The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-27
DISTRICT SOCIAL CLUES.
BIZ THEN VIEW vOrERs ARE EyLrsTrp
IN THE CIUSE or DEMOCRACY

IN THE CIUSE or DEMOCRACY
joining Socially, they go with Tammnny q.
Local 1r-ues, ana, thus Stnrtcd, Vote the
Democratic state and Federal Tickets
Election returns show that In New York ci,v
Tammany Hall Is getting almost all OF tina
new voters. and that its proportion OF younr
| men lie much larger than the ratio Of the
Democratic to the Republican vote. This cir
| cumstance In age was apparent among the
car ddates as we'll as among tho voters; IL
also appeared In tho difference between tbs
vote for Mr.. Harrison In 1883 in New York
city and the vote which he received in lsap
Part Of this falling of is due to tho dcaths
OF men WHO had been merahcrs OF the 70.
publican PARTY since it's foundation whose
places have not been taken by their sons and
| grandsons by death alono the Republican
party loses several thousand votes year, and
unless this deficiency is ninde up by tho
change to them OF other voters or bv young
men coming OF ago the party will gradually
| die out Tho Republican party was young
mans purity thirty years ago. while now it Is
| an old mars PARTY The majority OF ts mem.
bers are middle aged or oil men. while in
| Tammany Hall the majority OF the active men
are young.
| Tho system OF social district clubs. which
was begun in Tammany Hall in IFS present
| shape ABOUT ten years ago. Is greatly accounts
| able for the increased tendency OF young men
| to go with Tam,nnny Hall on local issues and
from that start TO vote the Democratic st lts
and Federal tickets. This system OF social
clubs in a way corresponds to tho old.tns
associations named after prominent ro,i,
clans. some Of which are still in existence.
These associations existed in both parties
Toy included in their membership tho
personal friends and followers OF the man
for whom they were named This was In q
way n survival Of the old feudal custom
by which the feudal lord headed his rotainers.
and they took their clan or family name after
him. The clans Of Scotland and the clan iami.
lies of Ireland wero examples OF this tendency.
highly developed. The nearest approach to
them now in New York is the Timothy D. Sul-
ltvan Association. which includes among its
members about 400 Sullivans, all OF them con-
nected BY blood. marriage. or ncighborhood
ties. and probably having common ancestors.
These personal political associations were
strong in their way. hut they were not source
OF strength to the Tammany organization or
the Democratic party except 40 far rs in every
recurring campaign the association decided
that they would vote the Tammany local and
the Democratic State and Federal tickets.
They were even a source OF danger in local
campaigns. because powerful association
might have the deciding vote in the district.
This was several times the case with the Tim
othy J. Campbell Association in the old Sixth
district. the old John J. O'Brien Association in
the Eighth. and the Jefrersonan or the Shields
Association In the old Fourth. In u tight be.
tween the Republicans with strong cnndl-
date and the regular Tammany organization
these associations were able to decide tho vote.
Their xstence diminished tho majority OF the
regular organization and spit UP the vote.
The strength OF these associations came
from the effect OF social ties and associates
on votes: The associations were primarily
snd bss IN
They were tn: PatriarGhs balls OF their neigh
to XIX ss:
recognized social prominence to the families
q s the socs whG were ne tbs eesrs and 0 h
floor managers and Chairmen Of commstees:
tSs; Sd with the peculiar rosettes Of
and thus thsse sssocistons ms f tsrouSh tbeif
IN poss in ths a PTSs
w1qd yots Tho man
@ IL Ss AND 0f Pestens 81 the ct
for Hlderman et or Assem- Sc S. and
nton would y"i make
own Co anddate t to distr SS oee. ' e's'
Social sNaamp %
when he was workins bis Way unps q Very
il ts r sba ns s the the fla S"s
organization q! tho district was against I'm.
nomnatios er Aderm"n o and the e e
f the b "@ Bonra Of i akG
built UP 4 SOCIAL association. which now sur.
wives IN the Narrhginsett Club. one OF the first
exist in every Assembly district. This club
who carried their rel.tives anil friends with
ton. ut first including u majority Of the Dem.
ocratic voters q the district. later came to 10
social !, 9rgan1iznti:n OF the majority Of the
This Is TIE way the ilrst Of the Ta%many
occnpies house Of It's own We on til. Norm sias
Of Fifty-fourth. street. near Eighth avenue. and
its membership. besides numbern. al the
leans Of the district. extends niso beyond the
ds tn in a. The club bmH4g has hnt
convention or small mass maptinG Its here
the district mee'inss are held anL ns club
ganizttion for this purpose. Tho meeting
room is rarely used except for polii"n meet
supper. There is small! stage which may he
used Use. Tor OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. some o! the other
district Clubs ent"rtnin ments are given In the
hall. and it is used for dances.
The AarraGanse,t Club. the oldest. may 10
fnk I'm A. Type o. the iammnnI dlstris' rl1;
,spnce for spectators; and here contests ta!;s
place te,ween tho champion bowler, of tho
of other Tammany Hall clubs. These contests
are part o! "A series occurring tn the different
club houses. the club mt which tho respective
contests ure held furnishing the SUPPER. On
the FIRST Moor. besides he large meeting Dom.
meets his constituents on business n,'' wn,ers
tho smaller committees meet. This i tho
office o! tho Tnmmany district org 3,nizn ion.
where every evening some one OF tho lr,ltrrs;
lender arr constantly on han' 10 do
what they can for their constituents.
In this room ther. are maIs Of the Gis-
trct and mars. of thu different "lrr-
ton dlstr lcs with lists nf ia" voters reg
| istern at previous elections. and oth"t poi IL
cnl data u,ofu Tor rc'rr"nc". tiou:h Tia" lis
trct loader doc 10. nod them. Tor he carries
all thi. information in hi : bond
Up st mrs there T. n liilTd room "lth sew
erai tables. several car! rooms ana u large
reading room which OcrHlirs j." W'lpI" street
front OF 'h" hpas., Ihcr" I. al" u nuiet
room nj which >andwiril., are 'urhiel"'. and
fanythinE hot Is wnrrd r, m,y :, 10 ,I got , t"mn
tho rrndinr room are files Of III" daily and
illustrator Tavers. IA" dues are motrIate.
GnIiut'n month and tho il iia,iun tees amount
70 nhorit n wears dUcs Tho cost Of belonging
10 a rlni j. So small that it does not prevent
fr,