New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-08
REPUBLICAN, ASSEMBLY.

The election of an Assembly which
will have a Republican majority heavier
than the present Democratic ma iority In
the lower branch Of the Legislature
means just one tbing-that the people
Cf this state will not stand for Murphy
rule. Murphyism-the methods Of the
boss and the system Of government he
put into force at Albany-was on trial
The people rejected it. and rejected
it so decisively that there can he no
clubbing, no attempts to defend Murphy
ism because of narrow victory for its
county ticket It's raids on the public
were headed off at the point where they
were most dangerous. With Republican
lower house. the Legislature will not De
called on to pass a ripper charter for
New York City, or a disgraceful prize
fight law. or vicious election law hob
bling all anti-Murphy voters, or job
grabbing, treasury plundering measures
for the boys under Murphy's orders
And with this condemnation of Murphy,
thus forcibly expressed. there was con-
domination of the general course of the
Dix administration, which has been
tainted with Murphyism.
In spite of the optimistic words Of
State Chairman Mack and the somewhat
less glowing predictions of Murphy, the
Democratic leaders are presumably not
astOniShed by the election of an Assem-
bly, heavily Republican. They are cred
tied with having at hand a pretty accu-
ports from upstate territory should have
assured them a week ago that they
would lose the lower branch Of the Legs
lature Undoubtedly Murphy was
grieved at the heavy Democratic losses
in his own bailiwick-eight seats in New
York County. But he can console him
self with the reflection that his chief
sub-bosses, McCooey in Kings and Fitz-
patrick in Erie did not do much better
If he needs further consolation he can
point out TO those who may have the
temerity to reprOach him that upstate
counties which, normally Republican in
recent years. sent Democrats TO the As
sembly last year have now proved that
their Democracy was purely spasmodic
by falling back into the Republican
ranks.
The course Of Democracy in the Leg
islature was not one TO commend itself
to the territory north of the Harlem. or
for that matter. to anybody but a shell
backed Murphy adherent in this city
For that reason counties like OtsegO.
Cayuga, Jefferson. Lewis. 1foga, Clinton
and others which had sent reasonably
independent Democrats to the Legislat-
ure last year in the hope that Democ-
racy in the flush Of triumph in the state
would live up 10 its promises Of de-
cency and progreSsiveneSs reversed
themselves speedily on its record. They
had hoped that there was a real Demo
cratic party. as voters in many other
counties had hoped. They found Muir
phyism TO he an organized appetite for
political pap
With this reversal in the lower house
comes an opportunity for the Republicans
which will test them severely. They
VIII be not only a party Of opposition
but party Of defence-defence Of the
people against the Murphyism which still
controls the Senate and the state de-
partments. In organizing the Assembly
they will he watched carefully by that
la1e element Of independent voters 10
whom they must make an appeal next
year for victory for their state ticket
II will he for them. by the contrast Of
their course with that Of Murphyism
to show that no mistake has been made
this year. but that the voters actually
displayed "a revival Of intelligence"