New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-20
A DISGUSTED IRREGULAR"
BETWEEN THE DEVIL OF THE REPUBLi-
CAN ORGANIZATION AND THE DEEP

SEA OF THE CITIZENS UNION.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir Believing that under no circumstances .
Democratic administration be preferable TO Q
Republican in this city. the writer in the recent
local campaign worked and voted for Mr.. Mazet.
He feels at liberty. therefore. offer criti-
csms upon the party management
Twenty years ago party affairs were controlled
BY few close organizations. to which admittancs
was gained only through election After severe
contest the disfranchised Republicans led BY The
Tribune. secured an open enrolment the district
association reorg anized and the County Com
mttee was enlarged Many who had stood sloof
before entered the associations and worked
Enthusiastically until they discovered that the former
leaders had taken precautions to retain control by
giving equal representation on the Executive Com
mittee TO all Assembly districts. Their discomfort
increased by the fact that economy and other
reasons led to holding meetings OF committees and
associations well as the primary elections. In
rooms connected with beer halls too near them.
Sef-respecting hesitated TO attend meetings
In places reeking with the odor OF stale beer and
bad tobacco. and finally the primaries degenerated
into formslities became farcical
The Committee OF Thirty undertook to improve
matters by making the election instead OF the AS
sembly district the unit OF organization Though
convinced thaS this plan would only make the con-
dition worse. the writer refrained from opposing
II when presented 10 the County Committee doing
this at the urgent solicitation OF some who were
deeply interested in the so-called reform. Wise
men asserted that II would free US from domina-
ton by bosses. padding Of rolls would be impossi-
BILE as any association carrying more names than
the total OF Republican votes cast at the last gen.
eraI election was to be dsbanded once. and a
new enrolment TO be ordered by the County
Committee But the outcome precisely as pre-
dicted The rule dead letter from the be-
ginning and it was evaded again and again by
Had h4f
were padded in districts with dense shifting popu-
lations TO overpower less densely populated dis
tricts where fraud would be detected at once. Inc
condition was even than before ana SELF
respecting men abandoned the organization In dis
gust
When the primaries and enrolment were placed
under State control those who had taken hoid
twice only to be disappointed felt that refusal 10
take part in party politics would be inexcusable
fair count assured, ana primaries were "
be held amid decent surroundings. -.,.,.
ton" is wholly out If the question Inc same wise
foresight that had prevailed on former occasions
had NOT failed the managers on this. Matters were
so arranged that a large proportion OF me nepuD.
licans can do at the primaries a. the! had nohe al
me eiections-yote the ticket or abstain. The prl-
maries were set for September, when great patt
caucuses are called necessarily at least zen Gays
befor the primary: notices sent only the night pc
fore reach the voter TOO often after the mas
Much is said about the apathy OF the nei'e =,
rebukes for that apathy. while they iarly puo se
over with appeals for co-operation especlaIy 70,
cooperation with money But TINS Is the ny e -
chaf for matters now stano the coi. t 81, "a
fixed In the hands of those who can manipulate tne
voters who remain in town throughout the summer
Others have no voice whatever.
Primaries should be held not later than Apr1 %
This dat might be inconvenient 20 place hunters,
as fences erected in April might be broken down
before September. II might be also, as suggested
by one OF our journals, that some hSihOens ~
committees chosen at that time might be out OF
sympathy with the district upon questions arising
after the adjournment of the Legislature. But
these rea sons are insignificant especially the lat
ter in view Of the fact that some ulsL.tcts al
hers Of committees who despsed by the ma
iority OF decent men. and are out OF accord WIN
Them on nearly every question. Anotner opJectloh
bas heen urged 10 the effect that spring primaries
might Interfere with the privileges OF those VINO
change their residences in May. That IS not an
obiection-rather the contrary. Inc snlltng Popu-
IN has enabled the present managers 10 retain tner
control and 10 bring the organization INTO con.
tempt II might be well to try the experiment OF
consulting those Republicans VINO 90 not ehahke
interests AT stake. The ingenuity or those VINO
have arranged matters adroity In their own VI
terest certainly could discover some metnoo OF
eyading difficulties attending the change OF GATE
for holding the primarles-ii II were e"P'0Se' "
estly 49,, . - .t,,. ,ho.a y,
us uho have adhered 10 the party organization
NAV as well as not follow our friends INTO the
chine and few OF US are likely 10 nave any 'oiSe
IN the management Judging from the Past, tns
mi methods OF the engineers viii ..Io
annie opportunity for mingled amusement sno IN
diana ton but in any event shall have the sat-
isfaction that for the present at least, they arg
honest men. and not inclined 70 use us IN the IN
terest Of dirty politics. or,>. crrvrNsON
Neuyork Nov II 1899