New-York tribune., 1896-01-09
THE FIRST ~ TI.

The Republican National Convention j. five
months away. Many things may happen In the
intervening period to change The aspect II ar
fairs So far rs the Presidential nomination j.
concerned Recent events have hai cnlcncy
10 turn the attention ~ ;he Republicans ~ his
State toward National politics and Presidential
possibilities, 10 the exclusion In some degree
Of matters closer at hand and nearer home
which are. after all. more urgent and serious
The four statesmen who represented the State
as Dclegatcsai-Iarge in the last two National
conventions and are expecting 10 serve in the
same capacity nj the next. having agreed upon
Governor Morton as their candidate, that pucs-
ton may be- considered as In some measure sci
tied so far a. NcwYork Republicans are con
ccrncd As no other New York candidate has
been named up 10 date, il is safe to assume that
the action of the delegation has been discount
cd. Hence the matter may be for ihc present
dismissed; or. II not dismissed at least held in
allowance. or far higher importance than any
action which the NcwYork delegation may take
In the National Convention is it that the dclcga-
tjnn should Itself enter the convention with
clean hands and with no taint upon II Of fraud
in any Of the processes II It's election. from the
enrolment at the outset t. The convention which
issues their commissions. The absence of op'o-
sition b Governor Morton's candidacy makes II
all the easier 10 institute the most rigid inquiries
into all the preliminary proceedings attending
the election Of the delegates. No question or
candidates arises il is simply whether the source
from which the delegates derive their authority
Is pure. That is all.
In that view Of IT, the present duty Of the Re
hi,l * vpll
known. the most serious doubts have arisen as
10 the honesty and fairness and representative
character of the enrolment the primaries and
all the preliminarics of the conventions Is TO
see that the delegates whom they send To the
National Convention have absolutely clean
hands II must not be- left for any advocate Of
n rival candidate To Governor Morton TO weaken
the force which Il united delegation from the
State will have upon the convention by pointing
10 the fact that in obedience To the directions of
the Governors most conspicuous supporter II
not his confidential manager the enrolment. the
primaries and the conventions from which n
large number OF delegates derive their authority
were notoriously tainted with dishonesty. cor
ruprion and fraud. Nothing could be more
damaging to Governor Morton's prospects Of
success than n charge like that. The force of Il
unanimous delegation would be broken to pieces
by IT, And II would be all the more lneXcnsable
to fake such n risk because of the factor what
now appears 10 De the fact that the prevailing
unanlmity for Governor Mortons nomination
makes these frauds not only unnecessary but
wanton and lnexcusablc outrage upon the honest
voters of the party.
Aside from these considerations, however. is
the more important one that the Republican
partv OF this county cannot maintain its CO.
hercncc. much less ts.nfuence and prestige, II
the mass OF its voters through carelessness or
indifference. permit The party management and
control 10 remain In the hands Of men who not
only use their positions for factional and selfish
purposes, but actually resort to fraudulent prac
tees and Illegal methods 10 perpetuate their
hold upon power. Too much stress cannot be
laid upon this aspect Of the present local polit
cal situation The party in this county must
clear It's skirts Of any participation In or con
nivance with fraud in lis management. The
investigation which has been sci on foot
which Is. fortunately in the hands Of men who
have the confidence # the entire pariy-mnst
he made searching and thorough. And II at It's
conclusion II shall appear that the present
executive management Of the org iniZition ~
the party IN this county has been IN cJlluson