New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-05
TA1fJfANY'S PLIGHT.

The Tammany antitrust issue was created
amid much applause by the Hon. Augustus Van
Wyck, and has been exploded with disastrous
results by the Hon. Robert A. Van Wyck. 1t is
a veritable boomerang Tammany has long had
q reputation for corruption but 1t has man
aged TO keep good terms with the poor peo-
pie even while robbing them. To-day it stands
stripped of Its last rag Of pretence Of devotion
to popular interests exposed in q brutal and
vulgar scheme Of oppression Of its dupes, the
butt Of ridicule and the object Of hatred on the
part of voters who in spite of Its stealings have
hitherto supported it under the delusion that
it was their friend. The exposure of the Mayor
as one Of the proprietors Of a trust engaged IN
business with the city government and doubling
the price of necessary Of life to the poor OF
the tenement regions is the worst blow that has
fallen to Tammany since the revelations of 1884
drove 1t from power. When 1t came back to
office with the aid Of Mr.. Platt in 1897 1t
plunged into career Of insolence which the
Mayor typified to perfection, and 1T Is signif-
cant that its insolence manifested in his
action should be the prime cause Of its present
plight.
Whether or not Governor Roosevelt finds
legal evidence 1ustifying the removal of Mayor
Van Wyck, the latter's moral and political
standing is ruined How utterly he is dis
expression Of wishes for his removal, even from
Democrats generally ready to complain Of in
reference from Albany. There can be no doubt
that removal would be popular act and II
based on facts Of sufficient gravity to show
more than inadvertent, technical violation OF
the statute it would be impossible even in
campaign to get up any reaction of sympathy
Such a state of feeling is remarkable but per-
fectly natural. The spectacle Of the Mayor
making clustering assertions one day about his
honor and being dragged to court the next
whining like a schoolboy and pleading that he
does not want to criminate himself, excites
only contempt even among his own partisans.
A Mayor whose honor is defended by smart
lawyers with exceptions appeals and injunc-
tons from charges that he has been using his
official position to Cypress the poor for his own
profit evidently has something else than honor
as the object of his defence. He is apparently
embarked on a vulgar struggle to keep out Of
the tolls of the criminal law.
The whole Van Wyck outfit is about the
cheapest thing that ever came to the surface of
politics Cookers usual shrewdness must have
deserted him in taking these men up. The i'm
pudence and folly from political point Of view
| Of their plunge into trust touching the pocket
| Of every New-York voter on the eve Of Presi-
| dental campaign in which trusts were to be
| much discussed is almost lncredlDle. Inc Mayor
| may be allowed to serve out his term, Brother
| Augustus may continue in the prosperous re-
| ceipt Of references, but no Tammany orator
| will say trust in the next campaign without
| risking the question, How much Ice Trust
| stock do you ownT Croker may come back
| full of wrath but his wrath will be too late.
| The milk is spilled the ice is melted the people
| have and felt the meaning of his theory
of governing "for his own pocket all the time"
What the Van Wycks have done he will Justly
suffer for He made them, he was trying to
profit by their demagogy and share with them
| in the plumber of the people and however much
the people may despise his tools, they will
member him as the exponent and head of the
system Of using office the instrument of pri-
vate money making. Croker may come home
! and punish the bunglers but he cannot disasso-
| ciate himself and his organization from their
| disgrace.