New-York tribune., 1896-03-31
TWO REPUBLICAN, CLUBS.

Yes. they are the better element The con-
tcmptuous sneer with which Mr.. Platt and Mr..
Iouterbach and Mr.. Abraham Gruber ana the
rest OF the machine politicians have been accus-
TONED to describe Republicans who belong to the
Union League and Republican clubs. or who are
in sympathy with those two organizations III
their hostility TO machine methods. has its foun-
dation in truth. They stand for maintenance
of faith with the voters. for honest adminls'ra-
ton. for reputable appointments, clean me'hodS
ond deccnt poltics. 1t hardly need be added
that they stand not only for the enforcement OF
law as against Others but for obedience 10 law
on their own part Both these clubs furnished
an excellent illustration of this in the manner
in which without quibbling or evasion, without
waiting for any judicial construction or es"l
oninion upon the crudities and antiquities OF
a loosely drawn and half-hatched law, they ac-
cepted 1t in Its application to them in Its strict
est sense, and set an example as law-ao'uins
citizens, which. by comparison with the machine
politicians who gained possession OF the couh!
organization by the violation OF specihc ana
unambiguous statute laws. fairly entities theh
TO be called with truthfuness and In high ana
honorable sense the better element OF the
Republican party.
Yet this jumble Of provisions called an excise
law-which takes effect Immediately ana docsh
take effect at all; which revolutonizes business
In some respects. and Is so mixed and CONFUSING
that no one pretends to know exactly what IL
does mean--is an enactment forced through d
Platt-IAuterbach Legislature by high-handed
methods and disgraceful processes for no o'her
than the confessed purpose of strengthening the
Platt- -Lauterbach machine and fortiiylng IL III
position against the "bctter element IN the
party The utter lack Of conscience and OF moral
principle in the whole proceeding Is evident 10
any one who considers for n moment that the
State Convention, which was as manifesuy
dominated by Mr. Platt as Is the Legislature
deliberately resolved to ignore the excise ques
tion absolutely. although II appeared TO be OF
nressng current interest, and was only turned
from that purpose by the courageous acton OF
Warner Miller, who was determined that upon
the single issue Of the enforcement OF the sun
dov laws the party should take straightfor-
ward and outspoken position EXen then the
convention dared go no further In the direction
of recommending general excise legislatloh'
What was still more significant of the ante
election cowardice Of the machine politiciahs'
Mr. Iauterbach. as Platts lieutenant In th's
county. took advantage OF fraudulenty gaincd
control Of the organization here TO repudiate IN
effect the action Of the State Convention ana
pass q shuffng prevarication in the form or a
resolution on the same subject.
What the Platt-Lautcrbach element did then
was, in the first place, to play the coward IN
the Convention by lodging the excise question
absolutely. Then they played the coward be-
fore Warner Miller who would not be put down
by Platt or Lauterbach or Speaker Fish or little
Iexow, but called the Convention to its duty
and compelled 1t to face the question Of the
hour. Then they played the coward again In
this county, and by a shameful retreat from the
simple stand for maintenance Of law taken by
the State Convention lost the county. Then, the
danger being past and they being In possession
of the legislative and Executive Departments,
OF the State Government, they became sudden
ly metamOrphosed from cCwards to DULLES, and
started in to make On excise law, which, with
some features that are decided Improvements on
the old law and so commend 1t to the advocates
of temperance and upholders of morality has fol
its main purpose the building up of a political
machine to perpetuate their control Of the party
and possibly Of the State The better element
so-called with snort of contempt by the Patts
I,auterbachs and Grubers, clearly understand
the PURPOSE anu uh"eiS'"u "' "oii ''' ~ '
directed against them as the opponents Of ma
chine politics But they nre nothing II not law
abiding citizens. They believe in the mainten
ance and enforcement Of all laws, no matter
what their Interior purpose, or upon whom they
bring hardship or inconvenience. Hence tho
"better element in the two most prominent and
influential Republican clubs in town, withou
hesitation or question, without qulbble or eva
sion, taking the letter Of the law as II stands
obcyed 1t implicitly. 1t was the honest instinc
OF honest, law-abiding citizens 1t ILLUSTRATED
character and it set good example. Yes; thu
Republicans who compose the membership O
these two clubs are the better element in th'
party Messrs Plat, Lauterbach and CRUDE
are quite right about 1t, even though they saI
It with a sneer.