New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-16
PRACTICAL POLITICS AND REFORMS


Governor Roosevelt is exactly right when he
, says that for any Ave thousand party workers
who would be alienated if the White Civil Ser
vice bill should pass there would be another
five thousand voters who would be lost to the
Republicans II the bill should be defeated. He
might even have made his statement stronger
with perfect truth. and said that against hve
hundred organization men there were five thou
sand other votes In the balance Party clubs
which are always thinking of patronage may
make sucl noise as to be thought significant,
but vastly more significant are the ballots Of in
dependent citizens who do not pass resolutions
but who in the end decide the contests Of parties.
The political worker often denounces bills and
threatens the terrible things which will happen
if his demands are not needed. but when cleo
ton time comes he is again in line. Ten such
men will complain in April for one who Will
bolt In November, while the men who wish re-
forms, who support party on promises Of re-
form that are not fulfilled, almost to man
carry their disappointment TO the polls and
punish their betrayers. Ordinary political ex-
pediency, If no higher consideration will appeal
TO the majority in the Assembly should die
tate the passage Of this measure, which Is de-
sired by the whole enlightened sentiment Of
the State
It Is time the powers that be In the Iegis-
lature realize that they have no great sur
plus of public favor to draw upon. They sadly
depleted their account last year and the year
before and they returned to power this year
on small margin when there might have been
large deficit but for the aid of the body Of
people imperatvely demanding reforms who
were induced TO trust them once more because
of the good record Of their candidate for Gov
ernor Their escape was due to no merit Of
their own They should understand ii, and
remember that next fall they will have no
such name to conjure with when they return to
their districts to make campaign on their own
individual records. 1t behooves them to try to
win the regard which they seemed so danger
ously to lack last fall, instead Of trying still
further to ALLEVIATE public confidence. Next to
the canal scandals there was perhaps no feat
ure Of the Black administration which so
aroused resentment az the "starchless' Civil
Service law Before the last election II was q
confessed failure and Governor Blacks own
subordinates were proclaiming II so and advO-
eating a reform. The Republican party re-
turned to power because the voters had faith
that II realized Its mistakes and would correct
them Woe TO the Republican legislators or the
Republican leadership teaching them that the
trust was misplaced
II was not the organization voters now de
clared to be against the White bill who made
Mr. Roosevelt Governor and saved the Legis-
lature for the Republicans. 1t was the voters
now demanding "restarching" Of the Civil
Service law. Next fall there will be no Gov
ernor TO elect Greved reformers will have no
Tammany domination Of the State to fear.
Even the Senate will hold over In addition to
the Governor as a check on any misgovern-
ment by Democratic Assembly. The only
body which must appeal to the people is that
body in whose hands are some important re-
form measures, like the White Civil Service
bill and the Ford Franchise Tax hill. and it
will be hard to prevent disappointed voters
from squaring accounts with an Assembly
which disappoints them when they can do so
without bringing on themselves the positive
evils of Democratic rule. Asserublymen should