The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-07
7HT ATE DISTRICT MAT WIS.

The Poll icn Domain Where John y.
OBricn AMI Johnny Hrod-ky Held sway.
Caro- is taken when prominent citizen dies
to record II history Of his liso. Sometimes this
Is done in order that u worthy example may
be sct, but usually the only reason Il that 10
is clearly the proper thing to do. The Ate"
district is dead, and as 1t was famous in county
politics for n quarter OF II century it is entitled
to n brief ohituur,. Tho rcarrortionment has
DESTROYED it's name. which IL received In u
natural manner from the efforts Of tho boys"
in the district to pronounce Eighth. There 10
still an Eighth district. but 1t reigns in the
superior air Of tho neghhorhooi OF Washing-
ton Park. Several thckly settled strcots in
the old Ate" hnvo been dropped out In tho
rcapportionmcnt and q fcw comparatively
sparselY INHABITED thoroughfarcs hive taken
their places and the whole boon rcchristoned
the Third district. 1t will he impossible now
to explain tho character OF the district by
simply showing how this number Is mispro-
nouncod by the voters in 1t as was tho caso
with the old number. Perhaps tho lack Of o
worthy successor to John ]. OIiren will not
make this necessary. for the district has Of
late assumed something OF n humdrum nspect
In comparison to the whirlwind OF excitement
which nearly always distinguished it previous
to the death of Mr.. Oltron early in 1890.
in tho city can remember. tho Alto" was q
turbulent district. 1t was mainly composed Of
hugo tenement houses filled with Germans
and Jews. Many Of those residents were not
we'll enough v"rsed in tho political history Of
the country to determine wisely how they
should vote in order to advance their own In
terests. In a shamefully large number Of in-
stances sum Of money proved moro eflca-
cous in aiding them to decide how they should
vote than tho most convincing arguments.
Late in 1865 the Republicans had strong
organization in the "Atc." and it seemed
likely that they would be able to rcnpa sweep
ing victory in the following year. The work OF
still further strengthening the machine went
hrskly on. and in 1857 John W. Farmer tho
leader. gladly accepted the Republican nomi-
nation for Sheriff. He saw no chance Of fail
ure. for he believed every district would sup
port him with tho same cordially that the
"Ato" seemed to promise John J. O'Brien
had found time away from tho dry goods
business to gather about him II number Of
young mon who were eager to take some
active part in county fight. Farmer .eered
ut Bren and his friends. Farmer was de-
fcntcd, and when he had time after the cleo
ton TO look back oyer the battlefield no was
a ,u to see what \ n deadly power 2baien had
him out Of politics. O'liren succcrded him
as tho leader Of the district: In 1870 O'Brion
place in tho Custom House His fight against
Farmer and the stanch material which he had
many big Republicans and the favor with
which they We're inclined t. view him was con:
Conrad Geih 10 tho Assembly and George J.
kruse as an Assistant Aldcrinnn. Both of
sonni following. and. as they were supposed to
be Unknown and untried politicians, Judge
s sH Els hf fSws ndI5 nf had atc a
OF fun at their expense.
0'Erien's !ieufcnants and his district captains
We're always busy elertio4eorinG. TWAS pref
month was January or October. the greed for
votes was always uppermost in their minds.
ruign to be laid out with tho names Of district
ndidatcs all ready early in the spring.
and ii was not unusual for him and bis per- per:
sonal friends to Leave u saloon in Ludlow
street to visit the pnrlor OF some mighty Res
nublicnn whose influence extended all over
the country.
Among the. big men Of the, party who were
to show his esteem for O,Brien bymaking him
enlarge his circle OF followers and to TO- aid his
friends was shown whlohe held this place. He
places under hun that aovernment nvesiga.
tion followed. and OBrien was deeply grievcd
when when these appolntees were Obliged +" 1--WE up
obron Welded I'm in the @' Aic "an '" he lad
by recalling tho fact that Tilden's majority ia
tho district in 1876 was 1900. IIuncock's lJ4.
Baines TO. and Harrison SSi John Kelly.
the famous. Tnmmany chief. was a great adj
Hin male ChieiS d tho l;uronu II Eicctions ia
1s QHrien hGid on T. thI pace until tn
hessr 'eoFe mi aS" "h na 'Sa
Republican State and County Committees,
&Hh b eysrytnE ram fI2y sr ana ns o Ts
IN 1888 Of Warner Miller and Col. Cruger, the
tepuhlican cnn!idatHG Tor Governor ana Lieu:
"a II. nj 4, N
selling the party out. aud tho County Commit.
tee threw his organization "a, Of thg Rep9bli.
STATE, Convention in isS%,,. Then he Joined
SANITATION again olass'd as Republican.
After Ol}rions death tho association which
Brodsky as President. Iorthc first time in the
history Of the association jealousy OF tho
n@sr sns " p"a sos snsT E'n sHh v sut
BrudsNy with sOrIr OF the genius Of O'Brien.
set about Ne work Of "rganiIaion' and with
AMI sam Eng"l, restored the association to Q
tioqrshin: condition. In, 1889 Theodore J.
intro unel into the politics OF the, district
Gnst"v 4. schlirmann. who proved to be n man
Ear;n" in the summer OF Isai he sA Was tie H
r IN ho ssuny a %hsn pGs re- aiF Ss
rctgnto tondcrei him by Silver Dollar Smith
an" ESnrE lis f
from politics was desired. Tho organlza.
tiop hal in, the. mean time been taken
back into tho fold, and at the state
Convention hold in Rochester in 1901
Brodsky renewed old acquaintances and
came ack with pretty nearly all OF his old
strength. Schhrmnnn had grown to be the
Leader Of tho district Discussions followed.
f and the old organzaiqjn was st in tyo With
recent suuabblcs IL tho Alto are probably
well remembered The trouble between Brod-
pect Of settlement, Already Sam Engei one
Of l3rodsky's warmest friends. Inns announced
that lie will BIO 4 candidate for tho AS
sembly this fall lle doesn't care he SAYS.
what Schnrmann docs or whether no likes it
or not. During all these years the Democrats
have been making gallant fights Tor Victory.
but tho spirit 81 tho people is too rampant TO
be satisfied with ono hght u year, aud so the
young element have formed II habit OF hooking
to tho organization. where ight ran b. had at
any timo and ut moments notice, because
OF this tho Democrats have had to nght with
unusual riGor in gaining their victories.