"Democrats Getting Together."

New York, 1895

Taking up the almost idle subject of a conference of all Long Island Democrats for the purpose of restoring harmony where the World dropped it, the Sun proceeds to go somewhat over the same ground, but adds a fresh name or two to the list of persons who seem anxious to have a gathering of the clans. We make these few extracts to enable us to offer a suggestion or two:

Daniel Noble, District Attorney — The plan is an excellent one, and should be productive of great and lasting good to the cause of Democracy. As a Democrat I am with you, and will use all efforts toward making the meeting a success.

Joseph Dykes, County Treasurer — I am heartily in favor of the movement suggested.

It would be real nice to have Noble and Dykes in the conference. It would be interesting to hear Noble's reasons for running as the Republican-Gleason candidate in 1893, and hear him justify the efforts that he and Gleason made to defeat Dykes' election. Since when did Noble become a Democrat? We do not believe that the Democratic party has any room for him, or that the party wants to be saddled with responsibility for the management of his office, which at present seems to be engaged in the business of protecting Democratic bribe-givers and bribe-takers from the consequences of their crime. The Republicans must keep Mr. Noble, and be responsible to the people for his record.

No Democratic conference can be held that will not be confronted with the question, "What shall we do with Gleason?" We do not believe that the Jeffersonian organization of Long Island City is willing to have Gleason's organization put on a level with them in Democratic conventions, and given places on the ticket. And if the Jeffersonians were willing it is probable that Gleason would spurn the offer, for he would be swallowed up and his individuality lost. Gleason has better reasons for standing out now than he ever had. The joining of Newtown and Long Island City in one assembly district makes him a bigger political factor, for he has a large following in Newtown, and it is not sure that he cannot control the election in the Second district, for he has always been able to get from 400 to 500 votes into the ballot box in Flushing, and over 100 in Jamaica, and the Democratic majority in the district does not exceed 300.

There is going to be a mighty struggle in Long Island City this year for mayor, and Gleason is to be a candidate. It will not surprise us to see a combination between his faction and the Republicans, for we believe that that has been the purpose of all the combinations of the past few years. The Republicans accepted Gleason's man Noble for District Attorney, and his man Robinson for Assemblyman, and Gleason gave the Republicans the Senatorship. Last year Gleason gave the Republicans the office of City Treasurer of Long Island City and the Republicans were to have made him Assemblyman, but they could not deliver the vote, although coming within 75 of doing so. Gleason has got the whip-hand of the Republicans this year. They want to elect a board of Aldermen and the Senator, and they cannot do either without Gleason's help. Gleason wants to be mayor, but he cannot win without Republican help. Those are some of the reasons why a Gleason-Republican "combine" is pretty certain to result.

Democrats who are talking of "getting together" and of "restoring harmony" will see, if they stop and think, the utter futility of their position. There is but one way open to the Democracy to regain its lost ascendancy, and that is by sending honest delegates to conventions and making nominations that will command public confidence.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 4.