The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-14

After taking the entire summer in
which to dwell upon insufferabie
wickedness of Tamnlany Hall, Tom
Platt's Nazet machine resumed opera
lions a few days ago. 1t brought for
ward A number of witnesses from among
its own employees and from among the
outcast population of the big city, and
having proven that it had itself pro-
duced several bogus robberies with a
view to showing the shameless worth
Iessness of the police administration, it
suddenly collapsed. Mr.. Mazet and the
other machinists had threatened dire
consequences on Richard Croker if he
failed 20 return to New York by given
time for further examination; and then,
Mr. Croker having dutifully prepared to
reappear before the machinists, they in
continent;g turned tail and fed before
the appointed time.
The career of this remarkable political
machine has been wonderful. 1t began
by coercing all kinds and conditions of
people in politics and out into displaying
their personal business for the benefit
of the community. When at last GER
tain of its victims showed their teeth and
refused point blank to further answer
impertinent and backyard questions
which impeached their character and
sought to deprive them of their civil
rights, the machine stopped, blundered
along painfully and dangerously for a
time, and then collapsed for the first
time.
It was this situation which prevailed
when Richard Croker set his face toward
the land of his ancestors and concerned
himself in the more sentimental subject
of the probable purchase of the Lakes OF
Killarney. Things and the weather were
getting warm for the machinists, and,
while the machine was revamped for the
time. all further operations were sus-
pended.
There is mystery attending the final
collapse of the Mazet machine. We con-
fess our inability to fathom it. That
strong Republican organ, the New York
Press, possessed, however, of certain
anti-Platt leanings, has undertaken to
explain the collapse in an oracular man
ner. It declares that the Boss Har-
monizer-whoever or whatever he may be
has put the machinery out of order
and that it has been by him prevented
from ever going again. It quotes the
Boss HarmOnizer as saying that he never
knew Mr.. Mazet and should not be held
responsible for him. Further, the Boss
Harmonizer sayeth not Who this Boss
Harmonizer is is the subject of supreme
interest these days among the anti-Tam-
many politicians. Whoever he may be 1t
is none the less true that the Mazet
machine has stopped, never to go again.
Its operators have retired to consult, and
their retirement promises to be per-
manent.
1t would be idle to speculate on the
personality of the Boss Harmonizer. IT
may be Tom Plat, or it may be William
c. Whitney. But why either of these
gentlemen should be entitled by right
to the designation of Boss Harmonizer
doesn't appear. Can it be that Tom Platt
and Richard Croker have come to some
form of mild understanding whereby Tom
and his machine are to let down easy?
This can hardly be- since the Boss Har-
monizer expressly denies all responsible
ity for Mazet. 1t cannot be Mr. Whit
ney, for why should he concern himself
in saving Croker and his friends from the
wrath of the machine?
Leaving the personality of the Boss
HarmOnizer to be revealed at soma fu-
ture time the Gl b e confines itself to
the prediction that the days of the mud
machine as a political force have come
to an end