New-York tribune., 1900-05-13
FACING BLACKHdILERS.

Philadelphia politicians have discovered that
John Wanamaker is not an easy man to "call
off, Some less courag geous or less consciously
upright men than he might have been inclined
to measure with discretion the forces arrayed
against him. They might have stopped to think
whether they were called upon in duty to endure
splashes of mud and the annoyance of false
hoods which many people might believe. Plead
ing the cause of the people when the people
themselves are often too indOlent to care for
their own welfare, even when they know they
are being sacrificed. is thankess task at best.
If it can be pleaded only at the cost of being
victimzed by blackmailers, no wonder respect
able citizens with taste for remaining so in
comfort frequently prefer TO pay the price for
comfort and prosperity and let the political
rascals have their way.
We do not often see evidence of just such
blackmailing attempts as Mr. Wanamaker has
exposed. hut blackmaling in other forms is
daily endured which ought with the same cour-
age to be detied 1t is matter of common under
standing that Tammany holds business men in
awe The Ice Trust revelations of the last few
days are an example of it. Independent dealers
for the most part did not dare compete with
Croker's friends, and now the biggest victims
do not dare give their names with their com
plants which are being poured out daily to the
reporters They count the cost and pay the
hlackmailer's price of silence. Other men are
blackmailed into taking bonds of CrOkers COM
pany, believing that they would not be allowed
to do business here if they refused The vic
Tins of the politicians hold fingers to lips lest
they be ruined if they dare to strike back and
help rescue the city from rascals. Perhaps they
are worldly wise. They want to make living
Some OF them are vulnerable. All of them are
tmd And they have good reason to know that
the politicians will not hesitate to strike in most
despcable fashion
TO all such cautious persons Mr.. Wanamaker
sets a good example. He is safer to-day than
at any time in his political life. His enemies
| might publish tons of affidavits rejecting upon
him without doing him any harm. He has ex-
ploded all the bombs in the blackmailers' maga-
zine. Many bankers and insurance men and
contractors and railroad managers pay tribute
TO politicians simply because they have not sim
liar courage. Some of them perhaps have paid
tribute so long that they feel that they would
be disgraced by exposure. Some of them NAV
feel afraid the politicians will find in their trans
| actions damaging material. But the surest road
TO immunity from even true charges of wrong
doing is to defy and expose the backmailers
Suppose Mr.. George Gould told the whole truth
abont the Tammany attack on Manhattan After
ali the attempts to make that company pay for
immunity were known. would any counter
charges be effective? Tammany might reveal
all sorts of hidden deals in face of direct evil
| dence of its blackmailng motives and the men
who had the courage to turn would be hailed as
deliverers in spite of accusations, true or false.
Until the people who have submitted to Doliti-
cal blackmail are aroused to strike back even at
some risk to themselves. they will remain in
continued bondage and pay more tribute in
continued fear.