Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-18
Croker Should Be Guaranteed.

to have him testify before the Lexow COM
mittee, Richard Croker is coolly enjoying
the wealth he is believed to have extorted
from blackmailers apparently undisturbed
because those who stole the money for
him are being sent to Sing Sing. At least
the public has right to assume that
Richard Croker's million or millions came
by these means, for there has never been
discovered any other avenues to wealth
open to him. And in the light of recent
testimony, that of Contractor Moran, who
sent blackmail to the chief Of Tammany
Hall; also that of Police Captain
Creeden, who aid the police COM
missioncrs SIS, 900 for his promo
tion, leaves no room to longer doubt
1t is said of Captain Creeden that he was
a gallant soldier and had commonly been
regarded an honest man. Richard
Croker has never been suspected of pat
riotism or honesty Captain Creedcn had
tried for promotion and failed, not because
he wasn't eligible, but for some reason
which was later made known to him.
The police commissioners must have S1o, =
900. Crccden, it appears from the New
York papers, had not been regarded a
bad man. He seems to have been not only
respected but popular. And though 1t
was apparent that he did not tell the truth
when first on the stand, as it has been of
numbers of other witnesses before the
Lexow committee, it appears that he had
enough of conscience and manliness left
to make clean breast of it finally. This
man was tempted and the temptation was
well calculated to ensnare even a man
whose natural inclinations were honorable
and who bore a reputation for respect
ability. Here were men high in office, roll
ing in wealth, whose motto was nothing
succeeds like success these men had
won not only wealth but reputation for
smartncss by doing that which laws We're
framed and prisons were built to sup
press; they were elected and kept in Office
by the people of New York city and if
the people of New York city chose to pat
on the back and smile approval upon the
men who picked their pockets, if Faginism
be the accepted substitute for patriotism,
what could an ordinary mortal like Mr.
Creeden do to stem the tide? Reject his op-
portunity to win n competency for old
age and he esteem Of the voters of New
York by refusing to be one of "de
boys? OF course this sort of reasoning
is wrong. 1t certainly would be out of
place in u sermon, though this is not a ser
mon. Of course Mr.. Crcedcn secs now that
it was wrong, the people of New York
after years of conniving at it see that it was
all wrong very wrong. Indeed it's almost
surprising so many now see that it was all
wrong. OF course they see that blacSmail-
ing fruit vendors, storekeepers who oc-
cupicd too much of the sidewalks in front
of their stores, must inevitably lead, has
led, to blackmailing disrcputable women,
gamblers, thieves, green goods rascals,
murdorcrs. 1t perhaps isn't strange that
those who for years knew as one often
knows that which he cannot conveniently
prove, that these things were really being
done it isn't strange that these good peo-
pie now hold up their hands in holy horror.
All now agree that it was positively
wicked, for public virtue has it's ups and
downs its somnolence and its wakefulness.
"AU. "di | we say? No Richard Croker secs
no wrong in it. Who expects him to-?
Hasn't he his wealth, his liberty, his
cigars, champagne, his fast horses, all
those things which make life for the con-
sciencele;s, bullet et-headed, cold -blooded,
but brainy product of the Sums, as surely
rs the warmth of summer does for the
perceive the wickedncss now that their
eyes have been forcibly opened or because
good old fashioned rctribution has
quickencd their consciences, are asking if
Richard Croker is to go free, an every Gay
illustration for Others of ''do what you
will if you don't get caught. Tweed
went TO prison, though his bed wasn't so
hard as those of his tools. Tweed's rascal
ity was elevating alongside the brutal
cunning that robs the harlot We have no
fear that Richard Croker will usurp George
Washingtons place in history, but he is
likely t. pass for a good man, and
everyone knows that historians have
enough TO explain already. And SO we con-
fcss to little curiosity as to what the peo-
pie ara going to do about it. There are a
good many, not in pharisaicai mood who
have thanked God because all this broad
land isn't like New York. But that great
metropolis can disseminate more germs
of municipal death than any other place
in America. Unless we are greatly mis-
taken Richard Croker must be quarantined
or the sanitary work already done will
prove but temporary check, will only
serve to agitate the outskirts of the
scourge, another outbreak of which will
be characterized by even greater yiru-
louca