Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-17
THE TAMMANY CHIEF.
Richard Croker's Rise From a Me-
chanic's Bench to a Boss Throne.
A MAN VERY LIKE GEN. GRANT.
Says Politics Is Business and the Laborer
Worthy Of His Hire.
HIS ORGANIZATIONS CLEAN RECORD

political organization in New York, but is
managed political body that ever existed.
1t is stronger and more respected, execrated,
admired and feared to-day than ever it was.
From local club of ward heelers within
the circle of an ancient social organization,
it has grown to such proportions as to
practically swallow up the greatest city of
the Union, to absorb public revenues and
patronage second only to the revenues and
patronage of the Federal Government
itself, to control the political destinies OF
the Empire State and to in great measure
dictate the policy and make and unmake
the administrators of the laws of the Re-
public.
Nothing but the personal jealousies,
factional rivalries and partisan hatreds en-
gendered by its own power and grandeur
within the ranks of the city, State and Ma
tionai Democracy could prevent Tammany
Hall from finging its triumphant banner
from the White House, and, once in possess
sion of the Federal Government, from ex-
tending the working methods of its organi-
zation to the remotest States of the Union.
Whether this would result we'll for the De-
mocracy and for the higher interests of the
whole country we need not discuss here.
Brutal Frankness ibout Tammany.
Let us deal with physical facts Tammany
is physical fact Its methods are of the
earth, earthly. The usual hypocritical pre-
lenses thought necessary by other political
ho1 hv 1lv EoI
place in the creed and practices of Tammany
Hall Politics is to Tammany simple
business proposition. The Government
must be run by somebody; we can run it as
we'll, if not better than, anybody else; we
will get the contract and pay ourselves out
of the patronage for our trouble and ex-
pense. There is a brutal frankness about
this that displeases the refined mind. Yet,
reduced to lowest terms this is substantially
the underlying principle of all political
parties The chief difference lies in the de-
gree of protestation to the contrary.
Private corporations have been robbed,
cashiers have run away with private funds,
bank Presidents have embezzled the assets
OF banking institutions-all sorts OF financial
deviltry has been and is still going on on
every hand. Public officials in Washing
ton, and State officials in other States have
betrayed their trust; Pennsylvania's treas
ury has been emptied, Jerseys representa-
tive politicians sent to prison, Chicago's
Aldermen are in Jail. and there is no end of
official rottenness. But here is Tammany-
the e1ecrated, the reviled of the Church,
the thing we throw rocks at every day
with not a single substantial slip of ad-
ministration.
Tammany Has Public Confidence.
With the collection and disbursement of
some SIC, ,00O, 900 year of public money, no
"Tammany heeler," as we fondly term him,
has run away, or robbed the city, or spent
its revenues other than in accordance with
law. On general principles, the successive
failure of all other parties and combinations
and splits and schisms to make Any impress
sion on Tammany indicates that the oppo-
sition did not have the public confidence.
And Judging by results. cannot help but
think that possibly the great State of Penn
syivania might be better off with little
more Tammanyism and a little less reform.
At least there is no cause for public alarm
if Tammany theories spread to other Sec
tions of the country.
The secret of the power of this wonderful
organization Is not secret, for it appears
on the face of events Ii it relied on the
power of public plunder alone Tammany
would 60 to pieces from the sheer weight of
spoil. Tammany is an army and the
efficiency of an army rests largely upon its
discipline and leadership. 1t is due to
superb leadership that discipline is ever
arrived at and maintained. And discipline
is growth. 1t is not achieved in a few
weeks or months, it is the growth of years.
Leadership is birthright-it belongs
alone to those who were born with it.
Circumstances may develop leaders, they
do not make them. There are as good
soldiers at the pillow to-day as ever put
armies in the field. If the occasion arose
they would be there sword in hand to lead
on to victory.
Croker Is tho Man Who Rules.
I think of such men when see man
like Dick Croker I used to think of them
whenever met General Grant. And now
1 never see Croker, known as the Tsmmany
Boss, without thinking of Grant. The lat
ter was cold, silent man whose look was
an habitual look of stupidity. He impressed
you casually as a shallow, pig-headed dull
lard. As study he was to you like the
water at the bottom of 30-foot well-deep,
dark, untathomable. Richard Croker is
much the same kind of a man. And he pos
sesses many of the real, rs we'll as the ap-
parent attributes of General Grant.
He is cold and silent. He is great tao
tician, an organizer, a leader OF men. Men
believe in him. He is stubborn, plain.
practical and persistent. He is fighter.
He is man who from his youth up was
ready to meet anybody in argument or by
physical force. His courage physically was
backed by greater moral courage. He is a
listener, not a talken He doesn't have to
talk when a man like Bourke Cochran can
serve as o better oral instrument. When
he has listened he gives his own opinion,
and that opinion goes.
His decision of character, like that which
General Grant, assumes the
degree of obstinacy. Ii Croker had been a
soldier he too would have fought it out on
that line if it had taken all summer
Keeps in Touch u iih tho People.
His Judgment of men is accurate. He is
always in touch with the people. The
great organization OF which he is the rec
ognized head is in touch with the people.
They stand elbow to elbow, breast to back,
and keep step. He does not hole himself
away in his bank or counting house or coun-
trv palace and come forth only at Del
monico dinners, sending forth studied plat
tudes through the press and appearing to
the general public only fortnight or SO
prior to elections He is with the people,
time. He knows their ins and outs, takes
note of their coming and going. Not dis
trict leader of the 24-his immediate lieu
knows him and is known to
him thoroughly. Not ward poll watcher |
but feels that Croker is watching him and
is fully informed as to the manner in which |
be does his local duty.
Perhaps an important element in Mr..
Croker's influence and managerial ability
is the fact that he began business life as q
mechanic and for years was closely asso--
al he oroat hodv nf oorpare