The times., 1897-09-15
DEMOCRACY IN NEW YORK.
To the Editor Of The Times:

he independent ills generally recommend
ed 10 avoid national issues and especially
the in,lor sernent Of the Chicago platform.
1t Is urged that there is no necessary re-
lation between Ihtional and municipal pol
iUies. Concede this To be true and the
question arises why should national poilt-
.cal parties, as such, be represented or
take part in municipal elections? Why
shoui, there be separate action by Re
publicans or Democrats, either for making
or indorsing nominations? Why should not
all organizations in such contests DC in
dependent? If national issues are distinct
from municipal iSsnos, what warrant is
there for supposing that those Who are
sufficiently agreed to get together On
no tiunal questions viii can agree in
respect Go local issues? Partisanship ex
GUIDED, what ground is there for s1ppoS
ing that any Democrat ill differ from
ans Republican as 10 the Raines law, tax
alton. city improvements or any other
measure OF local administration? Eyi-
denIy Hone whatever.
The logical sequence of asserting that
national issues are in no way involved
in tie choice OF municipal officers is the
exclusion of national organizations, as
sucit, from any interference with the con
NiOipl IitS SOftlHtht H. II oii9 10 Il IOfiGLO
theory there might be Low ticket. an
anti Low TICKET, reform ticket, Il con
hervativc ticket, a Tarnlnany ticket, al
antiT Tammany ticket, or some otherorganic
grouping OF those who are arrayed on one
siue or the other of these and similar
issues, but there is not the slightest
reason, not even a valid excuse, for
Republican or Democratic ticket. These
hasf Al
cations, They represent and are uni
yersally understood TO represent divisions
of opinion upon national issues. To use
these names ana the machinery of their
partisan organization in d contest which
In no way concerns national issues is
Hat uSurratton "a totally unjustifiabIe
employment OF ali instrumentality created
and sustained for one purpose for the
support OF different and alien purpose.
The whole trouble arises from a false con
ceptioa OF the scope OF municipal elections.
They do involve national issues, Not iii
rectly, but In an indirect way, most
potentially.
In our mixed form OF popular government
every expression of opinion at the ballot
box has an influence outside of its local i'm
port. A town, city, county, State and ma
tions OF policy but each voter who takes
part In one h as an interest in all, and 1t is
impossible, under any system OF organiza-
ton which VIII make his vote effective,
that the tallot which he deposits in any
one stall not have an Influence upon the
decision OF the issues involved in some OF
ali of the others. And, whatever may be
| said 10 tue contrary national issHes are pre-
! fHfRtnaut X there. ma with re-
gard FOR his reputation for common sense
who VIII say that in the coming election in
Greater New York a Republican victory
upon a distinctiyely Republican platform
would not h,lve an influence. and u most
potent Influence, upon Congressional elec-
tionE IN 1882 Is there any one among
the millions OF Republicans who voted for
the candidates of that party and who stHI
desires It's success IS ho does not feel per
sonal interest in this coming municipal
election who would not regret Repub-
ncan defeat, and. ab,.ye all. would not feel
Euufiiatcd and resen.rul at the raising Of
! the Republican standard over any sort OF
organization which refused or omitted To
/ indorse is uation al platform and the
! national Administration chosen TO exc
| cIte it?
! Republican convention would or should
| fan to make this indUrs sement. IL IL did
not it would not he a Republican conven
tioL And why is not all this equally true
! in respect to the Democratic orgauiza ton?
The Democratic PARTY, no less than the
Republican. IS thoroughly national party.
! II stands for national issues. ard for these
1 atone its character, it's reputation. IT'S
/ pr,,3 f4s rDsfft farS l,ts p.
and governed by its attitude toward ma
tiCnal policies. BY what authority then,
and with what right, can its name be
/ assumed and its organization used by
aLy convention OF asSembIa ge of delegates
which repudiates ur ignores or refuses To
| indorse those national policies a s defined
| by It's national representatives and de-
cIared in the manner and form prescribed
and sanctioned by party usage? To say
that the Chicago platform is not tie au-
tEoiitative embodiment of the poiicies OF
tue present Democratic party OF the United
states Is sin.ply 70 assert palpabl ia lse
hood. Not only was there entire regularity
1T the methods of its adoption, but 1t was
indorsed at the polls by a million more
votes than We're ever before given TO q
| Democratic candidate. Not only this, but
in the present year the Democratic conven
tiuns OF six great States Ohio, Kentucky,
| Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Vir-
| ginia have recognized its authority and
| gwen To it a hearty unequiVoeal, enthu
siastic Endorsement.
II Mr.. Croker, MIR. Sheehan and other
| Taumany magnates wish to call a con
vention and nominate candidates for
| Greater New York it is their undoubted
| privilege TO do So but it viii not be
| Democrats convention. If they wish to
| hold Ta1nmany convention, let them do
So but call it by its right name. II they
| assume the name Of Democracy and re-
| pudiate or ignore it's national platform
they win he guilty of misappropriat ton o {
that To- which they have no claim, and iii
the poSs eseion Of which millions of Demo
| cratic voters elsewhere have a direct in
terest. Jt is ali very Well to tell US that
we are outsiders and must keep hands
OFF, and let them manage their city af-
fairs for thems elves.
We do not object provid ed that they
VIII keep their hands off that which does
not belong 10 them. But if Tamnany
proposes t. steal the trade mar K Of
Democracy, then it concern US, and we
have and shall exercise the right TO de-
nounce the theft.
So far | have not been intruding upon
the Iammany association my advice, but
only insisting that it sho uld be honest and
not put a false label upon the political
goods which it's directors shall conclude
1 Sr +ba