New-York tribune., 1896-06-04
THE MACHINES SELFDESTRtC7IO

THE MACHINES SELF-DESTRtCTION.
The Albany Police bill has been declared I'M
constitutional by the Appellate Division OF the
Supreme Court on review of the decision Oh
Justice Alton Il. Parker 10 the same elect All
the well-laid plans Of Mr.. William Barnes, Jr.,
to build up political machine in Albany Coul-
tv are thrown into confusion. To make himself
master of the police force he got Mr. Ilatt TO
lam through the Legislature bill violating All
the rights of home rule. When Governor Nor
ton showed some squcamishness about sigh
ing it. he secured its passage again III form
equally serviccablc TO him. but somewhat tenn
pcred to the Governor regard for appearances
Then. when the Governor still hung on Mr..
Barnes announced that unless the Dill was
signed he and his fellow Albany delegate to
St Louis would not support Mr.. Morton ior
the Presidency. The bill was signed. MT.
Barnes now finds his victory ns barren of re-
suits as the Governor finds Albany support at
st. Louis.
The incident is only another illustration OF
the fatality which has attended every surren-
der Of the Governor to the Platt demands Tor
Executive aid in building up n machine. For
all that has been accomplished, either for him
self or for thcm the Governor might Just ns
well have maintained an attitude Of indepen-
dcncc and kept his name from being associated
with the machines vicious schemes. Instead
Of conciliating clever politicians, he played into
the hands of clumsy bunglers. Fully warned
Of the discrcdit which the act would bring upon
his administration. his first step was to put
Aldridge at the head Of the Department OF Pub
lie Works and Aldrdge at once began TO dis
tribute spoils in violation OF the Constitution
But his distribution was useless, for the courts
decided that the Constitution must be obeyed,
| and the spolsmcn have not yet received their
| pay Then the Governor reOrganzcd the Civil
| Service Commission in the interest of the ma
| chine and the Commission proceeded TO dis
| pense with competitive examinations under ma
chine dictation; but that same little paragraph
| in the Constitution again spoiled the whole
! scheme The Governor complacently fell In
with the mixing of politics with excise tax col
lecting and the appointment Of "coniidentlal'
agents. but in few days there IS TO be com
petitive examination for excise agents, and men
outside the organization are going 10 have as
good chances Of appointment as those inside.
| The Governor put upon the statutebook n law
ovcrturning the Staten Island police force. and
| ii promises to be invalid like the Albany law.
OF all the schemes devised TO invade home
rule and turn the State government into n Plat
engine not one has accomplished anything. The
machine with the Governors aid has been un-
Willingly working its own destruction 1t was
far stronger year ago than II Is to-day. When
the Republicans came back TO power in the
| State, being in possession of the party organ
| izatOn. Mr.. Platt was practically master of the
| situation Nothing that could be said about his
past conduct could weaken his power lie had
only to use It TO promote good govern
ment and honest measures. and no enemy
could harm him. Instead he used his
power over Legislature and Governor to carry
through vicious measures and make places for
spoilsmcn. He plunged into n course Of rcck
lessly selfish legislation. The result Is n dis
credited machine and some invalid laws. The
Governors reputation has suffered, Platts
power has steadily wancd, and the politicians
have gained absolutely nothing. The progress
of reform has been delayed, decent people hav,
been annoyed but the bunglcrs are worse of
than mt the start.