Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-02-15
THE RISE OF O K

The government of the city Of
New York presents an example Of
the full development Of rule by a
political boss. The forms of
popular government are retained,
but the substance of power is
exercised by a man who holds no
political Office, Mr.. Richard
Croker, the head of Tammany.
He is the uncrowned king of the
chief metropolis of this country.
The disposition of offices, of CON
tracts, the city legislation, the
enforcement or non-enforcement Of
ordinances, are in his hands.
The current number of The
Atlantic Monthly has a very lucid
and readable article by Henry
Childs Merwin describing the
methods by which Tammany
gains and maintains its authority
and levies tribute upon the COM
munity. It is mainly the result of
organization and drill operating
upon the interests of some, the
tears of others, the neglect of their
luties by citizens of one class, and
he ignorance or corruption OF
'ther classes. Tammany has a
most thorough organization, The
central authority has its captains
Of hundreds, Of hfties and Of tens.
Every district, every ward and
every election precinct has its
committees to look after the voters
md to maintain Tammany as
.oendancy. The members of these
committees are not the ordinary
Indifferent sort Of committee men.
Their zeal is fired and kept at a
constant maximum by substantial
rewards. They number many
thousands and they maintain
personal surveillance over every
voter of the great city. Tammany
knows the political tendencies OF
very citizen. 1t knows whose
vote is certain to be cast in its
6avor, whose can be bought il
necessary, what men can be en-
oloyed as repeaters and what men
ne beyond its control. 1t allows
,ficials m~unihcent salaries, but
equires those who expect its
uprort to contribute heavy sums
t permits fat contracts, but levies
| handsome toll on contractors
IS managers draw a great revenue
rom saloons and disreputable
.ouses, which must pay tribute to
scape the enforcement of re-
criCtive ordinances. Out of thest
nd similar sources of revenue it,
eaders amass great fortunes. MI
Ierwin gives Boss Croker credit
or exercising his immense power
With greater prudence and moder
ltion than did his predecessor
Tweed. He tries to avoid push
ne his power to such extremes as
would provoke a revolution. O
If. Croker's an~tecedents the
ollowing account is given:
Mr.. Croker emigrated to New
ork from Ireland about forty
ears ago, being then a small boy
lie remained in New York, grow.
ng up on the east side of the city
md while still in his teens he
acquired some reputation as d
tough" He became identified
Nth what was known as the
Fourth Avenue Tunnel Gang
and subsequently he advanced tc
having a gang" of his own
he tough" recognizes but one
virtue, that of courage, and this
young Irishman possessed that
virtue in a far higher degree than
IS the case with most "toughs.'
In 1866 he defeated one Richard
Lynch in a fight at Jones Woods,
on a Sunday morning. Afterward
he was matched to fight d we'll
known professional, Mr.. Owen
Geoghegan; but this engagement
fell through. At one time Mr..
Croker kept a liquor saloon.
Later, he served for a short period
as stoker to a fire engine. Then
he went into politics, holding a
small clerkship under Tweed and
Prince Harry" Genet. Rising a
little he became an alderman and
in that capacity he signed a paper
agreeing to take no step and to