New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-20
TWO TONES TO ITS VOICE.
.copRrsPONDENT WHO CANNOT RECON
GLE THE REPUBLICAN, ADDRESS
WITH MR.. QUIGG's REMARKS.

RRESPONDENTWH WHO CANNOT RECON-
CHE THE REPUBLICAN ADDRESS
WITH MR.. QUIGG's REMARKS.
r, the Editor Of The Tribune.
e,r r. &c evident that the significance Of the
,,0,, registration has DO, been lost on Mr.. Platt
~ .,o, NOT have convinced him of his duty to
sove the Republican party from the burden of a
'aose~ who VIII not defend his own honor against
vacations accidentally made by committee OF
-, ,~ier6s but II has set him to thinking and
HE vtt.e man Qules to talking The result Is A
.s.,,,. ,ores threat against independents. This
Contains what IS possibly an unintentional sug-
-...,.. ~. the motives which have actuated Mr.
pa. in assuming the character Of a converted
..o...,e sinner and devotee OF non-partisan mu-
~,c.oal government Any cynical critic who Of
49,. ,,,, motion had placed sinister an inter
,-e,at,on On the reform of Mr.. Platt might have
zoe, thought unduly suspicious But when HIS
o,.,. nee,ns TO reveal the workings Of the or
,-or.,a,,on mind. what shall be said Comment
t.v an the registration and protesting that the
,5s,,brcans are trying IN good faith the expert
wen, r., q non-partsan local ticket ne declares
= mas ~. without considerable difficulty that
s,ras Of TIE Republican oTganizaton lenders were
Induced 20 support me lohcy OF partisan union
:. Viii be a great dea more difficult TO persuad"
To
irse1endent voters played truant on Election Day
this year
Are independents 10 take that 70 mean that
this experiment" was made to give organization
leaders an excuse 70 antagonize non partisan
shin IN city government hereafter7 Has Mr.
Plat put on the trapp.ngs Of nOn-partisanship to
ride tor a tau so that he may have plausible
reason for dscarding them hereafter? Has il
been his scheme 10 make a great show Of virtue
IN nominating independents on local ticket
when he thinks his own men would have no
chance then on the strength Of that get indie
pendenis 10 tortify his control OF the Ass embly,
meanwhile let the county ticket go down 10 de-
feat and then blame the Independents and say
their support is worth nothing and that ;hey
ought not 10 be considered henceforth7 Is that
the scheme? Certainly that is the implication II
NJ Qurg's words I am aware that the address
o. the County Convention Committee. which you
publish this morning. contains distinct promise
Of non -partisanship for this year next year and
years after But when a committee headed by
John Proctor Clarke. who as assistant coun-
sci Of the Mazet Committee seems unable to ex-
erc,se sufficient influence on the machine leaders
10 get them to clear themselves Of the Ramapo
scandai-when such gentlemen make a promse
makes a threat one wonders which reveals moro
accurately the real state Of Mr.. Platts mind. No
Doubt Mr. Clarke and his associates speak with
all honesty. but Mr.. Quigg's seeming anxiety to
throw responsibility upon the independents is not
Without significance
BEFORE fastening to blame independent voters
and hln-ing that they are Of 10 account any
how the organization leaders ought 70 ask If
cvr1 fr4.14 lrta
dent wo-thlessness why non-partisanshp under
MI Platts auspices IS not received with the &C.
sired enthusiasm Until they have presented
their leader 70 the people clearly as an honest
non. Tree from Tammany deals they can hardly
blame Independents for lack Of sympathy with
his virtues While MI Plat IS running away
from the charges brought against him and his
friends by the testimony before the Mazet Com
mitiee. they cannot expect that the good. pure,
reformed cause which Mr.. Platt leads viii be
viewed without suspicion.
Perhaps * might suit some Of the machinists
10 discrsdlt partisanshp in this election. and
IN the next Mayoralty contest repeat the ma
chine ticket policy o. 1891 which put Tammany
ia power Maybe it IS true that II their virtue IS
not believed in now. in spite Of Mr. Platts
silence, Il VII be difficult TO persuade them 10
be good again Nevertheless, they should re-
member that the non-partisan policy IS pro
fessed.y not an election expedient. but convic-
ton o. principle They claim TO have been con-
verted. Now If the organization is sincerely
seeking good government it ought to be devoted
to its local non-partisanship, whether 1t has
temporary success or not. Moreover the non
partisan policy Is not mere "experiment' II
Is settled Republican principle. embodied IN
Republican Platforms prepared for IN the Re
publican made Constitution. The Republican or
ganlza,.on deserted IS party principles In 1885,
Fl IS true but r. has since professed repentance.
Does IFS president mean 10 hint that II is already
Planning % tarksi!de and take UP again with the
Tamrany policy o. partisanship in city govern
merto ENROLLED REPUBLICAN.
Ne~-York oct IS, 1899