New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-15
CITIZENS UNION AND TIE AssgN8Ly
sHAKY REPUBLICAN MAJoRITY-TENpEScY ov
THE DRIFT.

THE DRIFT.
| To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribune seems to be rather solItsr,
in having at last opened it's eyes To the pollt,ca,
effect sure to be felt this year from the in
creased tax rate In New-York, coming stimuli
taneousy with oppressive increase in real
estate valuations Many political leaders in IN.
Republican party, for all that can be seen have
gone to sleep for the summer: and the geese who
are left 10 lead the "Reformers' for about
eleven months each year are apparently lust
awake enough and intelligent enough 70 give
their case away. The circumstances tempt m.
to ask attention. through your columns 10 the
legislative situation.
You New-York people are nard 10 wake I'D.
except on bigger matters. When there is a
Mayor to elect or a Governor. or United
States Senator. you are active enough. though
precious clumsy But for mere Legislature
you are generally careless TIL the last week or
two, and then helplessy ignorant Yet II was
the Legislature that damned through your CON
solidation and gave you your enormous tax rate
and your Tammany rule II the Legls-
lature that intrenched our canal thieves 50 that
neither Roosevelt nor the courts nor the people
can apparently get at them. And the man who
has been running the Legislature means to run
70 do all you can to help him.
The present situation IS curious. The LegsI
lature was supposed. last winter, to he under the
absolute control Of the machine but Governor
Roosevelt succeeded in placing It in a position
that compelled the passage Of the franchise tax.
much against the will Of the machine. Toward
the close Of the session there were several other
symptoms OF shaky control.
Tba oil hae
seven Republicans 10 twenty-three Democrats
But out OF this margin OF four majority two
were in revolt on the Police bill last winter and
others have at times shown signs Of insubordina-
ton. Even for blocking legislation 10 which IL
objects. like the franchise tax. and much more
for securing affirmative legislation, the machine
must hold the Assembly by a more certain
tenure.
The present Assembly stands. Republicans.
eighty seven: Democrats, sixty three Under the
new Constitution It is very difficult for the
Democrats to control it; but not so difficult tor
Republicans who follow the machine only when
the interests OF the Republican party require
IT, to hold a balance Of power. And II IS notice
able that out Of the present Republican ma
jority Of twenty-four no less than fourteen come
from districts quite liable to be swept away by
any general reaction, or by close local contests
Here is the list. which any political calculator
here Of either party would continue 10 classify
as "Republican-but risky:
Albany, WITH District, Henry NJ. Sage, "a ma
torlty.
Kings. I.t District. William l.. SANFORD 40
Kings, xth District, Edward L. Collier, 50 ma
Monroe, lid District. Richard Gardiner, "a ma.
Monroe. WITH District Benjamin F. Gleason. Is
New-York. With District. Nelson H. Henry. rs
Hew-York. With District, Charles s. Adler. 100
New-York. xxIxth District. Frank Buckley, 57s
Niagara Ist District John T. Darrson, 40 ma
Niagara I'D District Jay, s Rowe, 3os majority:
schenectady County. Andrew ]. Mcmillan. 4s
Sullivan County. Clarence A. sprague. ls ma
Ulster. I'D District Solomon p Thorne AS ma
wv Westchester, IIId District. James K. Apgar, q,
majority.
II the revolt against Dady which we hear
about here should amount to anything. this
list might be extended in Kings
Now people at this old capital are perpetu-
ally casting the political horoscope. AT present
the oldest observers on both sides, agree that
il would be a. political miracle II we should not
have something Of a political reaction this fall.
"A
been a heavy weight. The deaths in camps ana
hospitals, the Eagan business, and the talk OF
enbalmed beef still rankle. They have obscured
the glory Of successful war; while the dragging
campaign in the Philippines disturbs and ex-
asperates the people. Add to this the local
causes of discomfort the absolute failure in the
promised punishment OF the canal thieves. the
very heavy Increase in taxation. and even the
wide open" condition Of your city, and the
constant revelations OF Tammany plunderns
and misrue which are charged directly to the
obstinacy of the machine that would not let its
hundred thousand voters unite with the num-
dred and fifty thousand who supported Seth
Low: and all together you have enough ee-
nents of reaction to make IT reasonably certain
that the drift this year will not at any rate be
toward the Republican party. II II should be
the other way 10 any marked extent. the four
teen districts above or majority OF them'
might we'll enough be swept over TO the De-
mocracy.
It must be remembered that Of course there
are certain Democratic districts also quite un-
certain and exposed to loss in any general
popular drift. If the drift. this year, should by
any possibility be against the Democrats. they
might easily lose Ave or six Assemblymen out
of the following list
Columbia County, Lester J. Bashford, 3E ma
Jority. - .-,..
Erie. With District, Michael j. Kane 100 majority
Greene County Sylvester B. Sage. a majority
Kings, XIIIth District George Stems. oS ma
1ority - -.
Kings XvIIIth District, Henry A. Ball 81 ma
tority. "a .,.
Putnam County. Adrian II. Dean, lS2 majority
Rockand County, Irving Brown. lS majority
Westminster, LIST District, John j. Sloane, 20 ma
torty
Republicans who can escape the influence o.
the adver.a drirt through their freedom from
responsibility for the things that cause" 10
might hope to carry some OF these distrc'S
But as things look now, 1t would seem impoS'
sible for machine candidates or men compro'
missed with the machine to do IT,