The evening world., 1893-12-20
CROKER'S new PLAN.
Is II to Paoify the Business Men
Of This City?
Doubling Of District Leaders a Sur
prise to Politicians.
More Trouble Expected from Ex-
Senator Plunkitt.

Tammany men would not talk this
morning about Richard Croker's latest
scheme to increase the Executive Com
mittee or number of district leaders Of
Tammany Hall from thirty to sixty, for
the simple reason that they knew moth
ing about It. Croker did not take them
into his confidence. and with the excep-
ton of Mayor Gilroy and one or two
others, the first they knew of the plan
was through the newspapers
The order from the chief was a stun
ming surprise to the district leaders.
They can't understand what 1t means.
Croker's order is that the thirty new
leaders must be business men. The lead
ers cannot reconcile this departure from
Croker's recent announcement that Tam
many Hall had no use for business men.
He wanted only men who could devote
all their time to public affairs.
They interpret this new move as indi-
eating tina Croker made a mistake when
he a~ffronted the business men. and Is
now anxious tt make amends.
As the leaders were not consulted they
had no chance to make selections of
coadjutors. Possibly Mr.. Croker intends
to relieve them of all embarrassment in
the matter and select their coadjutors
II Senator Plunkitt has his way, ex.
! Police Justice Murray will not share the
leadership OF the Eighteenth with him,
Contractor Thomas Smith Is his assist.
ant now, and will be continued as such
unles orders from the Wigwam decree
otherwise.
BY some It is believed that the new
2rder is an expedient TO cover cases stint
lar to that in the Eighteenth District,
where Leader Plunkltt has peremptorily
: declined to be turned down for Murray,
n IL he as peremptorily rejects Murray
~ a co-leader. Croker will be obliged to
seek another way out of the difficulty.
with whom The Evening World" re.
I porter talked to-day Is that the scheme
! associate Is nothing more or less than
an attempt TO discount In advance the
threatened revolt OF the business inter
ests OF the city against Tammany Hall
In this view of the case Mr.. troker's
! plan is ar evidence of the fact that he
erprehends serious trouble in the future
veal a structural weaknes I'm the or.
Ganization. He wants a loyal man In
some district as a check upon self-seek'
ing, leaders. many OF whom are con
Mayor Gilroy thinks Croker's schem,
Is an excellent, one, and says:
1T will. broaden the organization. il
of the idea that the organization is ar.
bitrarily controlled by a few men. II
Will put the organization in closer touch
with the business people and gain for
: II increased confidence in the usine
community"
at is a shrewd move" said Corpora.
tion Counsel Clark ''Oniy the best
men In business Will be selected"
Sheriff German regards the scheme as
an excellent one.
He suggests Robert J. Dean. the ware.
houseman, as Leader Boyle's partner In
the NINTH.
John Spellman. the halter. is talked OF
In the Second.
In the Third the leadership is already
divided between Senator-elect Sullivan
and Barney Rcrke. Rorke is in the
saloon business.
In fact, In most OF the districts there
are two leaders. only one OF whom. how
ever, Is a member If the Executive Com
mittee. All the assistant leaders are
business men They really do the bust
ness of the organization
Among the business men mentioned az
probable assistants are J. Edward Sim
mons, Walter Stanton and Charles Is.
Peet.