New-York tribune., 1915-03-25
In Albany.

isting in Albany. This was pelore WV
ernor Whitman had been detected in his
s18.O00,000 blunder. 1t was before Re
publican Assemblyman, speaking on the
floor Of that house, had made charge of
corruption against his party. 1t also and
necessarily preceded the endeavor OF the
Republican leaders to dispose Of these two
circumstances by legislating out Of office
the enploye WHO discovered the Governors
mistake and disciplining the Assembly
man who made the scandalous charge.
What has happened now is unfortunate
" familiar both in the history OF Albany
and of the Republican party. A dozen
years ago every edition of the newspapers
of this town, when the Legislature was In
session, carried accounts of scandal, ineffi-
cheney and corruption at the State Capitol.
They also disclosed in the comments OF the
Republican leaders of that time the belief
that majority of the voters Of the state
would rather be Republican than right and
that majority of the Republicans would
rather be regular than intelligent.
But those who are now responsible for
similar state Of mind would do well to con-
slider intervening history. In 1905 the in
surance investigation confirmed the suspi-
cions of many and corroborated the reports
of the Albany correspondents in previous
years. A little later the Aids trial re-
vealed the Albany condition in complete
and unmistakable fashion. What had long
been suspected could no longer be denied.
The consequences were inevitable, and in
1910 the Republican party was driven out
of power.
Had the Democratic party been capable
of measuring up to its opportunity, had it
been abl, to combine moderate intelligence
with approximate decency, the exile Of the
Republicans would have been long, But it
was not. Precisely the same contempt for
the electorate the same disregard for ele-
mental decency, which had characterized
the last years of Republican rule marked
Democratic ascendancy. Murphy's boys"
occupied the bed vacated by the Repub-
licans without even attempting to change
the sheets. Thus they in turn were driven
from power by an indignant public.
Judging by all that has yet happened In
Albany, the returned Republicans have
learned little by their experiences. All
they have 80 far done suggests that
they are still convinced that the public is
so enamoured of Republican rule, so eager
to zee all places Of trust and emolument
filed by Republicans, that all considera-
tons of reasonable efficiency and honesty
may be disregarded.
Was ever a mistake more patent, more
inexcusable? Did any group Of so-called
leaders ever more completely misunder-
stand the time and the conditions1 1t Is
true that the people of this state are still
indignant at the Tammanyized state gov
eminent which they have recently de-
stroyed. 1t is true that the national Dem
ocratic administration Is unpopular, and
deservedly so. 1t is fact, as ex-senator
Burton said the other night, that the cur
rent has set toward the Republicans and
that there is every prospect that Repub-
ican will defeat Woodrow Wilson next
year.
But do the Republican leaders Of this
state think that because of this current,
this favorable prospect, they are possessed
of license to affront the voters OF this
state, to disregard the interests of the tax
payers of this great city, to insult and
browbeat the intelligence Of those who are
watching Albany events with unmistakable
closeness? If they do, The Tribune be-
leves they wholly misund erstand the fact,
are turning blind eye to the signals.
For what is most important in the af
fairs of the Republican party In New York
State is that it shall be able to draw to
itself again the thousands Of young men
who eft the party in 1912. Not few of
them lost heart in 1910. The battle be-
tween Governor Hughes and the Repub-
lican bosses cut into the very foundation
of party strength in this state. The rejec-
tion of Hughes, coming as it did after a
long period Of scandal, proven corruption
and undeniable debauchery Of public SER
vice. alienated the very.men On whom any
party must depend if it is to be an affirma-
tive force, an enduring and constructive
influence.
Many of these young men voted with the
Republican party last year. But none of
them have yet surrendered their allegiance
IN L. IL IL