly mistaken
policy: the result OF the timidty of cer-
tain Republican influences in New York
state in enforcing upon their servants
at Albany the demands of candor, hon
esty and fair dealing, irrespective of the
personal fortunes of the treacherous
Platt coterie. is broadly hinted at in
Hollands" accurate correspondence to
the Philadelphia Press. After reciting
the dismay and even chaos that pre-
vailed in the inner circles of the Tam
many organization Immediately after
last NoveWber's impressive election re-
turns ha significantly says: THAT there
- been sudden change must be evil
dent to any person who looks reflective
ly upon recent indications. The Tam
many society for the first time since
last November shows signs of vitality,
and is now speaking with confidence OF
a reorganization which will steady and
strengthen its lines. The Democracy
In the state seems to be awaking to
what is regards as an opportunity"
And he follows this assertion with a
column-long divulgement of the shrewd-
ly-drawn plans for Democratic re-
Mobilization in support of which promin-
ent New York Democrats are now being
canyassed for subscriptions.
If this clever scheme shall succeed, as
seems quite probable unless the damag-
ing sway of the rule-or-ruin Platt ele-
ment at Albany shall quickly be broken
down by the force of awakened public
opinion, the Republican party not only
in New York but throughout the coun-
try Will be the loser. The recreancy of
that party in one state cannot help and
Is more likely to hurt the party's inter-
ests in other states. Mr.. Depew sound
ed the true note when he said that II the
Albany Legislature should fail to pass
the reform bills to which issue the Re-
publican victory of last November was
very largely due, ''it will initiate
against the Republican party with an
incisiveness and dlrectness that one
does not realize now, while flushed with
the victory Of last fall. In the last cleo
tion the reform element was centralized
on the Republican ticket. If this ma
jority of voters do not get what they
cast their ballots for they will naturally
not uphold a party which has proved
false to its trust"
If Mr.. Platt wants to drive over the
precipice into the abyss, let him 60
He never Will be missed. But the Re-
publican party in New York state Is
too valuable and ought to be too sensI-
BILE an organization to be Sacrificed be-
cause OF Mr.. Platt's bull -headedness.
-
The Louisville Courier-JoutnaI is op-
posed to the annexation of Cuba. "Uer