New-York tribune., 1897-12-31
TIE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislature which convenes next week
at Albany will be Republican In both branches:
In the Senate-whch holds overly safe ma
jority: in the Assembly-elected last November
by a margin narrow enough to provoke seri-
Gus reelection on the part Of its members The
series OF Republican victories beginning In
1898 and taperlng off with the hairbreadth es-
cape Of last month has manifestly had the ef
feet upon the party which continued successes
invariably have upon the victOrs. For the
last three years Republican majorites in the
Legislature have felt so secure In their places,
so confident that they had nothing to fear from
the distracted and demorallzed Democracy,
that they have become careless In general legis-
lation. reckless in the distribution Of patronage
and sometimes Overbearinc and arrogant in
their utter disregard OF the popular will The
loss OF the State on the popular vote and the
,ttenuated majority by which the Legislature
was saved at the last election may well set
those gentlemen thinking. 1t was a close shave
from general disaster What caused It? Why
should not the Republicans have carried the
State and elected he Legislature by as decisive
majortles in 1897 as In either of the pre-
Cious years? The times were most propi-
.ious Republican National Administration
had strengthened the party and increased its
prestige The Democratic party In this State
had done nothing whatever to redeem It's repu-
.ation, nothing to regain public confidence. moth
ing to make it more tolerable to the voters who
mad shaken off its domination in disgust What
was more. it was torn asunder by internal dis
sensons and burst wide open by fundamental
differences on questions Of National finance.
Why was it, then, that they carried the State
on the general ticket and came 80 near gaining
control Of the Assembly?
These are pertinent questions for the men,
bers of the Legislature which convenes next
week to take into serious consideration. The
vote Of last month was in no sense a vote Of
confidence in the Democratic party. Nobody.
not even the most ardent and enthusiastic
Democrat, thinks 1t was. 1t was. as every
body knows, simply and solely vote Of lack Of
confidence In the Republican party. The voters
said by their ballots that they were getting tired
of the Republican party's administration Of
affairs of its policy. its management. Its ap-
pojntments, it's leaders. Who is TO blame for
that? Why one would suppose. from the man.
ner In which the scurrilous organ Of the Platt
Ouigg Rump machine berates and abuses every
Republican who disapproved the proceedings
of the last Legislature or refused to obey the
orders Of those two ridiculous persons that
this great body OF Republican voters had wick
edly and malicously. without cause or provo
cation. conspired TO break up their own party;
that the Legislature was blameless and that
there was nothing in the tanning through
performances Of P,att the Master" or the In
suferable insolcnce OF the whpper snapper
Quigg 10 which any loyal Republican could take
exceptions How plausible that Is. to be sure.
No. gentlemen OF the legislature Make no
mistake in this matter. The responsibility for
the November disaster Is upon your prcdcces-'
sors who cringed like towards before the will
Of the man they called Master" and against
their own judgments and inclinatons voted for
his treacherous scheme to bring Tammany back
into power and feed its ravenous hosts fatter
than ever. 1t is Thomas c. Platt and the Inst
Legislature that Croker and his gang have to
thank for the four years debauch uDon the