New-York tribune., 1906-09-26
4 EREE CONVENTION

Some persons are hard to suit. Having for
years loudly reproached the Republican party Of
! the state for letting a boss reign over it, they
have suddenly taken to sneering at the Repub-
lican party for not having boss. A few Of our
newspaper friends are disposed TO make merry
over the situation of the Republicans at Sara
toga and treat the uncertainties and divergence
Of counsel seen there something of which the
party should be ashamed. The correspondent of
THE New York Evening POST complains: "Of
leadership there is none; programme plan. ar
"rangement all are lacking" Yet how often have
we seen In those same columns high indignation
over conventions in which there nothing but
programme, plan and arrangement?
bossed convention has leadership Its plan
is all made out Just who will offer each mo-
ton is prearranged. The mugwump mind once
revoted at the thought of such well oiled ma
chinery and wanted the wheels to squeak But
even the prospect Of Hearst and the necessity of
supporting Republican ticket cannot make any,
thing that happens in Republican convention
appear good TO 1t. So the squeakS and the rum
bles instead Of being, as formerly, virtues, are
now made ground of offence. For our part, we
rather like the spectacle Of a state convention
where Independent differences of opinion are
manifested and chung to. 1t is a sign Of good
health. 1t shows that bosSsm has been abolished
in the Republican party Of New York in reality.
y.
suits The last Legislature was much criticised
for lack of plan and leadership Members really
had opinions of their own, and the Republican
majority was frequently divided on important
questions firm boss would have arranged
things TO go much more smoothly. Yet, curiously
enough, at the end OF the session the critics Dem
ocratic as well as Republican, agreed that, in
spite Of divisions and some failures, it was on
the whole the best Legislature In years and had
done much work of real benefit to the people.
So we imagine it will be with this Republican
convention when its work is done Governor
Higgins has not freed the party from one boss
TO set up another boss or a commission of bosses.
The leaders Of the various county delegations
have their own opinions and represent their sew
eral constituencies. What they finally agree
upon in conference, or settle by the rule of the
majority in the convention, will be to an un-
usual degree the consensus Of Republican pop
ular opinion. 1t is evident that the different
groups are looking for the strongest man-each
with its own view Of what constitutes strength
and where 1t is most needed. Mr.. Parsons, we
think rightly, urges that Mr. Hughes would
arouse the greatest enthusiasm in this city, and
insists that here the votes are most needed to
save the state from Hearst. Leaders from the
central part of the state urge what is equally
true-that Mr.. Bruce is we'll known as a cam
paigner and is highly popular with the rural
voters. ana Iney say tnat these rural voters are
the main reliance for Republican majorfties
Many, with good reason think that Mr.. Parsons
himself would arouse great enthusiasm in both
city and country as the able and militant rep
resentative of the new idea. Others believe that
Ex-Governor Black would unite all elements of
the party to remarkable degree. Differences
OF this sort are an evidence Of party vitality
Discussion, argument, uncertainty even sharp
rivalry are the marks Of free convention. Out
of 1t all we have no doubt there will emerge q
candidate either one of these now discussed or
some strong man as yet perhaps mentioned only
casually, like General Horace Porter, for exam
ple-who will command the full Republican vote
and the support Of thousands of reputable Dem
Ocrats. If 1t were all easy sailing and there
were nothing 10 do but wait for the hour ap-
pointed for the mechanical nomination of
predestined candidate, the Saratoga convention
would be far less than it is the hope of all the
better elements Of New York's citizenship in
their coming struggle against socialism and
demagogy.