The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-27
REPUBLICAN MISTAKES.

(From the Newark Sunday Call."9
The Republican party n this STAT ia;
should. spend the time before 1ne aai
try to pull itself together. 1t came Int
power when the people were disgusteo
| with Democratic rule, because the pernoc'
The nomination of Governor Griggs was
made in defiance of an EFFORT TO control
| the Republican party in the same way
the nomination was followed by a sweep
| ing victory. In the year following pecu-
| liar national conditions gave the Repup-
| party fortunes have been decidedly on the
| wane. The tariff bill which Congress has
given this country as the first fruits 81
| the new administration is almost uniyer-
| sally denounced, and the impression
grows that If prosperity returns TINS ran
II will be in spite of rather thar on ac-
count of the action Of the Government:
In State affairs there has been the
gravest disappointment. The Legislature
has been under the control OF corpora
tons and political bosses to an exren I
to look for little independence IN TINS
body, and the Governors consent has
been given to measures which a couple OF
sented to him, SO certain would their ad-
vocates LAY been that a ringing veto
would have followed. Appointments by
taken as a whole, and in some cases have
been unqualifiedly condemned. The SEN
timent of the people is that they have
been fooled-that the transfer OF power
has been merely from one set of bosses
to another.
In short, the Republican party in this
State will enter upon the fail campaign
having earned popular distrust ana DIS
satisfaction, and with no better depend
ence for success than the divisions which
1t hopes may develop in the opposition.
The fault is with the leaders. who have
either surrendered to corporation inter-
ests. or have been bitten by ambition. 1t
will, of course, be claimed that this is an
off-year, with few offices of great import
ance to be filed. but every practical OBJ
server knows that unless there is a
chaage In policy and methods this year,
the disastrous effect will be felt in their
full force only when the United States
Senatorship and Governorship are at
Their is an available remedy for the
disease which affects the Republican
party, n it consists merely in meeting
expectations raised three years ago. A
do-nothing policy. subservient to bosses,
has been tried and the party has lost the
public confidence. Let it send men of
capacity to the Legislature, let appoint
nents be made without consulting with
bosses, let there be some real reforms in
legislation, let some of the follies of last
session be retrieved, and keep out of
sight the personal ambitions of men who
want to be Senator and Governor. Then
wculd there be a fair fight between the
parties when the great offices are to be
decided. We want to see the campaign
of 1898 made with each organization pre-
the largest measures of reform. Unless
the Republicans pull themselves together
they will be defeated upon their dement's,
A contest with only the faults of the Re-
PUBLICAN party as the campaign issue
yet such will it be if there is no change
in the policy OF the party which has so
far caused only disappointment.