New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-06
MR.. DEPEW ON POLITICS.
,r THINKS NONE OF THE RtfORM
BILLS WILL PASS.
.,,,, PEOPLE WILL RECKON WITH THOSE WHO
STAND ~ THE WAY OF WHAT ""H >'i'''
FOR LAST FALL-REPrBIIcAN LEGIS-
r,~oHS DOING IMMENSE DAM


L,roHS DOING IMMENSE DAM
AGE TO THE PARTY.
=. ,ba oninion of Chauncey NJ. Depew not one OF
, rof,rp bills now pending before the Leglsa-
49, ~ Albany will pass Mr.. Depew was in Al
,.,. on Wednesday, lie remained there Tor
,t.s, ~, his way from Chicago, where he delivered
- addree, AT the commencement exercises oi
Aha Chicago University. During his brlet stay IN
,r,rv Mr. pepeW. through talks with leglSIatoTs'
,,.,r.loi,o of state affairs and other informa-
.t,, brought to him. secured a clear hsieh' I"'o
.a,clod-pn situation at the State Capitol. and
=, .,u,a II The conclusion that the relorm bills
,, d,,l a. far as this Legislature was con-
mol speakng of the conditions at Albany he
said yesterday So,
81 Ike every other citizen. | have taken deep
.-m,e, ,r .hese bills On my return from Chi
,1 i.ct6ad - stop off al Albany and look over
49, ,.r,,p5 In the time that | was there
.ar..d - relhaps fifty men, The men with whom
, ,.,i,1 were not the outside element but the
, whose hands and heads control and dominate
.ho LEGISLATURE. When got on my car tha' night
:. o.as With a heavy heart. I am sorry t. say IT,
ora wish that l could delude myself into sor1e
,ber belief but as look al it now there does pot
- 81, mo to he ;he slightest chance for a
inel. one of the reform bills 10 pass. That is not
. banhazarl statement based on superhciai
studv # the situation, but conclusion @rriNed at
oeoinst nv Will. and based upon indisnltabie
facts
ELEMENTS OF TIE SITUATION.
"yyhan /, conles down t. citing those facts.
ran only say that they are 50 closely interviewer
and relate 10 SO many different conditions that I"
o,ter into a description Of them would be almost
on endless task and would require too much time
Ibave been In politics for thirty years The condi-
tion Of state politics has always beer a HOBBY
with NE and note many incidents ana detailS
,hot cscapa the ordinary observer. As one who
is in the habit of feeling the political Pulse ara
dagnosing the existing conditions generally in an
accurate manner. feel that my words should
have some weight and should convey warning
20 those VINO at the last election voted Cor reform
and who from my prediction. will not get what
they asked for.
Perhaps # the Republican strength that is ln
favor of the bills was concentrated on any one of
the measures it might be passed. am told how
over that enough Republican votes can ne secured
by those opposed TO these measures To insure ire
defeat Of each one individually No further COM
nent than that is needed. The people are ~atch-
ing the trend Of affairs in Albany and they VIII de-
eide who is in the right and who is in the wrong
and they will act as their own ideas dictate Win
out instruction. l made up my nina a ''Ae '"e
ago who was wrong and who was right. l am h''
now in politics and | do not care TO come ou'
and take sides in factional fight. Therefore
do not care 70 discuss that phase Of the matter
THE CONSEQUENCES.
Nr Depey was asked what he believed would
no the result should the Legislature - ne pre-
dicted. fail to pass the reform bills. He said IN
reply:
1T will simply increase the Democratic vote In
this city to an alarming extent at the reNt cleo
ton Il will initiate against the Rapuolcah
party with an incisiveness and dre''n@ss that
one does not realize now, while hushed with the
victory II last fall In the last election the r"-
form element was centralized on the Republican
ticket II this majority Of voters DO not get "nat
they cast their ballots for they Will naturally ot
uphold a party which proved false 10 Us trust
can hardly express the regret feel over the way
things nave turned around
Mr.. Depeu was asked II ~ had decided just
who was to blame for holding up these bills ana
II he would repeat any Of the Information that ne
had received at Albany. He sad:
"T DO not care to enter into factional dis-
cussion 1t mas always been my policy 10 AVOID
that, and l 90 not care 10 ally myself no" III
squabble in party ranks
present condition of affairs" Mr. Depew was
asked. He said:
81 DO not care 10 mention Mr.. Platt in this talk
never consider one man Of sufficient importance
IN State politics to come out with a personal
attack upon him Every man in politically that
! mean every man that amounts 10 anything
always has a number of retainers and satellites
who obey his dictates and wishes without rca-
soning out the effect They have confidence IN
him and follow him blindly. Such man can eH-
ercise great power for good or "NlI III poiluVS'
His course however, is watched with interest Dy
the people. and he cannot ride roughshod over
public opinion The people will take care OF such
q leader and do not care 10 take any more part
IN these factional fights tFan as citizen
HOW MACHINES ARE BUILT Up.
The great trouble in every city is that rings
VIII be formed. Bossism becomes a factor IN
each election The growth Of such rings Is only
a natural result Of existing conditions. The party
that gets the dominating power fills the depart
ments with It's henchmen. The city Offices ana
all municipal patronage are dealt out t. the falth,
full The city has contracts to give, ana shreWu
leaders see that they are placed where they VIII
do the most good Employment on the S''t'''
is given 10 those who swear allegiance 10 the
party in power. These leaders ally themselves
win 81, her one or the other of the great parties
not because )f IT'S principles but because IL gives
them chance to build up a machine men
thew want anything they. like the ieudal paIohS
Of old send forth their retainers anu Se'u'
what they wish whether il is wealth or power %
any other unknown quantity lhtSe iea1eiS 1 . p'oy
into each other's hands and whichever way an
election goes the wishes Of the bosses are sure |"
become evident in legislation and party move
inents They are able. by this patronage @i IN"
d,,,.r,rcnts the contracts the street labCrerS
and other machine methods. to reach an eioi
NOUS labor vote. They set UP the cry that IL Is
the fight II the rich against the poor anu Nv
lrde tho "a horer into standing by them.
"rhe people largely T. blame IN ths. ' me
majority Of citizens absorbed in business pay
no attention to city issues ana vote on pd't;,
lines Added 10 this vote - the heavy vote oi
the machine with its control Of the balIo'-boX ana
the cause and effect are amply demohstraIcu'
3ut the pcop.e are beginning IL tnIhk ioi tnen
selvea and believe that the machine ngahi|a-
ton i'm the future will not control N" bilnh Vote
of the laboring class as II has III the pas IL
takes Just such lessons. bitter though me my
no as are being taught by the Legislature al Al