New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-21
.rur ORGANIZATION" AND MR. GRUBER'

| "THE ORGANIZATION AMI MN
poror. hos II that Mr.. Abraham GruDer VIII
no forced TO fight this winter to retain dis le'uei
chin Of the Republican organization IN the AAist
Assembly District. How serious the oppoSiuoN
| 90 hin, NAV he we do not know, but the stor! Is
| .ho. since Mr. Gruber In defiance OF the WISHES
! 80 Az Plat supported his friend Governor
| D,ool, for n renominat ton last year the caplains
| Cd vorkers of his district have been growing
| restless IT is said that Mr.. Gruber mas carrieu
| bis onnosition 10 Senator Platts methods or run
r,rc +ba noItics of this county so far that ne Is
ain onposition to the organization some Oh 'he
| o,oction district captains are dissatlsned Win
| loader who Is "in opposition TO the orean'~'
| +,on because they cannot obtain so much as
| ,oborer's place in the Custom House lor 'hch
| mon. They also it is declared. OBJECT 10 MI
cruher because "he persists In injecting the pol
cities of Frank s. Black, of Troy, into the local
"sItuation." Accordingly the political prophets
ore seeming contest In Mr.. Gruber's district
AS we have already intlmated. we do not pre-
tend 10 forecast any results from such talk we
hold no brief to defend Mr. Gruber IN the eAer-
else Of that power which he has welded SO pct
uresouey for the last ten years. Nor are we
concerned to have 1t overthrown. VINO ieaos
the XXIst Assembly District Is not matter OF
Importance, and yet the attitude or tine organi-
zatlon" toward Mr. Gruber, as revealed py 'hese
complaints is worthy Of some little considera-
ton. AS we understand 1t, Mr.. Grubers depo-
sition ia sought not on the ground that ne is an
unfathful or inefficient leader, that he does not
carry the district or support party candidates
heartily Nor is complaint made that he does
not do the best he can for his followers Inc
whole trouble is that. devoted ms he may De 10
his people, he can get nothing for them from MT
Bidwer or the other office holders who nave
patronage to distribute The workers OF the
district apparently do not love Mr.. Gruber less,
but they love places more 1t Is matter OF
practical politics with them.
That seems simple and natural but what kind
of character does It give to the Republican or
canization? Wherein is II Republican, wherein
is Il the representative Of the voters when the
whole power of its machinery Is employed TO
punish Republicans who let themselves be rep
resented by somebody unpopular with the per-
sons dressed in little brief authority as party
leaders? What right has Mr.. Platt, what right
has Mr. Bidwe to decide how votes must be
cast in State and county conventions and TO
drive from influence those who disobey them by
furnishing their friends and followers! The
leaders in their recent mood Of pentents and re-
formers have made much virtue OF their primary
reform measures. But primary reform is mere
delusion and snare II the men who happen once
to control the organization and shape Its policy
are permitted TO use their official authority as
the representatives Of all to stamp out OF the
party every opinion and will but their own. We
have no sympathy with many OF the policies
which Mr.. Gruber has advocated. We do not
agree with his views about the folly Of concillat-
ing reformcrs and his reputed attitude toward
Governor Roosevelt. But as q citizen he has
right to favor such nominations as he chooses
and advocate such methods of party manage
ment as he sees fit. II the voters of his district
do not approve of his acts It is their privilege to
select new leader But 1t Is not the privilege
Of any County Committee, or any Collector Of
the Port. or any United States Senator TO tell
those voters by word or act that they are "out
with the Republican party" and will be punished
by II unless they choose a leader who will obey
"the organization Mr. Croker adopted some
such method in dealing with John C. Sheehan,
and many Republicans expressed Indignation at
the bossism exhibited in turning out Mr. Shee
hans followers from the city offices In the at
tempt to undermine him. Mr. Platt we believe
pretends that he is not like Mr.. Croker.
! And, by the way, we have noted the complaint
that Mr.. Gruber inJects ''the politics Of Frank s.
Black, Of Troy, into the local situation" That
IS, of course, sad and reprehensible II true. We
do not for a moment excuse It. But Just what
is the difference between injecting the politics Of
| Frank S. Black, Of Troy and the politics of
Thomas G. Platt Of Owego, into the local stu
atlonl