New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-27

Richard Croker is apparently not saushed I'd
have the rural Democrats vaguely suspicious Oh
his designs TO reduce them to the same cohdl-
ton of impotence as his city followers. VINO
did not dare TO warn him of what they say
they knew was the suicidal folly OF ms at
tempt TO punish Justice DAILY for his indie
pendence He has undertaken TO warn the
country voters that If they give him the power
this wear he means TO amend the Constitution
so that the State will be absolutely subject 10
Tammany Hall. and he has put forth an ofi-
cial attack on the article in the Constitution
which forbids any two contiguous counties to
have more than half the Senators though they
may have njpe-tenths Of the Assembly If their
population warrants it.
This provision has no present application for
no two counties have half the population of the
State. Neither does 1t affect the weight of this
city's influence in the Legislature, for the city
consists of four counties Consequently Tam
many's cutlery against this article Of the Con
stitution. which, be it remembered sub
mitted separately and adopted by a large pop
ular majority even the voters of this city haV-
ing declared in favor Of ii, is nothing more than
an attempt TO array the adherents Of Tam
many against the rest Of the State and pre-
mare the public for the idea that New-Yorl
City IS not merely the predominant partner in
the State government. but also the whole firm.
But Tammany has gone about it with a silly
declaration probably meant only for the deec-
tation Of ward heeers, who like to shout about
their rights" and the consumption of subnr-
ban editors. who are tired of telling their read
ers that Croker is really pretty good man,
after all. and apologlzing for his attack on the
linz 10 LIST. ast
attention from their silence abou, Elliot Dan
forth's election stealing 1t talks such unmlii-
gated nonsense as an appeal to Congress to
enforce the guarantee Of IA republican form or
government, Just as If the United States Sen
ate itself were not based on territorial instead
OF numerical units, and as If State after State
had not restricted the power of one popuous
locality to control absolutely distant regions
and trample roughshod over their interests.
Baltimore and Providence and Philadelphia are
80 restricted. The NewJersey Senate repre-
sents counties, and NETWORKS plan Is one or
the most popular in the country, making the
slightest possible variation OF the rule or repre-
sentation strictly according 10 numbers to pre-
vent in a hypothetical cose-which never has
become rea-the utter subsection OF Buffalo
and Rochester and Syracuse and all the rest
or the state not 10 WIFI W-1oTk lily might
want. but to what merely NewYork and Kings
counties might want If that provision ever
became operative it would rot enable the cOun-
try to legislate for the city, but IL would give
the country Ez/9 chance against utter alb
sorptlon in the city ard save the State govern
ment from being simply az echo Of the New
York City Hall
That. Of course. IS what Croker wants TO
make It, with his Mayor Van Wyck and his
Governor Van Wyck, but we believe that even
In this city there are Democrats, as well as
Republicans broad minded enough to realize
that the Empire State IS something more than
the few square miles about this harbor. and
that there are interests and rights which should
not be absolutely sacrificed to the ideas Of one
locality. even If those Ideas were honest ideas
rather than Croker ideas. The preservation OF
n check in the Senate TO assure the rest Of the
State Mt least n hearing neither violates the
principles OF home rule nor OF republican gov
ernment II IL one of the recognized methods
az preserving IN republic TINT balance which
nrotects one part OF the community against
being overwhelmed by some stronger part, and
IN this case Il has been applied with so great
moderation as never 10 have become operative
st all To object 10 such protection OF the
more than three million people outside Of New
York and Kings Ii TO svow determination TO