New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-27
LIVING oy THE GOVERNMENT.

The platform adopted at the recent Republi-
can City Convention is an unusual platform.
From beginning 10 end il is readable. There
isn't a I'VE point with pride" or I'VE view
with alarm" in it, Il is not packed with quail,
hcations or with saving clauses. 1t is not one
OF those time honored literary fabrications
whose meanings veer with the wind. in which
all shades of opinion find comfort and support.
IT is not too long. II is clear. emphatic, often
epicrammatic but not excessively so. II says
what it has 10 say well, and it sticks 10 the
question at issue. We should think that the
reading of it would win votes. that il would
make in itself an effective campaign document.
How often can that be said Of political plat
form?
Especially do we commend &c the public it's
first sentences:
We declare our open and unalterable opposi-
tion 20 Tammany Hall and invoke the corpora
ton of all patriotic citizens 70 the defeat Of that
undemocratic institution. Its professions OF
political and moral principles are the disguise
under which II has robbed our city Of its credit
emptied its treasury, lowered the standard Of
political virtue and enriched its own leaders at
the expense of the lawful rights and privileges
OF citizenship. In this free country government
is an institution TO live under. not on.
There is the issue OF the campaign put with
peculiar force and effectiveness. That is the
issue which Tammany is trying to make the
puDHc forget IL VIII wrap ITSELF IN some IN
dividual's responsibility and endeavOr 20 divert
attention from its history and it's purposes and
its parasitic character. But the enormous cost
Of the city administration, the prodigious bud
get the weakened credit and empty treasury
of the city and the millionaire leaders OF Tam
many are all eloquent Of the results Of living
on the government When Mr.. Murphy puts
forward a respectable candidate he should not
be allowed 10 disguise the fact that it Is his
aim TO continue the system of government that
is lived on, not under. He will try 10 disguise
II in order 10 keep his hold upon the borough
offices, the county Offices, the Board Of EST.
mate and Apportionment. on as much OF the
general city government as the gratitude OF the
Mayor will lead him to bestow on the boss
Thus the parasite is fighting 10 keep I'D its
parasitism. As the platform saws: NO ind-
"vidual can conceal the character OF Tammany
behind his own This contest is not ono he
tween individuals. however picturesque and dis
tracting to the attention personalities may be.
1t is one between systems. II Is one against
living on the government There are the lean
and empty city treasury, the an@mic city credit.
the starved traction development: and there is
the great, fat plethOric parasite Tammany,
with its milliOnaires grown rich living on the
government. it's thousands OF idlers and honest
grafters pull dispensers INSIDE" contractors.
land spectators and condemnation proceedings
specialists, all living the government They
are cause and effect, the plethora and the anm-
mia. To cure the disease il would not he
enough 20 circumscrbe temporarily the opera.
lions Of the parasite. An end must be nut to
it's living on the government