The times., 1899-04-17
Croker Plat

IN MS examination before the legislative
committee on Saturday Richard Croker de-
clined TO answer many questions on the
ground that they related to his private af-
fairs only. But he did answer others that
were not more closely related TO public af-
fairs. The inference is that he replied to
all he could without admitting things that
are not creditable to himself and Tam
many. Yet however deep he may be in
the muck, he placed the committee in an
unfavorable light when he demanded that
in fairness it should investigate the rela-
tions OF Senator Platt and his two sons to
corporations that largely depend on legis-
lation for their profitable operation
The chairman of the committee and its
prosecuting officer told Mr. Croker that il
he could show any relations between the
Platts or between the corporations they
serve and the municipal administration
they would pledge themselves to inyesti-
gate them. The pledge is safe enough
Senator Plat was careful to see that the
authority of the committee did not ex-
tend beyond the affairs over which Tam
many has control. That is where the in
Justice comes in. The Republicans can
alone order an enquiry and they limit it to
a field from which they are excluded, so
that if their own corruption were vastly
greater than any that can be proved
against Tammany, only the latter is ex-
posed 1t may be true, too, that the mo-
tives in this investigation are to teach
Croker that he must support Republican
inl xrrff-
years elections. II is not to be wondered
at that the, committee should have seemed
confused when Croker hurled his charge
and should resolve TO allow him to make
no more speeches.
ssdh Tammany methods may be, there
Is snothing as diabolicai and audacious in
lis wickedness as this hypocritical scheme
The pretenee that the investigation is in
the interest of the people and good gov
eminent is revelation of thorough bad
ness. That the people of New York should
entrust the government of the municipal
ity 10 Tammany must astonish the OBJ
server, but if. as il seems it is a choice
between that and Republican rule they
have chosen we'll. The head of Tammany
sAhH iAool VI Alo dCAife per-
sons who have not been reared under the
influence of high social, moral, and polit-
ical ideals. Their sense of what is hon
orable in politics is far from delicate and
exaoiing- They are brutally direct in
their methods of oxtorting money from
everybody who can be made to pay, though
they do not steal city funds. The Repub-
liean leaders happen to have had better
training They are up to grammatical
forms Of speech and can understand the
mental operations OF scrupllous people
Yet although they are charged more di-
rectly than Tammany with things that are
forbidden by law and good morals, they
boldly exclude themselves from all inves-
tigation. The allegations or the insinua-
tons against the Croker boys are not near
ly as specific and serious as the charges
against the Platt boys. but it is only the
former who are dragged into the public
light.
1t is not right that the Republican ma
chine should be allowed to profit by so un-
just device as the jug-handle Mazet in
vestigation. The sincere indignation of
Mr.. Croker was righteous and the en-
barrassment of the committee was a con-
fession.