New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
TIE LAUTERBACH BOOMERANG.

Mr.. Lauterbach bullded a great deal better
than he knew when on Thursday night as the
accredited organ and mouthpiece OF the Repuo-
lcan County Committee, tren IN session, ne SET
forth so distinctly and unreservedly the attitude
OF that body in its relation to municipal analrs
For he buded the platform upon which the or
ganizat!on which he leads will 20 into the NIL
nicipal election next November In such plain
sight and with such naked simplicity that there
can be no mistaking It's meaning or It's purpose
1t Is brief. succinct, straight from the shoulder
1t wastes no time upon questions OF munlclpai
policy upon any proposed changes or REFORMS;
upon the administration Of any of the depart
ments; upon none of the matters, in fact which
concern the public welfare. 1t is simply that
the Republican party, in so far as 1t Is repre-
scented by the County Committee, demands con-
troll of the patronage Of Greater Ne-r-York for
the sole reason that 1t needs It, and will use 1t
for the advantage of the Republican party OF
the State and Nation. There is no pretence that
It will administer the municipal government
upon any new or different lines from those upon
which It is now conducted; no allusion to econ
omy. retrenchment or reform; no promise OF I'M
provement in any direction. save that the offices
will be filed by straight Republicans and the
enormous patronage under the new charter will
be divided among straight" Republicans for
the benefit of the Republican party.
That is the issue BADLY stated. And that
there might he no mistake as to the attitude OF
the Republican machine toward any such inde-
pendent non-partisan movement as that which
so many thousand Republicans helped to make
successful in 1894, Mr.. Lauterbach In this au-
thoritative declaration said 1t would he better
..far that there should be placed In power true
democrat, even a Tammany Hall Democrat,
"than that we should aid 10 elect to that state
"of power and place man Of no party. whose
administration Is responsible to no party and
"who has no party at his back 1t might be
asked TO be sure. whether such Republican
administration. il elected. would be responsible,
In the enforcement Of the amended Raines law,
for instance TO the Republican party of the
State which enacted 1t. or the Republican party
Of New-York County, which under Mr.. Lauter-
bach's leadership opposed It and inspired a bolt
from the party caucus on account Of it, But we
are concerned now chiefly with the significance
Of the attitude in which Mr.. Lauterbach has
placed the organization in this county, and not
with the speciousness OF his argument In that
behalf That position is that the worst thing
that could befall Greater New-YOrk would be
the election Of It's Mayor and other officers by a
union of the voters of all parties who believe
that the affairs Of the municipality should be
managed like those of any other corporation. by
business men upon business principles, with sole
regard to the general welfare, and not by poll
tcians solely for the promotion Of partisan adj
vantage
Rather than that should happen, this Repub-
lean leader says, give us "a true Democrat, even
a Tammany Hall Democrat" Nothing could
be palmer or more direct II II comes to n ques-
ton between the old parties and a union Of citl-
zens who willing to lay aside partsanship
for the common good, this Republican organ
ization would rather enter into open alliance
with Tammany than see the nom partisan move
ment successful. And that Is Republicanism in
New-YOrk County under the leadership Of Ed
ward Lauterbach and with the approval OF Sen
ator Thomas G. Plat, who says that Repub-
licans who Join the Citizens Union must not
be recognized as belonging to the party The
line could not be more clearly drawn. The edlct
Of communication has gone out against all
Republicans who set their desire for good gov.
eminent and honest non-parisan administration
above the partisanship whose only test il I'M
questioning obedience to the machine. As
against them and the fulflment OF their aspra |
tons for clean and wholesome municipal gov |
eminent the Republican county machine lines
up with Tammany. There's spectacle for |
gods and men!
Well, 1t Is better 80. II does away with nv. |