The times., 1899-08-14
MONDAY. AUGUST Il. 1899.
What oreker,s sener.aalt Means.

When Nr Richard Croker went to Eu-
rope he was a pronounced anti Bryan man.
and an expansionist- He returns lauding
the candidate OF 1886 to the skies, coasid-
ering hin -one of the greatest men Amer
ica has produced" {" and dsROunces what he
terms Imperialism" This sudden, not %
say miraculous, conversion has astonished
great many Of the G.aad sachem's friends.
They are asking what il means. On the
surface il is surprising. but not so much
SO when considered in connection with re-
cent political history and phenomena.
At the time Mr.. Croker started on his
holiday across the Atlantic he was the alb
solute and unchallenged autoerat Of the
Democratic organization in Greater New
York Practically every one Of its general
and minor leaders was his TO command, 10
any extent necessary 10 his political pur-
poses. Ii suited his Interests, as he viewed
them, to antagonize Mr.. Bryan and bimet-
sllisn. and to work for Democratic Plat
Ecrm in 1900 which should avoid or dodge
he silver issue, and for standard-bearer
10 match AT the time We refer TO, he was
perfectly aware that the rank and file Of
MS organization were, heart and soul, for
The man from Nebraska: but in the eondi-
lion of discipline which seemed TO obtain,
that was a matter of little moment
X is quite different now During his alb
sence Tammany has become demcralized
1y factional fights. Some Of its important
.hieftains have shown alarming independ-
snce. and have even threatened open war
Ne
home to face q situation liable TO develop
into q fatal revolt against his authority
and prestige. and his first utterances on
landing show that he has thoroughly de-
termined how 10 act in the emergency. In
taking up Bryan he ranges himself with
what has appeared to be a large majority
of Tammany voters. and probably argues
that that will take the wind from the
sails OF those who have inclined to dis
affection.
But Mr. Croker could not bow to the
political necessity for supporting Bryan
and at the same tine very well continue
10 preach expansion. which as everybody
knows il Bryan's pet bogie man At
bottom we have no doubt that Mr.. Croker
is as much an expansionisL as he ever
was. He is too greatly in contact with
the men OF affairs OF Americas greatest
commercial metropolis no, to know and to
feel that the future of this country is
dependent upon its ability to find and
control new avenues OF outflow, and new
selling markets for its productions, which
are increasing much faster than are the
opportunities and means for their dispo-
sItion and absorption. He can hardly
help realizing, in such an environment,
that our only tangible hope for future
material prosperity as a people rests upon
cur power to secure vastly extended mar
kets in the Far East; that the logic OF
our trade position in that quarter Of the
globe presents the alternative Of terri
torial possessions on the Asiatic mainland
or the occupation OF scme great nearby
territory like the Philippines. But needs
must when the devil drives" and Mr.
Crokers proximate BUSINESS is to regain
his hold upon the Tiger and chain him
securely against any future risks of his
breaking loose. All other considerations
must, for the present, be secondary to
this.
Mr.. Cr0ker's detection from the expan-
sionist ranks is not only clever, but tt
suggests thoughts and possibilities which
il would be highly desirable for President
Mckinley and his Administration not to
ignore. Mr. Croker in q New York in
terview, on Saturday is quoted as saying:
There never has been time in my erperi-
cnce when the Republican party has SO clearly
shown its nnhtnez 70 be in control of the Ma
tianal Government Mr.. Mckinley has turned the
war in the Philippines into q partisan scheme
for his own reelection. The Administration has
purposely dragged out the struggle, and Is spend.
out making any serious effort 70 bring the war
to close this year
This Presidential election takes place next year
and the Republican managers ere openly maiipg
preparations 10 Hse the war as q means of work
Ing mp another outburst OF popular enthusiasm
lust IN time 10 sweep DIR. Mckinley into a
second term
Whatever may be the underlying motive
OF the Tammany boss in abandoning the
TRUE Jefersonian doctrine OF American ex-
pansion. IL must be admitted that there is
reason and sad truth in the remarks above
quoted There are many earnest and pa
-triofic people who have thought as much to
themselves for the past two or three
months; but. who have also tried to think
that the vital necessity for our possession
or the Philippines must overshadow the
political crimes that have been and are