New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-04
PLATTS DANGEROUS GRAB GAME.
THE CONSOLIDATION PLAN VIOLATES THE POP
uLAR PASSION FOR HOME RULE.

THE CONSOLIDATION PLAN VIOLATES THE Pop
rIAR PASSION FOR HOME RULE.
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: on Monday evening February 8. addressing
the Phoenix Republican Club OF New-York City,
Edward Lauterbach made this significant revela-
ton:
"rhc Greater Ncw-York bills are sure to become
laws AMI under them The men who have faiied 70
recognize the existence OF the majority OF the
county organization during the last year VIII won
der n they exist when II comes to recognition III aP
pOlntmcnt 10 once
Evidently Mr. Lnutorbich spoke by tho card
when he frankly confessed-nay. pubished-the
"true lnwarJness' OF consolidation from the Platt
standpoint Of view. lie IL the chairman OF the
Platt Republican. County Committee OF New-fork
CITY and. according to common rumor. Is 10 % one
OF tho four delegates at-arge from the state 10
,he Kcpubllcan National Convention-One or the
"blg four" Consequently he must be In the secret
counsel OF Mr.. Plat. That being So ne prociaims
aloud that. so far as Mr.. Plat Is concerned con-
soldatlon is being pushed as big patronage gran.
Well. wlsest men sometimes prove the most ioolish'
and from the pinnacle OF succcss fall headons INTO
the abyss OF ruin
As well "a the dead the past Is soon forgotten. A
politicians memory like his foresight. often means
only to-day. Scarce generation back the Repuo-
lean party greedy and lusty for patronage Vo'a'eu
tho most ancient instinct OF all peoples-own RUE
From the remotcst time AMI with all people village
4
State is nothing more than evolution from village
rule Forset,lng this the Republican party In lSo'
undertook the experiment OF governing from Albany
the great cities OF New-York and BrooKiyh anu
holding them in Il relation somewhat a"aios'
subiuratlon II was a brilliant conception for max
ing ''sllk purses OF sows' ears Tor IL was "o
less than the attempt to convert those cilles from
Democr. cy to Repub.icanIsm By forcing those tne"
In control ., the selected municipalities to won
der II they existed when II came to recognition III
appontment to Office" Patronage hoera'y D"'
iudicousy distributed was TO do the missionary
work To that end was created the metIopo''a"
d,s,r,c, co,resnondlne terrorialy with Greater
Nev-yorl," 70 be governed by commissioners APP
pointed by the Governor, with the ADVICE a'Iu o0
con, NJ The senate"-plus Thurlow Weed. Fat anu
trimmings dshed up with righteousness ana re-
form carried the day, and the he" '"- 49,
system for local government got SET up anu 80
the good Mr.. Weed and his WHY coa"J"'' ~,
placently settled themselves TO ENJOY .ls >,
Of ..brains' and "Christan statesnans"p
,os n, u,cuous vision full of glory haileiuJah as
we go marching on. 49,, a.. orL
Strange TO relate the reform ieiu ~ "
Ncw-York and Brooklyn, Ike Ephra" "u'u
his dos" persisted in becoming moio
caIly wicked than ever. They reiuseu '''', " "
clubbcd or brlbcd into Republican:sm anu IN III
r.,s, ',,scor,,pt uts,t things IN the State. Wos'd
Democracy south Of The Harlem. despite the ZIP
md onIons'' OF patronage "nourished IKE "iS
tree" II was the state that Deca'"e pV"
Democratic Governors and Assemblies were eIec'e''
and nothing save n Republican Senate. biocKed .ne
way to complete Democratic ascendency ram Nj.
Weed "a without guile, was soo Dream a, Of Re-
publican New-York and Brooklyn ,SIn na,uncracv
the State ltse slipped away IN end end Of thirteen
yeats Of pious rule and fatness home rule was d.a
stored fhc metropolitan district ana M5 , Mee is
passed out together. The experiment ~ t"', rhur
history made within the generation. W"e p ,nnmd
low Weed William H. Seward Henry D. hayi,ond d
and Horace Greeley failed. Thomas [. flatt heeo
Rehlnd The mask OF consolidation we now nave
from Mir Ltuterbach what heretofore has geen nsr
the pretcxt OF being necessary "" "a tronore
soldaiion This means ne commissions Of police,
fire. excise water heath. docks. f,,, d,"in
appointing thereto the h % M By th.se
Observation-Disclosures he hopes TO harvest lmitabie
patronage with which to manage me n m,nrs.s be
has In consolidation. Re-cstabsn tne olu ne't ~
polltan district with concomltant commt ;s aor
60 u the devil leaving the radant-hued VISION o,
Mr. Green and other rampant consonatlon uuP. ,,mo
FADE fad, into DEEP indigo But the
Hereditary passion for home RUE vioiateu anu
attended by qS.o arrI her variant Of ONCE
from upcountry Senators Will cause Tau 80
as beforeind thousands OF voters now Dsmocr,cv
And many ofrended Republicans will accompany
them In fact the people OF ana BLo1 y,
I'm do not banker for the rule OF plcty-partcuiarly
he Albany brand The situation is much like that
which startled a good bishop OF the English Cnurcn
Sh pa iaSed
sooner than be saved ny nIe'oy Mi' Ho,,
palIan brethren and themselves damned hrst The
spirit IL the same-our own home ruis--hot that OK
so novyyerfml is the instinct for home rule that In
the late Constitutional Convention proposea amend
nenis vesng IN the dov n E,con comm.a oner.