New-York tribune., 1911-02-27

ment Of the popular will. The Democrats
everywhere have turned their eyes toward
! New York and are watching with great
| concern the course OF events here. iney
! feel and 1 think rightly feel, that We in
| this state have the making or breaking OF
Democrstic Promise for 1872 fou through
| the procedure of your organization, have
for some time held the place known as
| leader of Tammany Hall, place which,
! under the prevailing practice, gives you n
vast amount OF power--a power not only
! power over the conduct OF men who wish
the favor OF and are loyal 10 that organi-
cation.
Reason for Tammany Control.
Your organization has always been a
| strong one in New York City, and when
not weighed down with some scandal IL mas
| generally succeeded at the polls. AS you
know, 1t has never been popuiar orsani-
zation outside Of the city, and no leader
OF il has ever been able to attain the
| leadership OF the state or very consid-
| cradle place In the leadership of the ma
| ton. Just why this is true We may differ.
| but we cannot diiGer on the fact. OF late
| Years, even in the city, you have had 10
go outside Of your own ranks 10 get can
d!date in order TO win. At the last state
| convention you were in control, but II
would not have been so but for the lack
of leadership outside of New York City.
The success of the ticket at the polls, as
! you well know was not due 10 any in
crease in the Democratic vote but wholly
| 10 the falling off OF the Republican vote.
/ 1t was also not what we gained. but what
our opponents lost. In other words. 1t
was Republican defeat and not Demo
cratic victory The result of it was TO get
the state offices and the Legislature for
| the Democrats.
| With this opportunity before us we have
/ IL IN our power TO become something me re
than an instrument of rebuke and punish
ment. We can, II we try, be useful as a
party Ct progress and reform When we
are used simply as an instrument OF pun
| ishment IL is occasional, sporadic and not
altogether credtable. But If we become
useful as "A party Of progress we will be
supported on our own account.
When the Legislature assembled. in Jan
uary, everything was lost sight of in the
senatorial contest. New York had not had
| a Democratic Senator in many years. and
] II was natural that 1t should absorb pun
| lie attention. Many changes have taken
place in the last ten or fifteen years Party
machines In both parties all over the coun-
| try have been broken and shattered. Lead
/ ers have been overthrown and party gov
ernment liberaliZed. Progressive education,
| the spread Of information. the demand for
square men in Office. the determination to
separate public service from private inter
est, and the resolve of the average man
to see 10 IL that the government service
should he honest and undefiled--all of these
have tended TO break down arbitrary party
authority and restore freedom and inde-
pendence CT action. both in public service
and individual voting.
Sheehan Not Murphy's Choice.
There were two avowed candidates for
! United States Senator at the outset. or
course, any man IN the state would nave
been grained to be the choice Of the Leg
| ls,atuie. Inc constitution and laws II
The United States provide that United
States Senator's shall be chosen by ma
jCrty Of the joint body OF Senator's and
Assemblymen. On leaving New York ior
A Ali 10 h 10
organization OF which you were the leader
| would not support Mr.. Shepard for Sen
atOr Following this caucus or the DEM
otratic Senators and Assemblymen was
called, and a majority voted for Mr.:
Sheehan. Since that time it has developed
/ that Mr.. Sheehan was not your choice, nor
was he the choice of the subordinate lead
crs Of Tammany Hall nor the choice of
the Tammany Hall Senators and Assembly
men.
/ II seems that the Senators and Assem-
/ blymen, according TO the last Information
on the subject. voted for Mr. Sheehan be-
cause YOU wished them TO, and 1T appears
that they are continuing 10 support MN
for the same reason. These Senators ana
/ ASSemblymen who are proving their 10y
atty to you by supporting your choice have
q constitutional duty 10 discharge. That
duty requires them TO choose a Senator.
They undertook the performance OF that
Official duty when they cox their oatn OF
! Office. YCu have no such duty 10 discharge.
You are not required 10 choose Senator.
and YOU did not undertake the performance
/ Of such a duty by taking the obligation
Of an cath While your organization must
have leadership IN the administration OF
party machinery. the point which wish
/ to make with you, for you 10 consider, is
whether you think ii wise or just 20 push
your leadership 10 that point where com
/ uulsory caucus, barren OF actual sentiment.
| is to take the place Of the Constitution
whether the substitution Of your own judg-
ment. however excellent It may be, can
be made the official Judgment of the sen
ators and Assemblymen whose duty It If
to decide? -.
You have. | think. publicly stated tha'
! Mr.. Sheehan was not your first, your sec
| ond or your third choice. You have stated
| that he was not the choice Of Tammany
| Hall. The sole reason which has been puo'
/ licly given for your support is that you
| think him the best fitted man for the posi-
/ tion in New York State. You have thus
set up your individual Judgment as 10 MS
/ fitness against the wishes Of your own or
| ganization, against the opinion OF the SEN
/ ators and Assemblymen who are mem DerS
| that you would strengthen your organiZa-
! ton, improve the Democratic prospects and
| act In obedience 10 the purpose and mean
| ing OF the Constitution II you Withdrew
! the influence Of your individual judgment
| and openly released every Assemblymar
| and Senator from al y Obligation which he
may. feel TO you from any sense of party
! loyalty. and left them free TO exercise their
own choice? Do you not feel that the
| Democratic party in the country generally
/ demand that you withdraw your influence
from the Legislature? Do YOU think
that a compulsory caucus. registering as
| you admit, your own judgment alone as tc
/ the fitness OF the candidate, can In any
! sense be said TO be caucus OF tho major
| ity of the Democratic party?
Situation Demands Election.
II you did release these Senators and AS
semblymen the deadlock would be broken
| and q selection made as provided BY law
! Suppose YOU go on with this deadlock, re-
! curing those who are members or your
! organization to continue registering your
| individual judgment as TO the fitness of the
! candidate, and suppose special session ol
| Congress is called by the President wna'
will be the situation? For want OF Demo
! cratic Senator from New York. tie rcti-
| situation in the United States Senate I'M
! peratively demands that the Democratic
/ Senator shall be chosen from New Iorh
I State.
In addition 10 this, Democrats from all
over the country are anxiously watching
New York State. The reason they are so
anXiouSlV and apprehensively watching Is
! this: They know that united Democracy
! in New York is necessary TO success in 1912,
/ and they know that q united Democracy
cannot be had II you attempt TO extend
! the control Of Tammany Han 10 other sec
/ tiCns CT the state. They know tnat IN part
! thjs senatorial deadlock is somewhat Of an
| endurance test to determine that question.
| At a time when after almost hair century
| of national defeat the sky OF Democratic
hope locks bright with promise. does II
moi occur to YOU that you should do all
! in your power as leader OF a powerful or
paiiZatiCu in New York city 10 make
| that premise real? do not ask YOU for
any support for myself as candidate. nor
| do l ask any support for any one else;
| but as q Democrat and a citizen ask
vo,, TO withdraw the powerful control of