New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-11
pIaTT LEADERSHIP REPUDl4TED.

The most obvious moral to be drawn from
the late election is that the results SIGNIFY ABOVE
all things. loss Of confidence by kepupilcanS III
the marty leaders In this city the ueleat vi .ne
candidate put forward by the socalied regular
Republican organization was not due TO any
lack Of personal popularity on the part Oh zen
eral Tracy On the contrary. he enjoyed pelole
his nomination az great popularity Win the
mass If voters AS any candidate VINO could
have been named. And it Is not likely Ihat 1t
has heen seriously diminished by the result
Durino q campaiCn of unprecedented bitterness
IN which his most active supporters scrupled al
rotbinc in the Way of defamation and abuse OF
oro Of bic onnonents no one assailed his per
Sonol character The worst charge brought
AGAINST him was that his relations Win MI
pI,tt ond his family were close ana intimate
,hot If elected there was a strong probability,
amounting almost 10 certainty, that his admin
istration in its appointments TO office It's dis
,ribution of patronage and its general policy
,vould he controlled and directed by leader IN
whom the majority of the party had lost conh-
donco His overwhelming. almost isnominious,
defeat was due to no personal unpopularity' nor
70 any lack of confidence in him. but TO total
loss ~ confidence In the leader and the leader
ne to be so plain as hardly TO need pointing out
In the light of facts. il cannot be controversial
II was not the candidate, but the leader ana MS
leadership. that the voters rebuked.
Nor was it TO any lack Of personal popularity
thot Judqe Wallace owed his defeat. Judge
Wallace was and still is one Of the most pop
Mar occupants of the bench As a jnrlst he
stands high in his profession; as citizen he Is
o,,I aCta
course of the campaign word Of reproach, or
oven of the mildest criticism OF his character
as n man. or Of his professional standing was
anywhere uttered 1t was his misfortune, 100
that without any voliton of his own ne was
placed before the people Of the state ms the
candidate and representative Of leader and
leadership that they could not in conscience APP
prove, but felt il to be a duty to repudate and
throw off even at the sacrifice OF worthy ana
merltorious candidate. In this city thousands OF
Republcans angered and disguised at the lead
ershlp which wantonly and recklessly divided
the party and threw away victory, voted the
straight Citizens Union ballot which contained
no candidates name for Judge Of the Court or
Appeals. without taking the trouble TO put
cross against Judge Wallace's name on the Re
publcan ballot These thousands would gladly
have voted for Judge Wallace on personal or
political grounds or both, had wise leadership
and decent campaign management made 1t rea-
sonably simple and easy. In the State al large
Judge Wallaces candidacy suffered also from
the oppostion or Indifference Of Republicans
who. with no motive for opposing his election,
saw no other way TO express Their hostlH'y 10
the Boss and their dlsapproval OF the Boss
legislation which has been CANNED through
during the last two or three years.
The election. IN short, was vote OF lack or
confidence in Senator Plat and his leadership.
The Republican voters in city and State simply
repudiated him and his policy, his dictatorlal
management his blind obstinacy and stupid
folly his graceess. subseryient following ana
all OF his and their works. The one thing made
absolutely plain and unmistakable Is that under
such leadership the Republican party has moth
ing before ii but defeat. Dazed and bcwildered
by the disaster he has brought upon the party,
the Senator has since the election made no Sign.
Could we believe this to be sign that he ap-
preciates the situation, and recognizes the call
for his abdlcation, we should welcome his 81
lence as happy omen for the future. IT Is to
be feared though, that it Is not the silence Of
penitcnce or remorse in which he has wrapped
himself More likely his contemplative mood is
occupied with devsing schemes for rehabili-
tating himself with the remnants Of the party
he has so sadly shattered through his Influence
with the coming Legislature. That Legislature
has before 1t an opportunity to do the Repub-
lican party Of the State of New York, and per
haps Of the Nation, an incalcuable service by
simply recognizing the fact that Mr.. Platt and
his leadership have been rcpudiatcd by the party
and the people, and pursuing straightforward,
honest and honorable policy Of It's own regard
less Of his counsels or his threats
COINCIDENCE.