New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-26
"rUE PEOPLES SERVANTS"

Nothing delights Tammany so much as 10 pose
as the peoples servant" Whenever Mayor van
WICK wants to do anything particularly dehant
NJ tho rpspectable sentiment Of the community
he begins TO talk about the great popular vote
which he received. and his one asufIicient an
swer to criticism is the assertion that the people
chose him to rule the city and 10 them VIII ne De
responsible Tammany believes above all things
in the democratic idea Of government. The voice
Of the people Is the voice Of God The educated
classes may have fine plans for ideal admins
tration. But Tammany's noble ambition is to
represent the majority and give them what thev
want. If the majority in district want prize
fighter for an Alderman. not only should they
have him. but II is an attack on republican gov
eminent to try to persuade them that thelr
choice is not proper one Ana by the same
token of course. Tammany always strives win
all its might to give voters what they ask Tor
when their desires turn not toward what TAM
many offers to them. Does It? Let us see.
At the last election the voters of the XlAth
Assembly District decided that they wished
Howard F. Oke TO represent them In the boaru
Of Aldermen. Did Tammany gracefully consent!
Not Mt all. II proceeded TO count In another per-
son. md for many months now the Iammany
majority In the Board Of Aldermen has been
Transferring business with the aid OF this man
whom the citizens Of the XIXth District re-
iected Mr. Okie went into court and proved
that he was the rightful Alderman, and secured
orders for n recanvass of the vote and the grant
70 him of n certificate Of election. Nor did he
secure this without struggle. Every possible
effort was made to throw technical obstacles ID
the way Of his securing justice and giving the
people Of tho XIXth District the representation
they had decrced But finally. under compul-
sion, the County Canvassers issued to him GER
tlncate Of election fully emitting him to mem
bership In the Board of Aldermen. on Tuesday
he appeared with his certificate TO take his seat.
Tammany, OF course, received him with re-
spect II not with open arms, as the representa-
tive OF the people? Notice the proceedings. The
clerk Mr. Blake, n good Tammany man, calmly
refused TO pay any attention 10 the certihcate
and went on 10 call the name OF Mr.. Geagan.
the person Illegally holding Mr.. Okie's seat Mr..
Okie demanded that his name be called, and
then Alderman Burns another Tammany be-
lever in the voice Of the people" announced
that the Board was the judge Of the qualifca-
tions OF its own members. and I'm spite of Mr..
Okla's election. as determined beyond appeal by
the courts he was for keeping him from his seat
unless the Board was compelled TO seat him.
His idea prevailed, and the Corporation Counsel
was asked To examine Mr.. Okies certificate. ana
is. OF course expected. II possible. to furnish an
excuse for keeping Mr. Geagan In the Board.
That looks very much like plain defiance OF the
peoples will. But perhaps IT In just carrying out
the peoples will as understood by Mayor Van
Wyck. In giving Tammany absolute power to do
as II peases in the name OF that same dear
people