New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-10
yOTNG MEN and NM1NY

Young MEN md TAMM1NY.
The overwhelming defeat of David y. Hi
and the breaking down of the power "f ram
many Hall mean something more than goon
government in the State and city. They mean
something vastly more important The people
have endured corrlipt administration. and may
perhaps have To endure it again. They may
suffer from IT, but they can survive II. NO
country. however can long endure 70 have held
before its young men the aims which Hill ana
Tarmanv typGcd as the ideals Of political me-
and their methods as the unfang paths 10 sue
cess. without having it, moral fibre completely
disntcgratcd Never again can Tammany Hall
dazzle the eyes If men having naturally no
affinity with its chiefs as it has done hitherto
The prestige of smart politics is broken Inc
moral lesson of such a victory is Of greater
value even than the actual sweeping away OF
spccltc vlanies which it prcsascs. Honesty
/, the best policy" is not. indeed, the most
spiriiual teaching but it is certainly an advance
To- bring it as truth To the Consciousness OF
one who has before been dominated by belief
and acIucSccncc in the doctrine that dishonesty
leads 10 prcfcrncnt
4 keen observer cannot have failed 10 notice
the number Of young men Of respectable ram
lies ana good education who were more or less
closely allied with the Tammany organization.
These men were not followers of the highest
ideals of life. but they were not naturally IN
,lin.d 10 di>hOnorlblc courses. 1hry started
cut in business aiming a; worldly success. They
found tolerated lay the community seemingly
iuvinrihlr organization which held ont pros
poets of political power and professional pros
pcritv. In fact. alliance with il WAS for I'M
mediate advancement almost the only sure
means Young men with even moderate
amount ~ brains who could make "A prescniable
auprarancr t. the world were in demand by
leader, whose own atanmcnts were OF the
crli,lest sort and vino needed igur"headS. TN
der th,.S, circumstances close inquiry into the
conduct Of the organization was apt 10 De
omitted or. even II its character was perfectly
understood il was accepted aS one of the I'm
u,rf..f fools which men think they must make
use II for the sake Of success. That 1t l. th'y
who are always the tools in such a combination
+ realized only when character Is gone. Inc
,asnistry II ambition argued 20 men That :"
long ~ their own actions were honest the!
could with clear consccnccs have Fellowship
with the Tammany rogucs. assist them 10 keep
I'm power and accept fayOrs from them Inc
youug lawyer folnd that clients came quicker
cases were more easily won. court officers were
subservicnt and references multiplied II ne pe'
longcd 10 n Tammany club and spoke for Dem
ocratic principles" AT election time. Ofiicc was
omen to him and he might hope for high station
Il he ONLY bowed down 10 the uncioan beast
He was not asked To steal; he did not need To
nront by others thcfis. His role was simply
to he. their friend. 10 the clean part Of their
work and leave them undIsturbed 10 do the
dirty part for themselves. Any number Of cx-
amplrs of This kind Of young man might he
found in the public offices and attorneys cham
her, In this city Perhaps the most typlcal Is
the youth who has for The last two years pre-
sided over the Board Of Aldermen and who
managed 10 save himself from the wreck and
get a seat in Congress Aside from party con
sidcration we are sorry he WAS not defeated.
because H. is a type of the decent young man
Of thoroughly mundane ideals. For his own
sake he needs rcbuking For the sake of others
Of his class his utter absorption in personal
prosperity should not have received It's reward
But after all he Is only an example. and his
present success only an exception The lesson
has been taught to others The tyranny which
Tammany exercised over the minds Of the am
bilious young and old. Is no more The tnscl
with which HIS hcartless and constituencies
cunning lorlcd it over mems Imagination has
lost its glamour. The verdict Of Tuesday means
that chicancry Is not 10 be accepted as the pre-
vailing element in American life. II makes
honesty In politics easier for weak and selfish
natures. 1t takes away somewhat from the
awful temptations which material longings
throw in the way Of American youth