New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-26
THE ELTSTJE DANIEL.

Senator Daniel Bradley has st"n hlScoN'reh.
There were times when Daniel did not need 10
be discovered by process server or micro
SCOPE. Two years ago Mr.. Justice Gaynor stood
on the platform Of The Brooklyn Academy ol
Music and set people laughing by crying our.
"Who is Van SoOtcnf' At that time Daniel did
not HE himself off to the woods. but stood in
plain sight rs the man whom the wicker RING
Democrats had turned down for the sake OF
the unknown Van Slooten Daniel asked Tor kc-
publican votes 70 help him get Dack nj MS rlNal'
Van Slootcn. and he Obtained them lie was 80
easy 10 discover that fall that 1851 citizens
went To the polls and voted for nm, ana III
strong Democratic district elected INN 10 Inc
Senate by plurality # 81 over the regular,
rock ribbed Van Slooien.
Two years have wrought Il change. Daniel -
almos, as hard 10 discover ~ was ever the inyS-
terious and elusive Van Sootcn. An cnterpfS-
ing subpocpa server in the interest Of the As
scmllv Committee which Is trying 10 investigate
the management Of the Brooklyn Bridge has
traced him 10 Schroon Lake. but al Schroon
Lake Daniel still remains nursing convenient
case of bronchitis. which makes Il better excuse
for refusal to appcar before the committee than
the one given a few weeks ago. that he did not
intend "to give the Republicans any powder 10
blow ND Democrats" Meanwhile people are
wandering what has come over Daniel that he
should feel SO different toward Republicans. He
WAS formerly willing to give Republicans his
pow,lcr. and even more willing 10 use theirs
in loading "A mine 10 blow up the harmless Van
Slooten. 1t was Daniel who last winter made
the most outspOkcn charges. both IN the Senate
and out. against the Bridge management, and
m ip, .Sfi %
lion in full confidence that the patriotic and non
partisan Daniel would do all in his power to help
them expose rascaliiy and introduce an era Of
honest. economical and enlightened admlnlNira-
ton Of that great public work which Daniel said
was so much in need OF reform Why this sud
den LOYALTY To party? Why this retiring DISPOSE
ton? Why this lnconvonient bronchiils: Ter
haps hint is found in the remark added to the
excuse made before the bronchitis had d'N'E
opcd: They sat on me in the Senate last Sos
sion and beat my bills" Perhaps the answer j.
that Daniel IS not seeking Republican aid this
fall against any Democratic Van Slooien.
Neither Of these surmiscs puts Daniel IN
favorable light as n reformcr. There were other
people stanch Republicans, too whose DIS
failed ~ passage last winter owing 10 the opposl-
ton Of "A minority in the Legislature VII" per
sisted in voting with Tammany Democrats
against reform measures But those other IN
successful legislators were partlsans WI" cared
So little for reform that when their bills were
beaten they wen. right on working 10 cleanse
their OWE party OF the men who had betrayed
II and 10 fight the Democratic rascals who hid
ioined them IN making effective the betrayal.
But Daniel in his disappointment prefers corrup-
ton 10 halfway reform. In that attitude hc suE-
cests less Achilles sukng over the loss II Brscis
than the mere politician whose votes are not
based on opinions but on trades. There are "A
great many Democrats who are conspicuous non
parilsans whenever they cannot have their own
way IN their own organization and can get he
publIcans 10 give them things without their as
sumng any Obligations in return. But they al
WAYS discover later that the party That Helped
them Is as bad as the party whose corruption
they rcvoltcd against. and conclude that unless
the cure Of the Republic is inrustcd 10 them, ana
10 Them alone the country might rs we'll 20 to
the dogs under Democratic rule as TO be- bund'r
jncly treated by Republican doctors. They get
hadly scared about the evils ~ Republican par
usanship as soon rs there are no Van SnotcnS
to be downcd We have rather liked Uncle Dan
tel. We shall be sorry to believe that he is one
Of that number