The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-03
Good Government Club A.

Good Government Club A held it's annual
meeting on Wednesday evening. Bearing
as its designation the initial letter of the
alphabet, 1t has the place of honor in the
line Of these associations of moral and politi.
cal splendor. Hence the word of the hour
is always uttered by Good Government Club
A for the whole Of the alphabetical frater.
nifty. On Wednesday evening, this word
was put forth by Mr.. W. HARRIS RooME, a
former President Of Good Government Club
A. Before he sounded it, Mr.. LAIMBEER,
who was elected to the Assembly on the
Citizens Union ticket. had expressed the
Thought that the independent members
might hold the balance Of power" in that
lower house of the Legislature. 1t was a
wish rather than a thought, and in the in
terest Of honest legislation it is to be hoped
that Mr.. LAIMBEER d~eceives himself. He
has been in the past a Republican, but now
he Is engaged in an effort to make mischief
for the Republican party and incidentally to
advertise himself as such a mischief.maker.
If he and his few Citizens Union compan-
ions should "hold the balance of power"
as he hopes, the next legislative session
might be brought to a deadlock, with the
probable and almost inevitable conse-
quence Of scandals which would make the
Citizens Union enterprise only n disgrace.
full memory for the public. Fortunately
they are not likely to have that opportu-
nifty to make profitable bargains; but it
will be necessary to watch them closely.
Legislators who start out to 20 as they
please, regardless Of party lines and in de-
fance of all party agreement in caucus,
need to be kept under constant and sus-
picious scrutiny.
Mr.. W. HARRIS RooME discoursed on
"The Future of the Citizens Union" and
as extracts from his speech are given in the
sympathetic columns of the NeU York
Times, we feel a natural confidence in
their authenticity and accuracy. First, be
warned Good Government Club A not "to
deceive themselves into thinking that all
of the 1900 o men who voted for SETH
Low were in favor of non-partisan govern
ment. Most of them,' he explained,
"availed themselves of an opportunity to
protest against boss rule" That is exactly
what we told CARL SEIZURE yesterday after
he had described the result of the election
as favorable for the future Of the cause
Of non-partisanship. The part of the
Low vote which devotion to non partisan.
ship drew out was small, a few thousands
at most. The majority of 1t came from
Democrats who hated the Republican
party, and were glad of an opportunity to
divide and defeat 1t, and from Republicans
who had been h~umbugged by WHITELAw
REID and his gang into believing that there
was such a thing as "Plattism,' and that
these malicious intriguers were struggling
for some nobler end than the mere graft
fcation Of their vindictiveness because
they themselves had not been allowed to
do the bossing.
Mr.. RooME consequently and wisely con
cluded that the Good Government prodi
gies of moral grandeur will not be able tc
drive the national parties from the field.
Practically they comprise all the non-parti
sans there are, and instead Of gathering
strength at the last election it is probable
that the cause of non.partisanship received
then its death blow. The humbug was cx
plodcd In the Strong administration ant
the people wanted no more of it,. They de
manded that hereafter there shall be party
responsibility and accountability in thu
Government of New York, so that well,
doing may be rewarded properly and i'll
doing punished according to it's deserts
Nor did the cry of bossism " prevent then
from assisting to give over the control o
the consolidated city to the most systematic
and most resourceful variety of it known il
American politics.
All the same, Mr.. RooME said that tn,
Citizens Union ought "to be kept up,
because We are doing a work of education
which we cam do in party lines" by bring
ing the people up to the right point,
where "they will force national parties Il
give them good municipal government.
So far, they have succeeded in educating
the people Of New York up to the poin