The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-16
The
democratic ReUoH.
The Mortal Foe Of Crok
His Plan OF Battle and the
Causes Therefor.
By JOHN C. SHEEHAN.

NEW YORK, Dec. 15,-If Tammany
Hall cannot be recognized and reformed
from the inside during the coming four
or five months, | have no hesitation IN
saying that l believe there Will be a new
Democratic party in the field next fall
with a platform of its own and Il full
municipal ticket dominated thereon from
Mayor down 10 Aldermen, provided the
Albany rulers shall not in the meantime
eeisate that body out of existence.
Whether l shall have anything to do with
that new purity is a question that l do
not care at this time to discuss.
Beyond all question the governmental
conditions in Greater New York al the
present time are not satisfactory to the
Overwhelming majority Of its citizens.
This is mild Characterization of the sit
uation. Many OF the newspapers, as well
as distinguished bodies like the Chamber
of Commerce, have been far more en-
phatic in their utterances on the subject
They have declared that the system under
which We are compelled to live IS in many
OF its phases a disgrace TO our civ!liza-
tion-bud and corrupt almost beyond be-
lief. The charges are not without strong
grounds Of justification.
The existence on the east side of vice
of the yiIest description cannot be denied.
1t is bvazen in its exhibition, or 1t was
has been aroused compelled the oflcia!
protectors of it to impose conditions OF
temporary restraint The tact IS that
the eastern part Of the city IS not the
only dark spot on Manhattan Island
Pretty much the same state of affairs pre-
walls all over, wherever local conditions
furnish the requisite shelter. Now this
viciousness could not exist without the
connvance of the Police Department. To
pretend that they do not know it is alb
surd; to assert that they cannot suppress
it is supremacy ridiculous. The humber
members Of the force. patrolmen and
roundSmen, are not the ones upon whom
censure should fall. It is upon Chief
Devery that the responsibility rests The
Department. as administered by him, has
not a rag of decency left to cover it, And
for Devery the Mayor is responsible.
was a Police Commissioner myself. and
l know whereof I speak.
The spectacle OF a Tammany commit
tee investigating the. criminal condition
OF the metropolis and inviting the COOP
GRAFTON of the churches is ludicrous. WHY
the ruling powers in Tammany need no
light on that or any other subject con-
nected with rhe darker side of New York
I make no accusation against any one of
the gentlemen on the committee. They
had, I suppose, to accept the positions
thrust upon them or incur the displeasure
OF Mr. Croker, but Nh Croker might
have spared them the trouble of the in
quiry. All that was necessary for him to
do was to order Devery to purify the city
or order the Mayor to order Devery 70
do so. Every politician that knows any
thing knows this. Devery would not dare
to dIsobey Croker. and no captain under
the chief of the force would have set
himself up against him.
The city of New York is too great to
have its affairs politically under the con-
troll Of any one man. That plan suited
the conditions Of quarter OF IL century
ago It is well enough in small commune.
ties, but to set up a dictator over millions
of people, or allow him TO set himself up
and then go on appointing their officials.
declaring who shall represent them In
Congress and the Legislature, ana super
yisinr. NAV say the expenditures of
scores of millions OF dollnrS annually. IS
uaDemao<at.c s=d ua-4AEse<ia&n Z 70
destructive OF the representative principle