The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-11-17

ticket it bad made bal beyond that
was the advantage of having q train
ed, disciplined force to get out its
own vote, and to control the floating
vote which generally decides cleo
tions.
Burr used Tammany against the
Clintons, and it was bis principal
weapon so leng as be figured in poll
ties. Sometimes Clinton beat Tam
many and sometimes Tammany beat
Clinton, but in either case the organ-
~ization preserved its vitality. 1t was
a power sometimes humbled but new
er~ crushed.
Martin Van Buren,, originally an
opponent of Tammany, having COM
menced.politics as C~lintonian, saw,
like Burr, the advantage to be deriv-
ed from the organization, and be
Joined it. Ii carried MIN into all the
minor Offices be desired, and finally
made him a Senator. Clinton died
in 1928, and from that time for many
years the society had no vigorous OPP
position. 1t became the soul and
heart of the Democratic party of the
State Of New York, and its power
was felt in Washington. Whoever
was its chief had supreme control.
and from his dictum there was no ap-
peal To hold any Office in Tam
many was to have the confidence Of
the leader, and all that leader had to
do was to ask. From the Governor
down'to the lowest oficer-he made
them.
In 1854 Fernando Wood became
its master spirit, and was elected to
the %mayoralty of the city. In 1856
Sweeny, Tweed, and their associates
threw Wood overheard, and they
ruled it. When the people rose in
their wrath and overthrow that Gy-
nasty John Kelly took the reins aud
has them now, though the late cleo
ton wall probably finish him, and
another will take his place.
The society has a regular form Of
initiation, the same as other secret
societies, and its members are bound
by pledges, though fidelity is assured
more by the profit to be derived from
faithfulness than by any COWS its
members take. 1t is most admira-
bly, organized. First, there is the
Grand Sachem, who appoints all the
committees. The committees call
all conventions of the Democratic
party of the city and county, and
they number hundreds. The head
has the power to appoint and remove
from the committees at pleasure. so
every man of them is in power. At
this point the real strength Of the So
ciety begins. No man can be ap-
pointed t any position except upon
the Endorsement OF these commit
tees. The great army Of oiice-hold-
ers, those who receive and disburse
the enormous sums required to gov
ern the city Of New York, all hold
their places by the will of these COM
mittees, and these committees hold
their places at the will Of one man,
the head. This system makes the
Grand Sachem the dictator of the
city, for only occasionally can the
people be so reused .as to combine
against a force so well disciplined
and so admirably directed.
Then it has the moral support OF
the party in the State and nation.
No Democratic politician who as
pires to preferment can afford to be
Indifferent to a power that controls
so great a State as New York, for
Tammany not only makes municipal
and State officers, but it selects the
delegates TO National Conventions.
1t is, 10 short, the Democratic party
OF the State ia the hands of one man.
His rule is not only ackno wledged by
the leaders, but they do all 10 their
power Il strengthen it, because each
Il has patronage to distribute 10
proportion to the votes he a con-
troll. The Offices are all divided
among the faithful, and, if there are
not enough to go around, it is easy
enough to make new ones.
How was it overthrown at the last
election? Why, Kelly, he present
head, was not judicious in distribu-
ton. John Morrissey wanted more
than Kelly thought be was entitled
to, and Morrissey rebelled. Kelly
removed him from the committee,
and be went u and appealed to the
people. Kelly had cut down the
wages of the laborers in the employ
of the city, and was consequently
unpopular with them. The Republi-
cans were willing to do anything to
kill this one-man power, and so they
united with the Anti-Tammaay
Democrats, and carried the city.
This has been done before. and
probably will be again, but it will
not kill organization. 1t is based
upon the cupidity of intelligent ras-
Gals, who have under them the rabble
who want plumber, and the idiots
whe can be controlled. Its winked
at and courted by prominent and res
pectable Democrats, because without
this power they can do nothing.
For instance, Democrats in the inte-
rior of the State Of rcspectabilitt
and the highest social standing, such
men as Seymour, Tilden, Hoffman,
and hundreds of others, bow the
knee to Tammany, and grasp the
dirty paws Of the thieves aud black
guards who make up its numerical
strength. The highest aud best men
in the party are compelled to be en-
rolled il its ranks, and to yield ODE
dience to its behests.
Tweed, Connolly, Sweeny all went
by the board, and John Kelly has
followed them. But another will rise
in his stead, the disaffected will be
~placatcd, the scattered regions will
be reorganized, and the compound of
shrewdness, ~rascality, dirt, filth and
debauchery known as Tammany,
will doubtless again get its grip on
the Metropolis. 1t will certainly do
so unless the respectable people main
tain their organizations, and fight il as
they did this fall.