New-York tribune., 1910-06-06

THE NEW YORK DEMOCRACY
In the light OF what has taken place
within the last year it is possible to ap-
praise with tolerable accuracy the moral
condition OF the Democratic party or
this state. which some malicious moral
lists now point to as the proper recourse
of a disappointed electorate. 1t is a
party which is apparently satisfied with
the leadership of Mr.. Murphy. of Tam
! many Hall. 4 movement within 1t
which was designed to rouse the con-
science OF the party TO demand better
things evoked. we are bound to say.
feeble response. The Democrats Of the
state showed an unexpected degree of
/ Indifference TO the low kind of bossism
Ia which the party had sunk, and the
leaders of tie movement for rehabili-
tation had TO assure Murphy that they
had no designs hostile to him. They
seem TO have felt that if they had sought
TO deliver the party from the control of
the Tammany boss they would have had
no standing or influence and would be
leading forlorn hope. The party as
whole has no fault TO find with Murphy.
Nor in these days. when there is a
general sentiment against bosses. does
the Democratic party feel that the sur
vival within it of absolute bossism as
complete as ever existed is moral
anomaly. Murphy is boss of the old
sort. He owes his power outside Of his
own county 10 the old methods by which
bosses so often acquired their power, to
the stealing of a convention and to the
reorga nization of the Democratic State
Committee on the basis of that theft.
In accomplishing his control of the state
he went so far as 20 throw out Of the
state committee members chosen by the
vote of the local representatives and TO
put in their place his own tools. In
party which was even partly awake to
the influences which have been making
for better political conditions in recent
years Murphy's power would be incon-
ceivable. But though 4 notion exists
that the way to discipline party and
make it a better instrument for the gov
erning of a state or city Is TO exclude
that party from office the Democratic
party. out of Office in this state for
nearly twenty years, has not kept pace
with the Republican party, in office for
that period, in setting its house in order
and responding to enlightened public
opinion. 1t is still boss owned party.
and, If anything. its boss is worse than
its bosses used TO be when the public de-
cided 10 teach it a lesson"
We ironically called Murphy the con-
science of the party the other day. The
only act of the Democracy which might
be regarded as in Difference TO the en-
lightened public opinion of the day. the
retirement of Corners. was the act Of
Murphy. The actual conscience Of the
party failed lamentably TO affect Con-
nerss position until Murphy extended
the long arm of bossism and brought
about the reform. And aside from Muir
ply the party is bankrupt in moral lead
ership. Nothing like the Hughes move
ment within the Republican party is
taking place within the Democracy. The
Saratoga League was sensible Of the i'm
portance Of having a presentable man at
the head of the state committee, but that
was all. 1t knew bad grammar when it
heard IL. but as to political morals it
was as indifferent as the rest of the
party. Murphy's bossism did not offend.
Direct nominations did not interest 1t
except as affording an opportunity for
political pretence designed to catch votes.
1t favored direct primaries, but only
outside of Murphy's territory, and it did
not extend itself TO secure the passage OF
its bill providing even that fake reform.