The record-union., 1894-02-08
NEW YORK TALK.
What the People of the Metropolis
Are Doing.
Hill and Croker on the Nomination Of
Judge Peckham for Justice or
the Supreme Court.
Especial Correspondence of REcoRD-UN1oN.l
N,r,r XnnK Iannaru 0Sth


ticeship of the Supreme Court thrill
went through the political nerves OF this
State. 1t was certain that Hill would OPP
pose this second Mugwump as he had the
first, and Immediately everybody took
side in the wordy fight. Either Cleve-
land or the Senate was obstinate, accord
ing to the faction with which the indlg-
nant man sympathized. By while every
body else was talking or acting IN way
to open the breach, Richard Croker
thought and understood and hurried oil
to Washington.
The 'boss'' may be an arrant villain,
but once more he has shown his wonder
full political sagacity and his complete
control of partisan feelings. HIPS fight
is Croker's fight, but while the Senator IS
blinded by petty passions and led by
small purposes, the Tammany Sachem
sees only the facts, and is guided by cir
cumstances which he never is unaDle 10
value correctly. So in the midst OF the
anger all about him Croker merely stu
died coldly the situation, and his under
standing OF 1t Is undoubtedly the rlgnt
one.
He saw that if the fight over the va
cancy on the Supreme Bench should con-
tinue, the Democratic party would be
demOralized not only in New ork, but
throughout the country. 1t is SAID mere
that he went to Washington to persuade
his friends to oppose the income tax, and
to-day in an interview he admitted that
he expressed himself as against 1t. But
Croker very seldom interfereS with legls-
lation that contains no ''plums." and he
almost never goes openly to w ashlngton.
He went there to quench the tactlonal
wrath of Hill and to placate Cleveland.
His wishes in regard to pending bills he
can put into his correspondence, but let
ters cannot appease anger and still pas
sionS.
Whether Croker succeeded or not can
not be known until the Senate has acted
on the nomination of Peckham. 1hat
will probably be before the publication of
this letter. But if Peckham is confirmed
IL will be because of Croker'S visit. For
Hil was determined before that to fight
it out with Cleveland no matter what 1t
cost. And it would have cost the country
heavily. This, perhaps, was matter of
little concern either to Hill or to Croker.
But the latter saw that the country would
retaliate on the democratic party, and
that this State might take it out of Hill
and Tammany.
Wheeler ii. Peckham is odious to the
regular Democrats, always because he is
one of those able, respected men, who
openly cut their party whenever it does
wrong, recently because he did openly
bolt the ticket at the last election and led
from the first the opposition to Maynard.
1t was he who, as President OF the Bar
Association, initiated the investigation OF
that mans conduct in the matter of the
Duchess County returns. He appointed
the Committee of Investigation and acted
as it's Chairman. He wrote the findings,
and last summer was Chairman OF the
committee and of the meeting which adj
vocated the defeat of the head of the
Democratic ticket.
But to Croker he is one of thousands
and those thousands are men who, politi-
cally, have nothing to lose. They could
afford to see the party defeated in the
future, while the 'bosS'' could not. He
saw, moreover, that behind Peckham
stands Frederick r. Condert and James
c. Carter, both of whom, like Peckham,
have been in the forefront of Tammany
opposition and, like him. are mug
wumps They are eminent lawyers,
friends of Cleveland, known to be Oh the
list of possible candidates for the Su-
preme bench, and no less odious than
Hornblower or Peckham to Hill and
Tammany. What is the use of fighting
along this line then? Hornblower was
''too young,'' but all the others were
active in the promotion OF the Tweed
ring. aud all without exception would
willingly repeat their WORK. Thus the
feelings of the "bosses" are compre-
Sall the more admirable.
Another incident outside of this city,
which is related TO its welfare, though in
a different way. was the conference in
Philadelphia of friends of good govern
ment in cities. There were several
features of this convention worth noting.
1t was one more declaration of the right
ness of separating municipal affairs from
national politics. There was really no
other use in combining the exponents of
this doctrine than this plea for the re-
spectability OF independence of party in
local concern. Not much was said of
specific nature about the experience of
the various cities represented, and, in
deed, indistinctness of expression and of
action marked the whole meeting. 1t is
strangely un-American this helplessness
of the citizens IN independent action. 1t
would seem almost as though the old self
Sufficiency of the commOnalty in political
matters, which distinguished ali the old
colonial communities, were lost. Wanting
in the efforts now making in this city to
reform the State parties, 1t was, mot in evil
dence at the Philadelphia conference.
Unamerican, but not for that reason to
be condemned, is the growing practice of
holding up European examples in the
discussion of our peculiar evils and de-
ticiencies. Several speakers in Philadel-
phia referred to the excellent conduct of
municipal affairs in English and conti-
mental cities. European travel, which
costs Americans (it is estimated by bank
ersl $50, 900 year, would pay us il it
led to reforms But it will not unless the
discomfort generated is not turned into
management through the Saxon instinct
Tor practical application for all ideas. 1t
is safe to say that no direct practical re-
suits will follow from this conference.
Resolutions were adopted, however,
which may some day become resolution
when the best mode OF carrying out plans
for reform and good government is
learned in the experience of successive
failures.
European example, likewise. is cred
tied with the clean streets in this city to-
day. The heavy, seven-inch fall Of snow
Friday would have lain for days last
winter, and few years before would have
melted, before the Cleaning De-
partment got to work. But so many New
Workers have seen Berlin, Vienna, Paris
and London cleaned a few hours after a
snowfall, that it is known that street.
cleaning is possible. Tammany heads of
department have not travelled much since
they came to this country, and they de-
MED the assertion that snow could be
removed, till it was made evident last
year that they must try it. And this
storm gave the first opportunity.
sit will be remembered that Commis-
sioner Brennan had to 'be resigned by
the Mayor during the summer. His