The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-06
Political Clubs.

The Democratic Club Of New York is pro.
crossing rapidly under the impetus it has
received from the favor of Mr.. CROKER and
the indirect advantage to it of his pro-
nounced disapproval of the Manhattan
Club. Apparently, it is destined to be the
centre of Democratic influence in this city.
with possible broad-reaching consequences
for the Democratic party generally.
Both the Manhattan and the Union
League clubs have lost their original char
acter as Democratic and Republican organ
i~zations respectively. They have been
growing more and more Mugwumpish, and
hence neither is now representative of it's
party or serviceable to it. In Mr.. CRoKER's
view. the Manhattan does injury to the
Democracy by fomenting a spirit of finical
criticism destructive of the party homo
geneity. or at least by cooling the loyalty of
partisan sentiment. If there is to be a
club bearing the name of the Democracy of
New York, he insists that 1t shall be
strictly Democratic, and not an association
of critics of the party. who support 1t or
oppose 1t according as it happens to suit
their notions or offend against them. That
Is, he recognizes now as Democrats only
those who sustain the Democratic party
and its authoritative standard of party
principles and policy.
Nor can it be doubted that Mr.. CRoKER's
definition of a Democrat is sound and cor.
rect. The Democrats who rejected the Chi
cago platform in 1896 are no longer Demo.
Gratis. They are outside of the party and
opposed to it they are Republicans on the
only great issue now separating parties, the
currency issue, for the Chicago platform
expressly set aside the tariff question
"until the mone question is settled. "
Moreover, the principle of protection for
the sake of protection was embodied in the
Wilson tariff of Democratic construction.
The national Democratic platform of 1900
may modify the Chicago declaration, but
there is no probability, no possibility even.
that it will favor the gold standard de-
manded by the Democrats who revolted
in 1896. The indications are also that it
will demand the unconstitutional in.
come tax in defiance of early and essential
Democratic teachings.
Mr.. CROKER, therefore, is justified in re-
pudiating the Manhattan Club as having no
title to be called Democratic, a large part of
its membership having left the Democratic
party in 1896, and very many having Joined
the Low movement in 1907. The Demo.
cratic Club, which he is engaged in build
ing up, is a genuine Democratic ~associa.
tion and doubtless his political power, now
vastly greater than ever before In New
York, will enable him to accomplish his
purpose to make it potent in Democratic
councils. The Manhattan Club conse.
quently will have to do the best it can as a
social club merely, altogether apart from
the Democracy.
1t Is probable that the Democratic Club
will become, accordingly, a notable centre
of Democratic politics, rivalling Tam
many Hall to some extent. and as such it
is likely to be influential in shaping the
national policy of the party. Its power
will be the greater because of the partisan
loyalty on which Mr.. CRoKER insists. 1t
will not seek to accomplish its purposes by
threats of boiling, but by argument, COM
promise, and Cancellation, remaining faith.
full aud regular whatever may be the policy
adopted by the majority of the National
Convention of 1900. In this way 1t may
give to the Democracy of New York and to
MT. SHohEf himself very great power IN
the party during the next two years.
The Union League Club is no longer a
Republican association. During the late
campaign it used its influence, 30 far as 1t
used N political influence at all, against
the Republican party. Whether the Mug.
wumps are actually in the majority in the
club may be doubtful, but they are strong
enough to prevent It's rendering aid to the
Republican party, If not to compel it to
crafty their malignity by working openly
for its discontinue.
If the Republicans of New York feel the
need of a club they must proceed on the
theory that the Union League Club is a
political enemy of the Republican party;
they must set to work to build up an
other on whose friendship and loyalty