New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-07
OTIGG is 1T,

It has been intimated in some quarters that
the newspapers are making too much OF Mr.
Ouigg. 1t is true that Quigg does seem TO &C.
cupy unusual space for a statesman OF MS
calibre. But how could it be otherwise in any
discussion of the present political SITUATION uh-
less. indeed, all reference to what IS called the
regular Republican organization Is TO De sup
messed. For 1t Is worthy Of observation that
so far as that organization Is concerned Quigs
Is doing all the talking. There's nothing from
Tracy nothing from Plat. nothing from ElDpS'
nothing even from the usually garrulous "ru-
Der, nothing from anybody but Quigg. Ihere
hasn't been since the City Convention abdicated
its functions and sat silent while Quigg con-
Quoted all the proceedings. made all the mo-
tons did most of the talking and cast III votes
as q unit He is president OF the County COM
mittee and of the City Committee. ana IN the
latter capacity has selected his own suDordi-
mates and associates. The conduct or the entire
campaign has been put in his hands, and nc IS
running It to the Queens taste. There nave
been Bosses before. Tammany has had Tweed
and Kelly and Croker; the Republican state
machine has had Plat and the county machine
Lauterbach, but never one OF them was ciothed
with such absolute power IN debating the pol
ICY, choosing the candidates and managing
campaign as Lemuel Ely Quigg exercises at this
moment in what he calls the Republican party
of this city. That's the reason why Qugg &C.
cupies 80 much space In the newspapers. Quigg
Is the Republican party.
For the Tammany Democracy considerable
number Of statesmen are talking at Intervals
Neither Croker nor Sheehan Is doing 1t all
Neither one has the absolute sway that Qulgg
exercises OF neither one OF them can 1t DO
said with certainty that what he says goes.
Other leaders have to be consulted. and when
either of them undertakes to carry things with n
high hand the rank and file put themselves IN
evidence and make a kick. For the Citizens
Union there are any number Of spokesmen-per-
haps too many-but none Of them. not even the
much-msrepresented Mr.. Reynolds, pretends TO
Law down the law for the rest or issue general
orders for the conduct Of the campaign. The
Citizens Union may be trihe scattering and
Heterogeneous, but its members have at least re-
tained the right to express their own opinions
and have not surrendered to any one their In
dividual liberty Of thought and action Nor
does any one man pretend to speak with the
authority Of an autocrat or dictator for the wing
of the Democracy which has put Mr.. Henry
George in nomination. Even Jimmy OBren
does not venture to speak Of the snug and SER
viceable little body Of adherents under his COM
mand In the first person singular In these and
all other organizations Of which we have any
knowledge there's the buzz Of voices, the noise
Of many takers, expressions Of individual opln-
ion. and all the indications Of intellectual aglta-
ton and freedom Of movement. In the Repub-
can organization nobody peeps It's all Quigg.
We presume he likes It. Whether all the
statesmen, talkatlve and prominent in past cam
pagns but silent now. like It as well we are
unable to say. 1t may be that they are keep
Ing still, in wonder at the selfsuficiency with
which this political infant phenomenon Is WELD
ing the sceptre and Issuing commands, or they
may be so Disguised with the whole situation
that they have nothing to say; or, what Is quite
possible, they may be keeping their mouths shut
for fear of disturbing Quigg In his handling Of
the machine. Whatever may be the cause the
old leaders are saying nothing, but letting Quigg
do all the talking. Hence the prevalence and
continuance Of Quigg in the press. 1t Is strong
" probable that he will continue to be In evil
dence with the whole stage all to himself, until
the election in November. If he should be sue
cessful II General Tracy is elected as no so
confidently predicts, Mr.. Lemuel Ely Quigg will
be not only "biger than old Platt but by all
odds the biggest man on the continent, and next
to Emperor William, the biggest in the whole
world. But his eggs are all in that basket. If
he should happen to fail-but to his sanguno
temperament such contingency IS simply in
conceivable.