New-York tribune., 1896-06-20
DETHRONEUENT or THE BCSSES.

Senator Thurston struck keynote the other
day at St Louis when IN the hearing ny the
Kepublican National Committee OF the Deia-
ware contested election cases. he said he wouio
not vote to seat the claimant Addicks. II 'he
election of Il Republican President depended
upon it, 1t was Il bold declaration, ana no
doubt astonished those members OF the COM
nittec who like Mr.. Sutherland OF TINS state
nut the machinery of organization above the
good name of the party policy above prih-
cjplc and eXpediency above honesty. Inc Al
dicks crowd had done in Delaware what the
Platt gang had in Newlork: they had gained
possession of the machinery Of the party or
ganiZation and by means Of 1t were aDie 10
prcsen. themselves before the committee ana
the Convention with credentials having the
sanction of regularity and every mark OF gciu-
ipencss on the face of the credentials thcy
were entitled TO seats. and the contestants un-
der the lead of Senator Higgins had hardly
the ghost of chance. But the fact was note
rious that Addicks had done In Delaware what
Plat has always done in NeW-N ork: had used
the party machinery for his own selfish pur-
poses and failing of success had deliberately
conspired with the Democratic opposition To
prevent the election of Republican United
States Senator The regular and formal pro
cecding would have been To admit the Addcks
crowd without going behind the certificates
they held from the regular organization. That
would have put premium upon ucachcfy for
the encoura cement OF unprincpcd Bosses, ana
10 the disgrace of the party.
And il was Just that which provoked the
indignant outburst of Senator Thurston against
an act which, though accordant with regular
ity and precedent would have been Il source
of decentralization and q gross offence 10 the
scnsibilities of the vast majority of loyal. hon
est and upright Republicans. The committee
hcsitatcd To disregard tradition and viOlat"
precedent but the appeal was so forcihc. ANA
the gronnd of ii 50 clear and cogent. that they
refused to admit the regularly accredited Adj
dicks delegation TO seats and left the final set
tlemcnt of thc question TO the Convention III
was "A Convention fresh frcm the people. bear
inc the popular mandate. and thoroughly coI-
scious that 1t represented the Intelligence. the
independence and the downright honesty OF
purpose Of the Republican masses rather than
the machinery OF party organization. or the
will of the Bosses. who had come into posses
sion and control Of it. And 50 the Convention.
waving technicaties and fcrnalitieS. declared
upon the facts that the Addiclls crowd had no
standing nor any right in Il Republican Con
vention The irregular Higgins delegation was
seated And that meant simply that the CON
troll Of party organization machinery by corrupt
trading and dickcrng Bosses does not count
this year, either in the nomination Of candidates
or the conduct Of the campaign.
Senator Thurston as we have said. struck
the keynote and set up a high standard for the
whole campaign when he declared that not even
TO insure the election Of a Republican President
would he vote TO admit to the National Conycn-
ton n trading and dickering. self seeking and
trcachcrOus political Boss. Less striking. per
haps but not less significant than the action
in the Addcks case, was the treatment which
the Convention gave the gentleman whom CON
gressman Quigg calls ''the Republican master
of the state Him. too, the Convention turned
down. leaving him only two half-votcs for his
contestants and those conceded Out of good
nature rather than awarded on the merits Of
the case. 1t was not Il good Convention for
Bosses. Nor will il be Il good year for them.
The overwhelming defeat which they suffered
in the nomination Of Mckinley was sgni
cant Of the discstcem in which they are held
by the mass Of Republican voters. The nom
ination means clear and outspOkcn dcclara-
ton for Protection and Sound Money. but il
means none the less an indignant popular up
rising against the control Of the party machn-
cry by selfcoustitutcd Bosses Not alone in
Delaware and Texas and other Boss ridd d
States but here in New York And il must
not be forgotten that the logic Of the result IS
the dethronemcnt of Mr. Platt as 'the Repub
lican master of the State. and the dSc5tab-
lishment Of his county and State machine To
intrusi the conduct of the campaign 10 such
hands would be as illogical as to elect a bunco
steerer president Of II bank. This * to be N
canraipn against Boss rule as well as NJ favor
Of Protection and Sound Money.