The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-10
NEW YORK POLITICS.
Impossible to Organize Oppo-
sition to Tammany.
BILLIARD ROOMS IN CHURCHES.
The Public Dinner season-Pritate I'm
tertainments-The Holidays in the
Great Metropolis.

spondence Another sporadic attempt is
being made to reorganize the County DEM
ocracy or set on foot q new organization
which will be able to offer opposition to
Tammany Hall. Through their own cor
Yuption, indifference to public interest and
lack of character on the part of leaders, the
County Democrats, who six years ago were
In almost complete possession of the mu-
nicipal government. were kicked out of
power seriatim. Tammany came into
possession, after nearly twenty years of
wandering in the wilderness, and today is
absolute in its control and dispensation of
1905. 0Oo raised from our taxpayers. It
Is safe to assume that there are so, 700 Dem
ocrats in New York city who do not ap-
prove of Tammany Hall and its methods.
Yet these voters are compelled to accept
Q ticket made by five sachems in
Tammany Hall or stay away from
the polls. 1t Is not possible that
this state of things will continue much
longer. There is crying demand for a
wall-organized opposition to Tammany
Hall inside the Democratic ranks. But
who will head it is the question. For
quite season the County Democrats 'en-
joyed the countenance of such men as Ed
,.
R. Grace, w. C. Whitney and men of that
ilk. Under such patronage they managed
10 carry on business extensively. But in
due time it was found that Hubert o.
Thompson, Maurice Power Richard Cum
ningham ct al, who we're the real bene-
fciaries Of the public confidence, were no
better than the old-time grabbefs of Tam
many. They feathered their nests,
divided the spells with their personal
friends, MIXED the municipal goat and
skinned the taxpayers after the ancient
methods Then came the revolt and the
rise of Tammany. Now we have Tam
corporation method, and there is a
demand for new and healthy Demo-
cratic opposition. But there is no
leader in sight. Ex-Mayor Grace has
had his day and is not inclined to politics
now. Cooper and Hewitt are on the shelf.
Power is in bad odor, and there is no man
in sight big enough. clean enough and
willing enough to head the new organiza-
ton. But he will come in time, because
the situation demands it. At present the
Democratic voters of the city are COM
PEELED to take their politics from Tammany
Hall, just as the whole city takes it rapid
transit from Jay Gould. There must be a
Messiah somewhere, and when he comes
he will find his following.
Billiard Rooms In Churches.
At meeting of the Methodist min
listers at the Methodist Book Concern in
this city recently. one of the ministers, in
discussing the affairs of the church, sug-
gested that billiard rooms be opened in
the basement of all the city churches in
order to attract young men and bring
them within the reach of church influence.
The suggestion created so much excite
ment that the speaker did not have an OPP
portunity to explain hi5 plan in detail, but
/ understand il contemplated not only
billiard tables, but games OF all kinds, in
GLIDING cigars and soft drinks, all to be
furnished at cost that would make il an
inducement for young men to throw their
patronage 10 the church billiard room in
stead of TO the saloon.
This suggestion need not have created
so much excitemen, as the idea Is not new.
In Jersey City the Rev. John L. Scudder
has been running an evangelical billiard
room and bowling alley for some time.
What is more, it is being run very success
fully, from an evangelical standpoint. Mr..
Scudder has not yet educated the Jersey
City churches to the point where they en-
ter heartily into his work, but at the same
time many prominent church people are
cooperating with him, and it may not be
long until he will be able to hang out a
plillaru sign on many Vi the Jersey lily
churches. He firmly believes that the
churches-not only in Jersey City but in
New Yord and other large cites-will have
10 come to this sooner or later, in order to
counterfeit the saloon influence. Mr.. Scud-
der calls his scheme the Peoples Palace
Work. He keeps a clean, attractive place,
and supplies billiards, tenpins. shuttle
board and any 'soft drink" all at half
price. 1t keeps the saloon men in state
of wild and unchristian ind gnation, but
church people tell me the scheme is work
ing we'll. The stringency which prevails
in the finances OF many young men who
have the billiard habit drives them to the
cheapest place. and no one in Jersey
City pretends to compete with Brother
Scudder. Saloon men say they could not
pay rent and gas bills and furnish billiards
and Switchboard and cigars at his ridicu-
lous prices. and so he has large run of
custom While the impecunious young
men are awaiting their turn at his cheap
tables he has his agents, who ply them
with tracts and other appropriate litera-
ture. Each of his barkeepers is able TO
sing a hymn or do turn at exhorta-
ton, and when q young man applies at the
bar for drink, no matter how soft" he
gets what he calls for. and temperance
lecture and some excellent religious adj
vice thrown in. The Peoples Palace is
run at a financial loss, but II has proved so
successful that those interested IN church
work are willing to keep it up, and there
are even plans TO enlarge its capacity and
establish branches in other parts of the
city. 1t has brought large number of
young men into the Sunday-school and
some into the church who were in
promising way to go to the devil" as it
was explained to me. In view of this per-
haps the idea of billiard rooms in the base
ment of city churches Is worth consider
ing.
Public Dinners.
This is the season not only for balls and
opera, but for dinners, public and private,
though so far as fashionable and even So
called family" dinners go, the society
columns in the newspapers make them
among the most public performances ad-
vertised or given. As for the properly
public" dinners, the same oft-noted dis
pensation that has caused large rivers 10
run by large towns has wisely arranged
that the actual anniversaries of such So