New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-10
LAUMAKLNG HERSUS WORK

The first pure Republican primaries under the
new law have been held and have resulted ex-
actly as everybody familiar with reforming by
net of the Legislature was fully convinced they
would This result may not fairly be imputed to
the law. II appears TO have worked reasona-
bly, well and expressed with facility the views
Of those who took the trouble TO have views.
The fault Is to be found not with the law, but
with the blindness of reformers who thought
they could drive corruptionists out of politics
by passing a law and neglecting their real duty
of work against them. The law was well
enough in ITS way, but 10 make statute the
main object of labor giving subordinate
place 10 the end TO which the law was frst
thought of as merely means, was TO give up
all that was really worth lighting for and he
como an indirect assistance TO the machine.
There Gun be doubt that fully many Re
publicans In Manhattan and The Bronx voted
for Mr.. Low as for General Tracy. Yet with
the Republicans last fall evenly divided and the
machine demoralized that the independent
wing was practically master OF the situation
and able TO dictate its own terms, the primaries
result IN m almost universal victory for the
machine. How is this to be explained? Or
course, war has much TO do with It; habit or
neglectlng the primaries on the part Of respect
able citizens has much 10 do with IT. but the
folly Of reform leaders has quite rs much to do
with IT, People who were satisfied that the Inv
was the one thing needed. and warranted Z Is
the means Of giving the reformcrs ri least
strong showing IN the organization, lullcd the
independent voters into the dream that tho
work Of reform had been accomplished. Pure
primaries had been secured The Republican
masses would now rule. Everybody could act
tie down TO harmony and comfort, and every
body did The men who voted for Mr.. Low
were allowed 10 enroll II they wanted 10. The
machine men were made 10. When the books
were opened Assembly district leaders Of the
reform element were profuse In promises OF the
house-tohouse canvass they were going 10
make with notarics TO clnch enroments on the
spot Some Of them did something OF the Kind.
Others found II hard work, and tired out; and
concluded II was an Off season and strife wasn't
worth while
Then came the primaries In district re-
spectacle citizens were asked In the name OF
reform to vote for the less reputable OF two
machine factions into which their old enemies
had been divided In other districts there was
no systematic campaign made and nobody had
sonal campaign in any election precinct. The
machine knew every man and was not dealing
In guesswork. In spite OF war and apathy, n
campaign made IN all the districts with rs much
diligence and intelligence as the machine dis
played would have given the refOrmers some
thing more than two paltry delegations. There
Is no reason why practically every Kepublica,
who voted for Seth Low could not have been
enrolled and voted. If pains had been taken 10
bring II about But when the means were sub
stituted for the supposed end the result was In
evltable II anybody had desired 10 give the
Independents into the hands OF the machine
10 gain credit as harmOnizer, he could not
have done It more successfully than II has been
done, by lack Of organized work among those
who wanted this law that their work might
have free chance 10 be effective. They secured
the free chance and the machine did thc work