The sun., 1898-02-14
MR. moor AND REPUBLICAN, UN1rT.
The obIiEntien RastinE Upeu Hin ana the
OpDortuntty Errero nnIun.

/ Roots address to tho Union League Club, ex-
/ pressing desire for Republican unity at this
very critical timo In our political history, is an
| encouraging indication. Since Mr.. Root began
| the practice of tho law. in which he has won so
| great distinction, no has bcen earnestly and
prominently engaged in promoting the interests
OF the Republican party in Now York. and in
tho past no Republican here has been moro
honorably efficient In building It up. Naturally,
therefore, he must now look with pain upon the
working of influences prejudical to its intog'
rlty; and he must be the more distressed in
tcmpating their dangerous possibilities because
he took part in the municipal revolt against
the Republican organization, whose animosltics
thoy are now seeking to perpetuate and extend.
For that reason, too, very grave responsibility
rests upon Mr.. Root. since perhaps more than
any other Republican In New York ho can be
influential in defeating the malign tendency. and
restoring to tho party In New York the harmony
and solidity on which depends the security OF
the property of this great community.
The Union League Club, OF which Mr.. Root Is
now President, ought to be. first OF ALL minis
ter of peace for the Republican party. Since its
formation as a loyal association during the war.
and moro especially in recent years. there has
appeared In 1t, however. an element which 10
implacably hostile to the Republican party.
weakening seriously the valuable political In.
fuence which should cmanate from It. Mean.
time the Republican party has not changed in
spirit or purpose; its principles have remained
unatered and in 1896 tho whole conservative
sentiment OF this community was forced TO turn
to It rs tho sole refuge against social and f1nan
cial disaster. So far from opening itself to
Just criticism from the Union League Club.
the Republican party has rather advanced
to a more elevated position morally and po-
litically, and now deserves more complete
~ tha of man nff the ort
who make UP tho membership of that organiza-
tion. whether they be Democrats: Mugwumps
or Republicans. than ever before in Its history.
The Democratic party meanwhile represents
forces radically opposed to sound govern
ment and finance even in the estimation Of its
own conservatism Of the past. 1t has gone over
hopelessly to the dangerous radicalism OF the
Chicago platform. Every Democratic member
of Congress from this city is now as securely in
the Bryan camp as Bryan himself.
This Democratic assault upon national honor
and private security can be defeated only
through the fundamentally Of the Republican
party; and. to accomplish that victory finally in
1900. Republican victory in this State in 1898
Is obviously Of primo Importance. Tho great
question to be decided next Nov cmber Is whether
New York, the financial and commercial capital
of America. is to be for national honesty and
business security is to be Joined with the
political forces which passed the Teller resolu-
tion in the Senate. No other question of any
significance will enter into tho campaign. and
there will be in the field no representative of
sound and conservative principl. except the
Republican party.
The Union League Club and all Republicans.
whatever may have been their attitude in the
late municipal campaign. whether they arc
"Platt" Republicans or "antiPlatt' Republi.
cans. must tako ono sdo or tho other in that
contest and bear the consequences. II they do
not get together Republicans simply. with
out regard to the moro routine OF party MANAGE
ment. they will hand over the State of New
York to Bryanism in 1 s9s and probably in 1900;
they will assist in returning n free silver ma
jority to Congress and in setting back disas-
trously the current of business prosperity. OF
course, reorganization Of tho Republican party,
however desirable it may be, is not requisite
to enable any Republican to vote for ticket
representative Of the principles of his party;
no new leader Is necessary. and there is moth
ing in the present organization to prevent his
declaring his will through it at the polls and
having that will carried out at Albany and at
Washington.
In my Congress district, Mt the election of
1885, there was q Republican revolt against tho
"machinc" candidate for Congress. resulting in
his defeat. when otherwise his election would
have been inevitable. and the return of young
George B. Mcclellan to Congress instead.
" hat was the RESULT McClellan's vote for tho
Teller resolution showed. The machine" was
beaten. but who triumphed2 Certainly it was
not the majority sentiment of that district,
Bolting from the "machine" meant profit to
Bryan!sm only. The boilers voted for repudia-
tion in order to smite the machine"
but they smote only their own political
convictions II similar revengeful tao
tics should be adopted by any considerable part
of tho Republicans OF the city generally at the
next election, in order "to punish Piatt," the
Congress delegation returned from New York
and sitting in the Congress in session up to the
eve of tho next national election, would be unan-
imously for Organism and reputation. Is not
that pretty heavy price to pay for the satisfac-
tion Of expressing aninosity against Mr.. Platt
or anybody clse2
As matter of fact, the great body of Repub.
lcans have no concern in tho nero routine
management Of the party organization. Their
concern is only about great questions of Re-
publican principles, as the relatively email
vote at tho primaries always proves. They
simply want properly authenticated party
nominations OF men upon whom they can
rely to represent accurately their sentiment.
OF course. no one doubts that such can
didates will be put up by the Republi-
can nominating conventions next autumn,
law. Men who will go over TO swell the ranks
OF rcpudiation. like Mr.. Mcclellan. win not re-
ceive nominations from the Republicans. There
is no such danger; nobody will have any such
fear. however much opposed he may be to tho
machine" So also as to the State Senators
and Asscmblymcn to be elected. There is no
danger that any candidates nominated by Re-
publican conventions. no matte how completely
machine" will vote for the reelection OF Mr..
Murphy to the United Statcs Senate. or for any
other Bryanitc; and the only way for Mr. Root
or anybody else to use his vote against the dis
grace OF the election of n Bryani,e Senator from
this great and conservative State will be to vote
for candidate nominated by the regular Re.
publican organization.
If a better primary law than tho existing
statute can DO framed and passed. let the i'm
provement be made. by all means; but even II 1t
should not bc made or tho attempt to secure
perfection should prove unavailing and the re-