New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-19
THIS UEEE'S TEST.


Duyipc this week. according 10 the present
outlook, the Republican members OF 'he heSiS-
loture NJ ALBANY will find themselves under the
necessity of making choice between TWO lines
Of action and between two masters. From pres
cnt indications they will have to decide whether
thev will give TO 154000 voters in this town.
who gave 10000 majority for munlclpai REFORM
tho LEGISLATION which they demand in that be-
half or the legislation which Mr.. Plait thinks
will answer the purpose without interfering
with the official tenure of the men whom h'
was able by his relations with the dcposcd Tam
many rulers 10 put in office or with his hoid
unon the control Of the Republican organization
of the city and State. And with this deciSioh
cocs the choice of the master whom they VIII
serve: whether the Republican party OF Inc
civ. as TO whose desires in the matter there j.
no manner Of doubt and the Republicans OF me
whole state who are in sympathy with them or
Mr.. Platt who asserts his right. by virtue "i
something or other which nobody understands
and he will not disclose. 10 direct the policy ana
control the appointments of the party Ana
they confront the question, too. when j "l
mucb more serious moment. whether on the
whole, as the elected and accredited represent
ativcs of a great party with reputation ana
record to maintain. they VIII redeem 'h'I
partv's pledges or destroy In" reputation ana
tarnish the record by putting it in the Ath'u"e
of promise-brcaker and falShcr
1t is not impossible that Mr.. Plail. though
| not a voter in this town. may know better WllA'
| the town needs for its redemption from the r'S-
| callv rule which has oppressed ana pluhd'r'h
| II than the citizens themselves: better IMAM me
| men who with intelligence quite equal 10 HIS
IL. fi,.TtS
| own have made careful study OF the coiul'loh>
and have applied themselves. at cohNio'raho
sacrifice 10 the task Of dcviSng remedial legs
| laton. 1t may be that Senator lcNow ana sen
! ator OCOnnOr. who discharged 50 SATISFACTORY!
| the duty Of listening 10 testimony when TO-
! vealed in some measure the depths OF our CIT!
| dishonor and the extent Of its disgrace are p'l-
| ter qualified 10 prepare and perfect the leglSia
! lion necessary to municipal reform IMAM me
| eminent lawyers whose aid has been sought 10y
| and checrfully given 10 the committee 81 c'u-
Zcns who were chiefly instrumental III e1ec'hS
| the combination of honest men Of all parties
who united in the overthrow Of the lhinmahy
rocues All this is possible But the fact To-
mains none the less that III the minds OF thc
vast ma iority Of these 1.I,OO0 voters MI Ilatt :
motives are suspected for several reasons. we
principal one Of which is that il Is susceptible
of proof that he was for Il long time 50 mnch
a beneficiary of the Tammany system which
these Id. 900 mean TO overthrow that he was
able TO put his dependents in office under II
, 1t will And the motives of Mcs>rS. LcNOW ana
| OConnor are no less under suspicion because
Of the fact Of which they make no conccalmch''
| that they hold themselves ready at all times
and under all circumstances 10 obey that gentle
| mans directions Hence, the superior WISDOM
of these Republican leaders being conccdrd'
there is reason to believe that the citizens OF
this town will not without earnest and perhaps
Indignant protest consent 10 their assuming the
entire responsibility for reform legislation.
The Legislature is about to say by its action
on pending bills relating 10 the Police Depart
| mcnt and the Police Justices whether, in the
| first place. it Will redeem its pronlis" to the
people who elected it. and, second whether TINS
community is entitled to be heard in respect
full and proper manner concerning legislation III
which il is vitality interested. Upon various
occasions and in various ways the voters or
Ncw-York City have senifcd with unusual
clcarnrsS their desire for thorough municipal re-
form They manifested their confidence In the
| Committee of Seventy when they followed It's
/ lead adopted lis candidates. and by 1000 ma
/ iority rcvOlulionZcd The municipal government.
They have since emphasized it by public meet
| ings. which, though they had no official char
acter. had weight as an unmistakablc express
! sion of public sentiment. There has not been
so much as an attempt at hostile dcmonstra-
/ tion The press with almost absolute unanimity
! is i'm accord with the views Of the Committee of
! Seventy. Under It's auspices measures Of lcciS-
lation deemed adequate by the best legal minds
have been drawn. and are To he submitted 10
, the LEGISLATURE There is no reason why they
sbould not receive respectful consideration. No
/ reason except that they may not be in accord
with the purposes and the plans of Mr. Platt
and the members OF the Legislature who obey
his will There lies the choice And the IcgiS-
laturc this week will decide whether ii will
fulfil its promise and execute the will Of the
people or will obey the orders Of Mr.. Plat.
But let no member of the Legislature dcludc
himself with the notion that he can obey Mr.
Platt In this emergency and end the matter
there Beyond the Legislature Is the Governor
who. solicitous as he is for party harmony, is
not by any means subscrvient TO dictaiiOn; be
yond the Governor the Mayor of New-iork
cope with difficult situations and behind ALL the
honest voters Of this busy city and this great
State. who will not be tricd with nor betrayed
by the men whom they have been deceived into
trusting, and will not on any account, for pres
ent peace or future prospects, submit their necks
to the yoke Of the most arrogant and unprn