The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-18
uNcoYERInG rHEmsE1KEs.

UNCOVERING THEEISELYES.
Each day brings new developments in
the prevailing political contest in New
York city. What the purists for their
own purposes have chosen to regard as
movement of social and political puri-
fication has been made to cast off all dis
guses. 1t is now revealed as a pontical
campaign conducted with unusual skill.
but whose managers have apparently Ie-
lied too much on their ability to deceive
the public as to their purposes.
The statement made by Assistant Gem
missioner Devery that a certain class of
society is being used as a cats-paw in the
management of the reformers' campaign
has just enough truth in it to make it
appeal with tremendous force to the SYM
pathies Of the New York public. With
the announcement made on behalf of the
purists that there was no direct evil
dence-which probably means no evidence
at alto connect Devery with the gam
bling or the other charges against the
police, that official and his political as
sociates have been able to score a strong
point against the opposition.
1t is a noteworthy circumstance in this
remarkable political campaign that the
author of the charges on which the pur-
lists are conducting their side of it is
former agent of the Parkhurst society,"
After having played the role of reformer
n fO
redeemed, and then, having secured their
secrets, returned to his earlier profession
of virtue. 1t is upon the oath of this man
that the prevailing great cutlery about
Tammany corruption is now based.
That is not an over-secure foundation
on which to rest such a movement: but
those familiar with the local political
history Of the metropolis will readily un-
derstand that it represents the kind of
bases on which reform movements
have been usually made to rest, and
that 1t is confidently believed by those
adopting it to be quite adequate for their
purposes.
We have an admirable illustration in
this community at the present time of
how fimsy material the promises
Of the reformers are composed.
There never was a greater outcry
made by any band Of political pretenders
as to the purity of their aims than was
INDUCED in by the crowd who have been
bringing discredit and injury to the. COM
munity for over two or three years pt st
through their administration of county
affairs, and who in city affairs Let a
trail little less distinguishable by doubt
full official conduct.
Every good citizen will unite in the wish
that municipal affairs shall be conduct
ed in New York and elsewhere on as
near an approach as possible to standards
of public and private probity. But it
has been demonstrated time and again,
and nowhere with more of force than in
New York city that all that is possible
of accomplishment is the reasonable reg
ulation of vice. 1t cannot be suppressed;
and the pretensiohs of any set of poll
ticians who claim that they are capable
of suppressing municipal vice, either in
Office or out, are so much humbug and
should be treated by the electorate as
SUCH
While the entire daily press is arrayed
against Tammany in the present cam
paign, the latest developments in the sit
uation, judged at this distance, show that
the old organization will survive the lat
est assault made upon it. 1t is sustained
by the mass of the people; and unless it
be true that the masses have a prefer
ence for corruption and vice in that city.
the voters will be fully justified in re-
fusing to take the reformers at their own
estimate of themselves.