Evening star., 1898-12-01
new YORK POLITICS
e0vern0r-E4pt Roosevelt Opposed to
State 0oistabulary'
ALSO AGAlI lIsf PuRE BEER BILL
He Regards the Latter as RetaIia-
tory L3isIstion.
CROKER HAS RETURNED
CROKER HAS RETURNED
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

announced on what appears to be good
authority that he is strenuously opposed to
the former scheme He is said to believe
that 1t would not be welcome to the people
of the smaller Cities and that 1t would be
opposed on the ground of being another
evidence of concentrat ton Of power around
the state government. However, he has no
faith in the present bi- partisan system, and
will urge legislation to provide better one.
Within a day or two it is said, he has
about decided to recommend single-head
ed commission for New York city. His ex-
perience in the old New York police board
served to discredit the bipartisan system.
As he has often said, and now believes
more firmly than ever. no reforms pro-
gress can be accomplished when the oppor
unity for deals is offered so readily as with
the bipartisan system. He learns also that
the Low men are opposed to the state
Stahulary scheme.
The question of appointment is, of course.
vital. If Mayor Van Wyck were given the
naming of the single commissioner to sue
cced the present board there might not he
much improvemen ent. Still. it is said that
Cci. Roosevelt believes that even that plan
would be better than the present because
1t would place responsibility more directly.
1t is believed, however, that Col. Roosevelt
sees no serious objection to having the ap-
pointment made by the governor. Watcher
there is any understanding between Col.
point is unknown, but at least the state
constabulary plan is as good as dead.
Opposed to RetaliatOry Legislation.
1t can also be sta ted with good deal of
pcsitiveness that any sort of legislation
which would be construed retaiiatory
will be opposed by the governor r-elect. In
this class Is the so-called pure beer bill.
Col. Roosevelt wants to know the sentiment
of the Germans on this question before he
commits himself to 1t.
Regarding the senatorial situation.
publican leaders do not hesitate to say that
If the joint caucus, of republican senators
and assemblymen could be held within the
next week or so Chauncey M. Depew would
be the candidate TO succeed Mr.. Murphy
Concerning the ambassadorship to the court
of st. James, the race appears to be grow
ing nearer even between E,lihu Root and
Joseph H. Choate, provided that, in the
opinion of the administration, New York is
entitled TO more diplomatic hCnors 1t is
announced that Senator Platt and the state
organization will offer, no opposition to the
appointment of Mr.. Choate if President Nc
Kinley decides to offer him the post. The
relations between Mr.. Choate and the ma
chine have been of such character that
republicans who heard this announcement
were inclined to be incredulous, but 1t is
asserted on the best authority that it is
true. Elihu Root was the first choice of
the organiZa ton for the anlbassad dorship
: anu his name, it is claimed. was suggested
to the President. 1t is also, said that in
view of the evident desire in Washington
to name Mr.. Choate, in the, absence of a
claim from anot her state that demanded
recognition, Mr. Roots na me was not press
ed with great vigor. The feeling of hostill-
ty which existed when Mr.. Choate was
candidate for senator at the time of Mr..
Platts election, 4 is asserted. has now
passed away. The matter will be left to the
President to decide.
Croker Turns Up Again.
Richard Croker, whose absence has been
causing burrows of care to seam the faces
of his friends at the Democratic Club, is
back in the city He caused it to be an
nounced last week that he had gone south
Instead, he passed quietly through the city
IN the early hours Of Sunday morning and
hid himself away at Lakewood until last
night, when he made his appearance at the
club after his post-election vacation rubi-
cund and smiling, and not a little elated at
having set everybody guessing as to his
whereabouts for the last three days
Mr.. Croker would have nothing to say Of
a definite character, although he was be-
sieged by reporters. The only positive
statements he would make were that he
was going to Europe in the spring and that
he expected to be in New York for several
days. Now that Croker is back 1t is eX-
pected that the question of the democratic
leadership in the senate and assembly and
the assignment of democratic members in
the Legislature to committees will be decid-
ed. S. Fred Nixon. who is to be speaker of
the assembly, will be in town in a few days
to receive the requests for committee as
signments from both the republican and
democratic members. While Mr.. Croker
has been away the rumor became current
among politicians that Senator McCarren
of Kings county would be made demo-
cratic leader in the senate, and George NJ
Palmer of Schoharie the democratic leader
in the assembly. 1t is understood low-
ever, that this program might have TO be
changed, as Croker and Tammany want
Tammany recognized in one of these posi-
uons.
Tammany Has Spasm of Virtue.
Tammany appears to be taking on its
usual spasm of virtue after election. With
a few exceptions every pool room that was
in full blast before and after the last cam
paign has been closed. Whether the abrupt
stopping OF business is in the nature of
what gamblers call a strike even the
pool-room proprietors have not learned
yet, but the order to stop business was sent
out in terms forcible as to leave no
room for argument. Many of the rooms
were crowded with patrons when the order
reached them, and the telegraph and tele-
phone operators were receiving jockeys,
weights, etc, in anticipation of a heavy
days business. The players who arrived
early were busily engaged in studying form
tables when the announcement was made
that business would be suspended for a
few days, owing to unexpected orders. H.
no particular district was the order given
but all over the city,, with few exceptions
the mandate was received and obeyed
Third avenue from Sth to 14th street, which
has been filled With pool rooms. was desert
ed. and patronsrUf tho game went scurrying
up town and DOWN town to other rooms
which they thought might be doing busi-
ness.
The Allen, Who boasts of never fearing
the police, keepSr r'openi house." and crowds
enter and leave his place. Little attempt
is made at concealment, and Allen is not
interrupted in any way. In a few other
places business7fs dofe secretly, but only
those who are well known to the proprietor
are admitted, and thab- only after a careful
scrutiny. For the first time since Mayor
Van Wyck took Office, the picket, formerly
a regular enpIoye of a pool room is posted
in the street. where ha can overlook every
person who attempts to enter the house in
which the pooheseiling Is conducted, An
old horseman and freauenter of the uooI
rooms says that where four or five hundre,i
rooms were wide, open ON Saturday moi
more than eight or ten are now doing snv
business. Nothing could be learned of
where the order to close came from. but
1t was given in such positive terms that
there was no denying that it came from
an authoritative source
District answer Filed.
In connection with the proceedings for