New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-12
TIE .SENdTORSHTP.

INT, within a very few years the State Of
New-YOrk has been represented almost cOntinu-
ously in the United States Senate by men OF
q high order Of ability men Of upright char
acter. superior attannents, wide knowledge Of
affairs. experience in public life. and that COM
prehens!ve grasp of political principles and poll
cles which may he broadly defined as states
manshp They could be called statesmen with
out the suggestion of irony o. provoking the
smile of derisve cynicism such men were De
Wit Clinton. Rufus King. Silas Wright. Marin
Van Buren, and William L. Marcy % The earlier
period and such. too, We're Seward. Dickinson.
Dix. Hamilton Fish. Conkng and Eyaris Of
later time They represented nigh stand
ard Of capacity for public affairs. They were
men Of mark. Of whom all citizens. no matter
how widely they differed upon the questions of
current politics. might we'll be proud rs their
representatives in the hlghes; legislative body
In the land. and Of whom none need he ashamed.
They were partisans. every one: but pariisans
IN no narrow sense. In their conception par
iisansh;p meant devotion 10 the principles and
doctrines which he party stood for. upon the
success of which not merely their own personal
fortunes. hut the permanent prosperity Of the
parties existed for Tie purpose OF acquiring office
and distributing among their membership the
spolls Of official patronage Least Of al did they
hermit themselves to derOgale from the dignity
oi their lofty and honorable station by making
sucn distribution their chief official function
That we haze fallen away from that high
estate during the las, few years will hardly ne
denied We are not now choosing IL represent
~ N the Senate men like those named above
men who can be described as statesmen without
danger OF provoking II sheer With the advent
Of Senator David y. Hin. who's" chief. and we
n,ight almost say only. claim to such promotion
was his control Of the machinery of his party
and the audaciously INSCRIPTIONS use he made
Of il. a new standard Of qualifications was SET
up We do not mean by this tina, Senator Hill
has not shown since his election talent which. II
Il falls far short Of craftsmanship. i sin above
that of the average machine politician. We glad
IN admit tina, he has improved his opportunities,
and that Ms intelligence has broadcDcd under
the influence Of new associations. Rut what
shall be said of his colleague Senator Murphy:
What had ne ever done except as a machine
manager in the lowest stratum OF politics 10 en-
tide MIN to represent the great State Of New
YORK IN tie L Dlltu Stdtt> senate w MI has he
done in the four years of his occupancy of that
post!On that has been Of The sllghres. service
ia the State? What was ne expected 10 do by
the people who sent him there: Nothing what
ever excep, 10 look out for :helr interests in the
distribution OF Offices under Democratic Ad-
rnjnistrarlon And he has mol been able 70 do
even that He has just sai there like bump
ON a log and done nothing but count one on
those extremely rare occasions when his party
has been united on a purely political question
And he represents in Che concrete the new stand
ard the machine standard Of qualifications for
United States Senator. Are we very proud Of
him? DO we want any more such:
The Legislature is about to cleci successor
I'd. Senator Hill. The choice II will make is in
he general belief foregOne conclusion. The
Tribune INDUCES IN no Illusions on that point
and certainly has no disposition to mlslead It's
readers Only two candidates have been named