New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-04
A FUTILE ENDEAVOR.

Tboro 10 no ouestion as to the earneStness
~ tha Gentlemen who signed the invitation to
the Republican County Committee ana the
Committee Of Fifty-three to send representa-
t,yes to conference Of prominent Republicans
20 toke action toward uniting and harmonzinG
tho Marty. Nor need there be any question as
n rho nuritv Of their motives They sincerely
deprecate the divisions and dissenslons WHICH
in their judgment stand In the way or RepuD-
lican success at the polls. They believe thar
upon the overshadowng issues or Natlohal
politics. especially upon the questions or sound
money and Protection. there are no d!Herehces
In the party. and, that being the case. see no
reason why all divisions and factions cannon
be brought together under judiclous counsels
and wise leadership ia one working organlza-
ton Toat being their point OF view, no faui'
can be found with them for engaging III such
IN undertaking. but they are rather TO DE COM
n ended for It. IL the differences IN the party
were merely personal relating to individual
ambitions and questions OF leadership, ana
there were no principle at issue. all RepuD-
Iicans who desire the success Of the party ana
believe that united action is essential to sue
cess would give them their encouragement and
bid them godspeed.
But unfortunately for them and their we'll
Intended demonstration. there is question or
p,inciple involved question upon which the
lipes are Just rs sharply drawn as between the
two great parties. The Committee OF F1fty
three represents an uprising Of the great ma
icrtv Of the Republican party OF this cit!
against the principle Of municipal government
so boldly enunciated by Edward Lauterbach, as
president Of the Republican County Commit
tee and SO effectively carried out by QuiSs bis
successor In the conduct Of the last campaign
that tho election Of a Tammany Democrat were
better far better, than that Of non-partlsan
Republican. That Is concrete issue. One hun
dred and fifty thousand voters, nearly all OF
whom were Republicans desired the election or
an Ipdependent non-partisan Republican for
NIavor last November Plat and Quigg, with
full knowledge Of what the result would be and
a deliberate purpose, In pursuance Of the policy
announced by Lauterbach and adopted by tie
County Committee. defeated them and threw
the election to Tammany.
II was no accident. 1t was premedtated
predetermined The Republican County Com
mittee. controlled by Plat and monkeyed with
by Quigg. deliberately sacrificed the Republi-
can party. And they did It not out Of mere
vantonness but upon principle That principle
right. with all it's patronage, its plumber and
IFS mower. to one or the other of the two polit-
cal machines bossed by Plat and Croker, and
that no organization of citizens outside Of these
two shall ever have anything to say or do with
the admin straton Of Its affairs. 1t stands TO-
oay az IT did last November, as the cardinal
principle governing the action ard directing the
policy of the Republican County Committee
dated 1t last November, but it triumphed
Mere than that are In rebellion against it TO-
dcy. The Committee Of Fifty-three has under
taken the work of organizing them into an eff
fcctlve working body. Between them and the
Republican County Committee there can be no
agreement no harmony, no compromise. The
differences are too radical. They are vital.
There can be but one basis for consultation,
conference OF agreement. That Is the OASIS
Grant offered Buckner-"unconditlonal surren-
der"
And the welmeaning gentlemen on the har-
nonizing committee may rest assured that the
representatives Of one hundred and fifty thou
ssrd voters who believe that this city Is not
the exclusive property Of the Plat and Croker
machines viii not entertain proposition 10 sur
render 10 the much smaller and vastly more
insignificant following of Platt and Quigg who
think differently. 1t is the majority, instead
who demand surrenGer-the surrender by the
machine, henceforth, to every Republican OF an
equal right with every other In the control or
the organization. That surrender, In the shape
Of law. surrounding the primaries With the
same safeguards as the general elections and
guaranteeing the same protection to voters
rights in the courts Is the basis and the only
possible basis Of the desired harmony IN the
Republican ranks.