Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-24
BIG SMELLS IN POLITICS.
G. HAMILTON PELL WANTS TO
BE AN ALDERMAN.

A Big Dinner Given to His millionaire
Friends as a Start for His Boom-The
Absence of Bosses or Heelers Sure
Sign That He Won't Be Elected.
NEW YORK, Oct. 23.-When a bowling
swell decides to enter politics in New
York he adopts what is generally known
as the English method of advancing his
interests. Hence he invariably fails. In
this direction, at least, anglomania is not
a success. Mr.. G.. Hamilton Pell is the
latest one of the sons of New York's rich
men to offer himself as a claimant for po-
litical honors. He is modest, and looks
no higher than the position of Alderman.
He has begun his canvass BY an elabo-
rate Delmonico dinner in mis- own mansion
to his friends, including such men as Theo-
dOre Roosevelt, Chauncy Depew and Levi
2. Morton. Altogether they represent
about $20000,000. Besides this they are
personally men of excellent birth and
charming manner. They are familiar
with art subjects and thoroughly ac-
qualnted with European manners, Gus
toms and tongues. 1t would perhaps be
difficult to pick out three more agreeable
men for party at dinner. To introduce
among them such a person as Mike Gre
gan would have given them more or less
OF shock. Cregan is squat, solemn
not to say sullen-sallow and reserved.
He went South once for his health, and
when he came back hundred or more of
his friends gave him dinner in celebra-
ton of his improved physical condition.
II was distinguished assembly. Nearly
all the diners were men whose names are
familiar not only in New York and
Washington, out all over the United
States. About the only man among
them whom | did not know
by sight or name was Mike Cregan him.
self. When he came to the table and took
his seat on the right hand of the chairman
the greeting he received was amazing to
an observer who did not know that the
Judges, Congressman and the like who
were stretched out before him were his
creatures as absolutely as though ne had
fashioned them himself out of putty and
put them into the positions which gave
them their power. Cregan talked little,
ate less and sat we'll down in his chair,
with his broad face scarcely above the
level of the cloth. He was bored by the
parade OF it all and evidently i'll at ease.
When the time for the speeches came he
rose awkwardly, while his hosts jumped
to their feet and cheered Till
they were hoarse. Cregan said
few commonplace words In evident
embarrassment, made the superfuOus re-
mark that he didn't know how to make a
speech, and dropped carelessly into his
chair. Then ensued q series of panegy-
RIGS that would have made a Napoleon
blush. Each successive speaker laid on
the adulation more generously than the
ian who had preceded him, aud during
1t all the sallow little Cregan sat there
with queer smile on his face and his
eyes half closed. He is not a handsome
man, knows little OF any other town than
this, does not talk well, lives in a tenement
house district and seldom goes about.
He would have been a dull cOmpan.
ion for Levi p. Morton, our ex-Min-
lister to Paris, Theodore Roosevelt, the
millionaire statesman, Chauncey Dapew.
President Of the New York Central rail
road, and the most polished AMI ornate
after dinner speaker IN America, and the
other accomplished guests of Mr.. G.
Hamilton Pell; but, OBJ. how glad Messrs.
Morton, Roosevelt, Depew and Peil would
have been If they could have induced
some such leader as Cregan to counte-
nance the ambitious candidatel AS it
was there was an admirable dinner, and
after it had been partaken of and the mel
low glow of the wine had warmed the
wits of tie millionaires a series of clever
speeches were delivered, in which it was
predicted that the time is now ripe for
the appearance OF men of brains, position
and Neutrality-suspicious. in fact-in the
political field, and that q. Hamilton Pell
was the proper choice for Alder
man from his district. Much well
fed and cordial enthusiasm prevailed
and Mr.. Pell told them all how well de-
fined his plans were concerning the
course which an Alderman should pur-
sue, and the caucus came to a dignifed,
well bred and harmonious close. Mr.. G.
Hamilton Pel'S canvass is therefore
launched in the manner most approved
in Great Britain and Mr.. Pell feels serene,
Meanwhile some local leader of the Nike
Cregan type will run across Mi. PelI's
district when making out big slate, put
down the name of tool, and the Morton
Roosevelt epew-Pell syndicate will feel
as though it had never existed on this
earth. Despite all the talk about reform.
citizens parties and the like, the machine
leaders on both sides are the men in whose
hands the game lies
Mr.. w aldorf Aston was accused of imi-
tating English methods when ne made his
canvass few years ago for Congress,
he rolled up the legs of his trousers when
he started out on his daily trips, put on
pair of thick gloves ana went about with
group OF his political supporters calling
from one saloon TO another. At each one
he was tremendously introduced to the
proprietor. MIR. Astor then ordered
drinks all around, laid a twenty dollar
bill on the bar, refused the change, aud,
after sedate leave-takine, went on mis-
way. twas generally conceded, believe,
That the heir OF the Aslors impressed
all the acquaintance he made IN this
manner quite favorablv. or course they
all voted for the machine candidate Just
the same; but they had no particular
grievance against Mr.. Astor. 1t seemed
to them that man who considered 1t such
a bore to meet them, that he made up for
the ordeal and carried an air of conde-
scension with him in dealing with the
"masses," had better remain at home
while Henry Dugro went to Congress.
A man OF society, or peer Of the realm,
may do that in England, but here IL is
never successful. The voters work for
the machines choice, and the mechine al
ways takes a man from the ranks.
Young Roosevelt" as he is generally
called, is on the surface again as the Re-
publican candidate for Mayor. He is
only 2S years old, but he is widely known,
and he has gained bis present popularity
because ne is emphatically a man OF the
people despite his great wealth. The talk
about the aristocratic birth of the Roose-
velts is purely mplimentary. They be-
long TO the monled set in New York and
make no such claims to blue blood as do |
the Astors, Van Rensselaers, Beeckmans
and Livingstone. Theodore Roosevelt |
has the quality that was so much guyed |