New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23
of God will be seen among the multitude as
well as I'm the wilderness.
TAUuANY IN A TIGHT PLACE.

Contempt of court would not he SHOWN ID!
Tommany witnesses II there were not back OF IL
contempt OF the people II Is only because the
ring of Tammany plunderers profoundly de-
sn,ses tbe voters who were fools enough to give
It power. and thinks itself so ntrenched That II
can afford to despise public opinion In me SINE
that II sets itself with deliberate calculation ana
preparatory schooling OF witnesses 10 make 'he
legislative committee appear contemptipie b"'
omen and nsolent disclosure OF contempt Tor tue
people sometimes has Its penalty. I"eeo
snapped his fingers as he asked, "What are yo"
Going 10 do about IT, Striped suits Tor the
Tweed ring gave the answer. 1t Is not always
safe in this country to show contempt for the
sovereign power as the Croker ring has been
showing IT, and the possibility OF an adverse
majority I'm the State greater than any manu-
featured returns from this city can overcome Is
one which leader OF good sense would never
forget
The Croker ring has been making Invaluable
disclosures OF itself, It's character and methods
and PERHAPS has made the exposure more com
plete because OF the great license permitted by
the committee and the feeling OF contempt
which its patience has fostered. Concluding
that the Legislature can do nothing effective
mittee Is powerless even to defend itself from
insult without a Legislature IN session, the
Tammany witnesses have been stopping over In
every direction. The refusal to testify has often
been more damaging than the most careless and
reckless admissions. But the committee mas
probably become aware that Its actual power
must be shown and exercised before long II II
is TO retain enough OF authority to elicit more
testimony of value. That It has more power
and the Legislature more than the Croker ring
s,lpposes will probably appear.
The Tammany plunderers have forgotten
many things which they might more wisely
have remembered. One Is that they Will not
have to help them in coming elections the sup
port of a united Democratic party. The Bryan
and free-sIlver Democrats will Of certainty
control the National Convention the only dele
CATION admitted from this State and the only
organization In the State recognized N regular
What the Croker ring will do may be guessed
from the admission that they are working for
their poke IS all the time" Without show OF
regularity their organization in this city would
not control half the Democratic vote. Yet on
the prospect that 1t will surrender and accept
free-sIver and anarchistic platform 1t has TO
confront the hostility Of many thousand gold
Democrats, who will find II all the easier TO
break from Tammany because Of the exposure
O. its conduct In the city government. whether
enough Sound Money Democrats will cut loose
from Bryan organization to defeat the Demo
cratic ticket In this city Mr.. Croker will have TO
Judge. but he Is perfectly aware that by any
such division his party will be buried In the
State Not far ahead 1t will be the shrewdest
course for Democrats throughout the State 10
denounce the Croker crowd without reserve and
to demand decent government for this city.
Insolcnce and contempt Of the people under
such circumstances will not long he profitable.
Such behavior can only hasten the end and also
make II more costly. 1t Is we'll within the
power Of an insuted Legislature 10 make diff
culties for men whose work for their pockets
Is mixed up with all sorts Of corporations ana
public franchises and Jobs. 1t would have been
much shrewder In Mr.. Croker had it been pos
sible carefully TO avoid affrOnting public opin-
ion and treating the Legislature with contempt.
If he was aware that no other course was open
TO him except an insolent refusal to answer In
Guries that fact OF itself Is the most conclusive
proof against him and the ring he leads.