New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-30
SHEEHAN Us. CROKER.

Citizens of all parties who want 10 see tins
city honestly efficiently and economically gov
erned have reason 10 regard with much interest
and not little satisfaction the prospect OF a
fight for his political and financial life on the
part of John c. Sheehan against 1uchard
Croker There is. to be sure, no moral uprising
in Tammany Hall against anybody or anything
The prolonged controversy which now seems 10
be on The verge Of passing into warllke actioh
Is not heralded as crusade for righteousness
but on that very account ii Is. perhaps, rather
more respectable than 1t otherwise would be-
Mr. Shephan frankly gives the community to
understand that he is a worm who has turned.
al want II known" he says, that am not
"rebe in Tanmany Hall. | am n good organi-
cation man. and always have been. | am not
TRYING TO SOW dissenson. am merely de-
"fending myself Mr. Croker has declared war
against me without cause or reason. | have
mo course left me as man but fight ana
IAN going TO fight
Mr.. Sheehan probably does not exaggerate
the trials to which he has been subjected dur
ing the last eighteen months. There is ample
evidence that Mr.. Croker intends not only to
strip him of such political resources as he mas
thus far succeeded in retaining. but in ADDITION
to make il impossible for him to transact busl-
ness at the old stand or any other, and the vic
tim is apparently justified in concluding that
he has nothing to lose by going to war. How
much If anything. he has to gain remains TO be
seen. but there is some warrant for supposing
that he will find means 10 organize lively
fight at least in his own district. and 1t is pos
sbe that he will be able to establish position
from which to make interesting incursions into
the enemy's country. As we have already init
mated the principle for which Mr.. Sheehan is
preparing TO contend is not directly related to
the cause Of good government In the metropolis.
If IL is true as he asserts. that he raised Tam
many Hall out Of the disrepute into which II
had fallen and thereby won the election or
1897 that fact has escaped general recognition.
Our impression has been that the results that
year were due 10 other causes than prevalent
belief In the moral regeneration OF Tammany
Though we think Ii Is safe TO say that he ana
the rest Of the former leaders whom Mr.. Croker
has sent TO the rear since the first OF January.
1898, would not have been capable Of quite so
complete and audacous n devotion OF pubic
authority to "private business as that which
the Mazet committee has already put on record
II would be extremely rash to assume that
Sheehan instead of Croker regime would have
left little or nothing to be desired Tammany
is committed by the law of It's being to a con-
slant betrayal of the community In the interest
of the organization in general and its ruling
spirits in particular and if the remote POSSIBLE
ty of a successful revolt against Croker and
reunion of all the elements under a new leader
were an assured fact there would be no suf
cient reason for public jubilation.
1t is in the chance of long-standing jealousies
and resentments growing into an organized and
formidable opposition that we see some hope Of
public advantage from the fight which Mr..
Sheehan has resolved to make. or to accept If
exMayor Grant exMayor Gilroy Mr. Grim
Minis and others whom he seemingly expects to
array behind him possess the courage of their
antipathes, 1t may be possible to create di-
vision in the ranks of the local Democracy
which will be practically useful TO the city. In
consideration of that contingency we cheerfully
bestow upon Mr.. Sheehan such encouragement
as he is able TO derive from the foregoing re-
marks.