The record-union., 1893-11-01
PROGRESS OF TAMMAHY.
Can Machine Government be Made
Good Government?
Richard Croker is Working Upon That
Plan, and New York Seems
Satisfied.
[snecial Correspondence REcoRp-Ux1ov.l

would have discounted the energy and
emotional excitement necessary to po-
litical enthusiasm. The interest is not
political, not partisan; it is cold and
thoughtful, such as weary, bafled men
give new phenomena of our kind. There
is something new in Tammany Hall and
New Workers having become aware of
the fact, are wondering what it is.
The Tammany society is a very old in
stitution, dating from the close of the war
of the Revolution, when it grew up as
rival to the Cincinnati. Begun as a
social, semi political club, it acquired its
exclusively political character very
gradually. But the present generation OF
New Workers know il only in two stages,
that of the Tweed, and the post-Tweed
rules. Under Boss Tweed it was as ef-
fective as it is now, in performing its
nefarious functions. But the fall of
Tweed has had a lasting effect on the
leaders of the ring and their regard for
the lesson learned from that event enters
constantly into their plans, and, while it
does not produce general self-restralnt, 1t
reminds Tammany that limits do exist.
This respect for limitations, together
with more subtle policy, has altered
the methods and system little by little
until now the results are appearing in
DOlQ 101l6Iy anu OulSlu6TS. oven OlO III
lmical students OF Tammany, are baked
and perplexed in their efforts to interpret
certain acts of the ring so as to make
them conform with the old conception Of
the machine and its methods.
1t is useless to try to do this. To under
stand Tammany now another element
must be added 70 the old problem. The
ring, under Boss Croker, aims at the
same end that attracted Boss Tweed.
But Croker is one of the shrewdest, best
equipped politicians this country ever
produced. He is genius, and his great
est political attribute is his knowledge of
men en- masse. He knows New Workers,
as a community, thoroughly, even better
than he knows his own followers, and if
he ever falls it will be from within his
organization, not from the attacks of an
outraged public. His discrimination be-
tween what the public will stand and
what they will not submit to is wonder
ful, and has won him the absolute
obedience Of his associates in the council
of four.
Richard Croker has seen and he is
teaching his organization that machine
must serve TWO masters. he aims first at
political earnings, and the gross receipts
of his close corporation are enormous.
But ne has Willed that the government
provided the city of New York shall be
efficient. He gives the able party worker
the office, but he demands that he till it
and perform all its duties. Secondly, and
as means to the first end, he is introduce
ing strict business methods into the sys-
tenn of corrupt political practices and dis
honest gains.
These changes are by no means COM
pleted, and the rudiments of the Old
Tweed management are obvious. They
stick out so sharply indeed that they at
tract all the anti-Tammany criticism to
themselves. In this way they screen the
IL
Croker IN his measures OF reform. For
one of the leaders, greatest helps comes
from the attacks of the enemies of the
organization, by giving the boss the ex-
cuse for his removals and other improve
ments. The public becomes indignant
about some such ill-managed department
as, for instance, was that of the Street.
Cleaning Bureau. The newspapers take
up the subject and the storm grows
dangerously violent. Croker waits until
the head OF the department is alarmed,
and then orders removal. Nobody
in the organization can object to such
step. and Corker is justified by his own
followers.
But he seizes the opportunity and ap-
points an able man. Commissioner An
drews, whom Croker placed at the head
OF the Street Cleaning Bureau, is a man of
great executive ability. He. too, seized
the right moment, and backed by the
DOSS, H6 IIu lne S6INIce Oh ABOUT one nun
dred Iammany pensioners. He was
sustained within the organization by the
excuse of hot public Indignation. and the
few complaints made by district leaders
were easily silenced. The reform in the
Street Cleaning Department is an example
of what Croker is slowly doing all along
the line. Most OF the municipal bureaus
now are well administered, and those
which are not can be reformed on public
demand.
Croker's latest nominations are so good
that they have quite disarmed opposi-
ton. Republicans and Mugwumps alike
have submitted, and already they cOncede
the Democratic organization victory at
the polls. An opposition fight had been
prepared Tor by the Independents, who
had their campaign partly planned, their
funds collected and pamphlets printed.
But when the ticket named by the con-
vention held in Tammany Hall was seen,
the whole movement stopped. Anti
Tammany men were contounded, and
the better classes Of citizens are not yet
through wondering what the thing means.
1t means simply that a new Tammany
has found another, safer mode of playing
old tricks.
Croker does not pause with this reform,
however. lie has begun to check the
clumsy old system OF petty profits by
many individuals. He is seeking TO clean
up the business of politics and to lessen
the chances of scandal by concentrating
financial transactions in a few hands.
Among the examples of this reform the
last Legislature is the most cousDicuous
and the most highly perfected. The LOBBY
was done away with. Legislators had no
discretionary powers and consequently
got no brlbeS. Great corporations which
sought legislative neglect obtained it by
seeing Croker, and individuals with pri-
Yate oils to get through negotiated with
h N,,rl I,
were advised by Senators and Assembly
men to return home and ''see Croker"
and on doing so reported themselves well
pleased with the novel arrangement
OF course, great deal of money in the
aggregate is still made by individuals in
the various departments and in the police
services the evil is very great. But these
exceptions do not affect the general truth
OF new Tammany doctrine and prac-
tlce. BY present methods the greatest
proportion of the money made by the
organization goes directly to the boss and
very little goes beyond the ring of four or
i've VINO surround him. Herein lies the
danger to the whole scheme. Croker is
getting enormously rich. His career is
well known both to the public and To his
followers, and it is known positively that
ne never earned legitimately any more
than $4,000, the salary tor three years of
the only Office he ever held Tammany
pays him as Sachem $1,000 year, and if
this be counted as legitimate. about S70.-
600 Is added to the amount accounted for
But this does not explain how he got the
wealth which bought and maintains his
residence on Fifth avenue. opposite Cen
tral Park, to say nothing of the string of
racehorses which he keeps up and con-
stantly adds to.
There is great deal of grumbllng
about this. on the part of the men who do
the hard work OF politics, and it may
cause the downfall of Richard Croker.