The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-20
1Hs sUsrxsss LsADsns.
whe. Tar,nany Supported Bryan They
Ceased to FIJI y ws.t Lone Felt.

Sfhncu ~ Ftlt s<vuh HNf"
The business or associate leaders in Tsmmany
who were expected aud intended completely to
transform the system Of representation In that
organization are. practically. things OF the past
1t was at the beginning OF tho year 1894 that
tho basis Of organization on the Republican as
well IA on tho Hall side was what
was known ms the district leader. Each assem-
bly, district In town there were then thirty had
n Tammany Hall district leader. and each
had a Republican district leader. n con-
venient and responsible system of executive
party management which had tho support
OF long and successful usage. When
the Republican Committee OF Thirty prescribed
and had adopted the present Republican consti-
tuition. It endeavorcd to do away with district
leaders or bosses as they were sometimes
called. substituting for them election district
organizations OF n dozen or fewer individuals In
each of the 1000 or moro voting districts in
town. BY degrees. however. there has been .
gradual return to the former system. and every
Assembly district In town has Its Republican
leader to-day.
Tho Tammany men followed In 1894 the lead
OF the Republicans to the extent OF doing away
with former arbitrary and sometimes desrotic
district leaders. limiting their power by dividing
II with an associate leader. They sought to
minimize the influence. to diminish the respon-
siDilities. ana To curb tho exercise OF tho powers
of the district leaders through tho business
leaders. who were to DO their associates and to
cooperate with them. These business leaders
were to be men OF affairs. who were to act.
so to speak. as public spirited promoters
of political activity, enlistihg. the sup
port Of nany citizens who had previously
taken no part in the routine details
uf politics. What followed was what perhaps
might have been expected; the business leaders
became, either faureheads. ornamental or
active. interfering with district affairs and em-
barrnssing and sometimes disputing with the
regular leaders. There IL Shakespcar-an author
lily for the statement. tho observation OF every
philosopher. that when two men ride n horse.
one man must needs ride behind.
so II proved In the case OF the DUPLEX leaders
In Tammany, and though not formally abol-
ished. the business leaders have fallen into q
position OF no prominence. ami the veritablo
leaders. rs Is tho case with the Republicans. are
ngain Mt the helm. A peruaal ~ the names Of
these district leaders chosen last week for mem
hrrship In the Tammany Executive Committee
shows the collapse OF the system which was In
nugurated TO do away with district bosses. In
five OF the districts. the local Tammany Assem-
blvman was chosen rs Associate leader. In ono
district the emb Der OF Congress, In
three other districts the associate leader was
Tamnany candidate for that Office. and In three
other districts the actual leader chose his busi-
ness partner to share the responsibilities OF poll
tics with him.. So far from there being any d.
vision Of political authority or responsibility.
the political leader In each case chose his aSAo-
ciate, and thus an end has been put to the ex-
pertinent begun on the Democratic side In 1894.