The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-15
DIsOoRDANT N0N-PARTIsANs.

The way of the political reformer is hard
at all times, but never so hard as when he
undertakes to reform things by means
of non-partisan movement. This truth
is made evident by the condition of
affairs now existing in New York. All
other States in the Union have finished
their legislative business, retired politics
to the background, and are now giving at
tention either to the advancement of in
dustry, the revival of baseball or specula-
tons concerning whom the Republicans
will elect to the Presidency in 1896. New
York, however, is still in the throes of
political controversy, and the prospect of
any good outcome grows DINNER every
day.
The situation is both interesting and in
structive. Never was there a greater politi-
cal victory than that Won by the reformers
in New York last Ill. The people had
been aroused to the need of reform and
educated on the subject by a long cam
paign against the prevailing evils. The
public exposure of the iniquities OF Tam
many made by the official investigation of
the Lexow Committee, had furnished
ample evidence to enable the reformers to
purify municipal governmental New York
by convicting the guilty officials. An
enormous majority in both the city and
the State gave strength to the victors and
clearly manifested the force of the public
sentiment that sustained them. Evidently
an opportunity for the performance of
great things was afforded by this unprece-
dented success, and yet up to this time not
only mas nothing of note been done, but
there is no promise of anything.
Not even the Democratic majority in the
last Congress was more futile than has
been the reform majority in New York.
There have been nothing but wranglings
in the city and in the State all winter.
EXAMINATIONS and recriminations have been
banded back and forth by the leaders and
by the press on both sides. Our New York
exchanges are given up almost wholly to
mutual animosities and denunciations.
Journals that agreed in advocating the re-
form movement are now abusing one an
other as bitterly as they once fought Tam
many. There is harmony of action no.
where, but on every side discord and con-
fusion worse confounded.
We are too far away from the scene of
action to undertake to pronounce judgment
between the contending factions. One
thing, however, seems clearly evident. The
reformers made the mistake of seeking
victory through bipartisan organize
ton, and that organization has dissolved
into its constituent elements. 1t exhibits
itself as conglomeration of factions in
stead of an harmonious party. 1t has
fallen to pieces simply because it was never
more than a rope of sand and because
there was never in it any coherent force
other than an opposition to the Tammany
administration. In this respect it fur
nishes a political moral which all citizens
who desire good government would do
well to heed. Popular government to be
effective must be government by parties
each having well understood and clearly
defined policy Of action. Only in this way
can maiorities work together and carry out
any needed legislation. Non-partisan move
ments are always failures in government,
no matter how successful they may be at
the polls, and the impotent conclusion to
which the Lexow investigation has come
in New York is only glazing illustration
of truth which before this has been. dem
onstrated in many another experiment in
yo1i4ioe