New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-25
GOVERNOR BLACKS VISITORS.

1t is reported from Albany that Governor
Black was waited upon yesterday by Messrs
Edward Lauterbach president of the Republican
County Committee: Frederick $ Gibbs Repub-
lican National Committeeman for New-IOrk
and Lcmue Ely Quigg member of Congress and
prospective Republican candidate for Mayor Of
Greater NewYork with a view of influencing
his action regarding Mr.. Lauterbachs Police
bill the pending amendments to the RaneS law
Ind perhaps other legislation affecting the Great
er New-York. These gentlemen are all active,
enterprising and energetic Republican pc,i-
ticians. who make no secret Of their heller in
the machinery Of party organization as the most
efficent-if not indeed the only-instrumcntal-
fly by which the reforms in municipal govern
ment which n majority Of voters obviously de-
sire can be put in operation. They differ in that
respect most decidedly with the prominent and
influential citizens of both parties who have just
initiated the movement for an enrolment and
organization OF citizens irrespective Of party
affiliations in a Citizens Union, whose sole OBJ
feet is to separate municipal government from
party politics and party machinery and place
the administration OF municipal affairs in the
hands of business men, who will conduct IL on
purely business principles.
The idea of reform entertained by the Gov
ernor's visitors is 10 correct the abuses which
grew up under Democratic administration dur
ing the long period Of that partys absolute
power by tranSferrence of control no less abso
lutte TO the party opposed TO the Democratic upon
principle and by habit. association and train
ing. This is the logical deduction Of politicians
whose activities have been exclusively directed
20 The constant and strenuous struggle between
the great parties, and whose habit Of thought
IS consequently narrowed TO that point of view
Abuses having grown up under the opposing
partys rule, they say and not without plaus-
b,lity: '@Turn that party out and put us in: the
"only party that has always and everywhere
Opposed these msusers of power. They are the
'parly Of corruption and disagreement; We
"as their lifelong. uncompromisng opponents
"are logically the party Of reform" That is the
burden Of their argument, and. as we say it has
plausibility, and Is not without weight in the
minds Of ardent partisans or the large body Of
undscriminatng voters who base their political
action upon habit and are not accustomed to
think deeply as to causes or look far ahead into
consequences.
1t is not necessary TO impue insincerity to
these gentlemen when they contend that the only
way to secure reforms and establish honest mu
nicipal government is 10 put the Republican
party in control, and urge as reason for special
legislation that 1t will put into the hands Of the
party managers the machinery necessary TO Sc
cure that control 1t IS quite possible that they
may be sincere in their contention. though 1t
must be confessed that the suggestion that the
three gentlemen named are actuated by the sole
motive OF devotion to municipal reform or I'M
selfish regard for the general welfare would he
very likely to excite smile in the circles where
they are best known. But there are two excel
lent reasons. aside from these considerations,