The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-05
The Test of Democracy.

An association calling itself the Demo
cratic Union" met in the Fifth avenue on
Wednesday evening and adopted u plat
form of principles" The purpose of this
collection of politicians is to assist the
Organized Tammany Hall in it's effort to
get control of the Greater New York, for
its own advantage and to help along the
reputation cause in 1900. Hence all men.
tion of the revolutionary scheme of Tam
many Is omitted in the ten principles laid
down in the Fifth avenue manifesto.
The first ''principle" is that 1.-THE gov
eminent of New York city should be ad-
ministered by her citizens free from rural
i~ntermeddling." Our municipal govern
ment will be administered under the char.
ter of New York framed by n commission,
all of whom, including the distinguished
Democratic members, recommended its
adoption as just, fair, and sufficient to pro-
tect the political rights of the city. The
only rural intermeddlinR" was that re-
quired under the Constitution of the State,
in order that the charter granting this
furthest possible degree of home rule might
he obtained. The declaration of the plat
form Is balderdash.
~ 'NNoitt hihe oahh uhA ~
"principles" relate to matters which are
not In dispute, to the preference of resi-
dents for work on public improvements, to
their pay and hours of labor, to the pro-
vision of sufficient school accommodations,
and to the right of the Democratic party to
"choosc public officers from its member
ship" Everybody agrees to all that. No
possible issues Of the campaign are in these
declarations.
The sixth and seventh principles" re-
late to the Raines law and call for it's re-
peal. But that brings in a State issue
purely, when the p~rctence of this platform
is that all issues not distinctively munich
pal should be excluded from the campaign,
1t being devised solely to hide away
the evcr-present Tammany Organism. The
Democratic party, moreover, will never
repeal the Raines law, even IL it gets into
power In the State. The principle OF that
law Is bound to stick, and the great reve-
nue. obtained from it also assures it's con.
inued ~permanence.
The eighth 'principle" is an absurd and
hypocritical declaration that "the provi-
sions of our State Constitution relative to
civil service should not be evaded by par.
tlSul lclslSlhtlDn. pNth cNtSiOI, VI COuIbc
would be void as unconstitutional. This
plank is pure humbug.
The ninth says that municipal franchises
should not he granted or sold, but leased for
short periods, SO that to the people shall nc
crue their greatest benefit" In this there
is nothing peculiar all parties will have
something of the sort in their platforms.
The tenth calls for the election of "citi'
gems of experience and high character to
municipal offices. Everybody at all times
has been of that opinion.
The truth is that there is nothing in these
ten principles" that deserves any atten'
tion from the citizens of New York. TIL
whole platform is a blank charge. 1t is In
sincere, mere clap.trap. The issues 1t at
tempts to fabricate in order to conceal the
one real issue of the campaign are moi
issues at all.
How can this real issue be showed aside
by any organization calling itself Demo
craticl What sort of Democratic is iti Il
1t Bryanite Democratic or is 1t genuinely