The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-17
OF WHAT USE CITIZENS UNION?
GOOD GOVERNMENT CLUB NOT
CLEAR ABOUT 1T.
One OF EN- Says '9S, when the GOosoos
PolIed 1 900 Votes. Was the Ideal Cam'
paign-Hnrichs says That Traction
and Lighting Companies Govern City.

pA1Su-H1InTlCHS says IHdt iT"S'io"
and Lighting Companies Govern city.
r Good Government Club G had a dinner
last night at the Hotel ST Denis and dis
cussed the ubjeot "What Use Is the Citizens
Union?" There were ten speakers; there
was no general agreement among them as
to the real answer to their puzzle. One
or two even suggested that the Citizens
Union was of no use, and that 1t was time
to invent something new to play with.
The Rev. DR.. Merlc st. CroiX Wright said
that he looked upon the Citizens Union
as he looked once upon the ruins OF an
Athenian temple, full of admiration for
the ideals which it represented.
It was apparent from the beginning
that the hone of those who had arranged
the dinner was that there would be de-
cided expression OF hostility to any fusion
Of the Citizens Union with those two wicked
and lamentable institutions, the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties. Said Isaac
q. Klein, the president:
when the Citizens Union came into the
second Low campaign, John G. Sheehan
was in his political tomb; Coffey was dead
and gone, Benno Ioewy had not been heard
Of for years. The Citizens Union took
them up and rehabitated them and made
them respectable. What could come out
Of such danable alliances as these except
what did come? Msgovernment Now,
No cannot make deal with Grocerman
Ben or any of the tribe that he stands for
r we hope for a success in convincing the
community of the purity of the motives
of the Citizens Union"
Mr., Klein said lot more things Of the
same sort.
j. j. Murphy said that the question Of
the evening might look like an effect to get
m answer to the question: Vas is los init
der Citizens Union?" The real purport
of the meeting was much more important.
1t was to ascertain the opinion of Good
Government Club c on the possibilities
for good in what Mr. Murphy called "a
modified ticket" which was taken to he
the same thing as the combination Of cir
cumstances formerly known as a fusion
ticket"
E.. v. Abbott exalted the Goo Goo ticket
Of 1896 as the only real ideal ticket this city
had ever seen. The Strong and Low ad-
nninistrations were failures, he said, because
of the inefficiency of the members who were
elected under the eXigencies of fusion.
Julius Henry Cohen, the chairman Of the
SlLlZe0 b OulOll CDIHHliltSc oii icSiH1h'i'ii az
Albany, was somewhat excited by the pre-
vailing idealistc tendency of the speakers.
He said, among other things:
Speaking for the legislation commit
tee IS ideals, I want to say that our idea of the
purpose of the Citizens Union is that it is
educational. We do not go up to Albany
10 kill grab bills; that is incidental to the
work of educating the people to see that
~ lnl l. le,I
trusted with the peoples interests.
Mr. Cohen announced that the commit |
tee had not been looking for notoriety-
that It had been working for results and
that how great results it had accomplished
would not become apparent until the Git
tricts in the coming campaign with the
records Of the candidates for Assembly on
the grab bills. -
he said that the Cts would support Tam.
many men who had been straight" on
grab bills just as gladly as it would support
Republicans or Citizens Union men. CHI.
zens' Union warfare. he said, was que rila
warfare against dishonesty in public Office,
aud aid must be accepted wherever it could |
be found.
GOOD gracious!" he shouted in conclusion, |
~ It doesn't mean the education Of the |
city, what does it mean? If it isn't educa-
ton why, please say so, and we won't do |
any more of it.
him the great issue of the coming campaign
seemed to be the fighting of the rapacity .
Of public service corporations.
Cyrus l.. Sulzberger was for pure ideal
ism, which would win in spite Of continual
defeats.
F. W. Hinrichs talked idealism, too, for
the allotted time, and then asked how much
. are time he had.
One minute" said the chairman.
Then l want to say this" said Mr.. Hin.
rlchs. The government of this city is
three or four traction companies and gas
and electric light company fostered and /
protected by the two so-called political
parties ="
'Give him another minute" shouted .
Julius Henry Cohen amid wild applause. /
Mr.. Hinrichs went on to say that the {
reason, in his best judgment, why a Repub- |
lican Legislature extended the Mayors |
term to four years was that the -plunderers"
realized that the social tic idea of public |
ownership of franchise. was on its way |