Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-30
CROKER TALKS Or REFORM.
he Thinks That Ira Some Of Its
Phases II Needa Reformation.

I.c Thinks That Ira Some or Its
| Phases II Needs Reformation.
! Tn White StaT-1.ine steamship Males
tic. which sailed from Now York on
| Wednesday morning for Liverpool. had
! On board Richard Croker. the eX-Tam-
many chicftain. his wife. and their two
sons and two daughters. NJ. /. Dwyor
accompanied the party. Mrs. Croker ala
not look we'll she has just recov red
| from a severe attack Of grip and would
not have LIT here until fully recovered
! had not Mr. Cookers racing interests de-
mandod bis immediat. attention abroad.
Mr. Croker and his family. with the eT-
| ccptiCn of his two sons. who are in col
! lege. VIII remain abroad until the end Of
! the English racing season. although the
| amount Of luggage made it appear as
! though they will side permanently In
/ Europe. They had over fifty pieces.
As he was leaving. MIR. Croker would
! not talk politics. but was very ccmmuni-
! chtive about racing anGirs. Yesterday.
| however. h. talked politics. lie spoke
highly Of Mayor Stronp, and did not
/ doubt h will do all he can.
I "Efform, REFORM, said Mr.. crOk r..
/ isn't ii curious how many things are
! done urdcr cover? DID 1t ever strike you
| that reform. in some of its phases, needs
a good deal Of reformation? There arr
| In this city many honorable gentlemen
! who sincerely believe in what they say
about r form. but there the thousands Of
others who carry 1t as a cloak simply To
conc M their political dark lanterns ana
jlmmies We snail see how ii VIII work.
Look at the condition of thlnCs now.
after three months of change. How VIII
they be in six months? They are
telling the people that Tammapy had a
trick during the last seven years wn reDy
they reduced the tax rate. WEI, II seems
to me the sooner the new administration
| arms that trick the b tier il will he
for them. During the seven years Of
/ Tammany's control the tax rate con-
stantly went down. from 2.22 in lSsS, to
l19 in 1924. If the new administration
remains In power seven years u VIII
constantly 20 NJ. The test Of a duced
tax rate is whether man pays less TO
the taX-colector than he did before II
was reduced, and that is precisely what
propcrty-OWneis have be doing under
| the Tammany administration No man
! IN department was ever sent for by a
/ Tammany Mayor and told by him: You
; have been an efficient and able servant;
! YOU have served the city Wei; you are
/ a capable. honest. and efficient man. but
YOU must go No man under the headS
b Of DEPARTMENTS when Tammany was IN
D ContrO. was ever removed If he was ei!i-
3 cent and / refer this for standardization
j 90 all the men who were heads of DEPART
! mcnts under Tammany. ] would like 10
+ know where a man was ever removed be-
cause he was efficient. Discipline in Il po-
D l!tical organization when 1t Is properly
/ maintained is the b'st guarantee that
J when mat organization gets into power
it-will conduct itself well Yet discipline
was what Tammany was often blamed
I FOR | motto that the new administration
IN some respects has 4 semi-unili;ary air
! about II, ana that ought to result in dis
! ciplin.. There are generals and co.onels
| and captains in Office now. and there
! ought To hc a good deal of discipline |
am glad 90 see the Mayor appointing anti
Tammany Democrats To Office because IN
a. short time they win all b. loyal MEM
bers OF Tammany Hal"
"Wh1t DO YOU think Of the futur, Of
Tdmmany?'
III an election was 10 be held to-mor-
row The TammGay candidate would win
by about 1880 votes. AID The last thing
I want 10 say j.. God bless the l0).C0
! Democrats who stood up under the hcrca
storm Of criticism which heat upon the
! organization last fall. AMI voted for hon
, st Democracy! However. | am ont Of
politics absolutely. and do not care TO
pursue this theme, hope the administra-
ton Will be successful in the interests of
I the city,