New-York tribune., 1900-11-26
CROKER FOR SEGREGATION
ANTITAMMANY PHALANX MAY RESULT
FROM TO-MoRRow's MEETING.
ABELL AND SEXTON NOT WORKING WITH
YORK TO GUST DEvERY-CAPTAINs
MAY GO ALSO

MAY GO ALSO.
While the signers to the call for the r,.s+,..
which Is to be held in the rooms Of the Cham.
Der of Con merce tomorrow afternoon feel .or,a
what diffident in forecasting the possible actfo,
that may be taken for the suppression OF vice
and crime in this city. the opinion is generally
adhered to that the result OF the meeting win
be the unihcation into one comprehensive BODY
OF all the forces opposed to a continuance Of the
methods which mark Tammanys adrninistra-
ton Of the city's affairs and of those forces
which seek to bring about a betterment in the
social conditions OF the poorer districts Of the
metropolis. just what course OF procedure viii
be determined upon at the meeting was some
thing that the promoters Of 1t did not care tc
speculate upon yesterday
Whether or not Bishop Potter's suggestion
that large vigilance committee whose pur-
pose night and day would be to see that the
laws for the well being OF the city enforced
will be carried out is a matter upon which no
oennite expression Of opinion could be obtained
yesterday. Some of the citizens whose names
have been appended to the call appear to be
somewhat in doubt to the express meaning
which Bishop Potter meant TO convey in his
reference to a vigilance committee such as was
formed in San Francisco II the Bishops mind
Is fixed upon a committee that shall have the
power. as it were, to execute the law as was
Ine case IN san Francisco, that, in the minds
some influential citizens to whom a Tribune
reporter talked yesterday. is a development that
would not successfully work in New-York But
what be accomplished with good results as
was generally agreed yesterday. is the formation
Of a vigilance committee each member OF which
shall be in effect u1uniformed policeman
whose duties will for the most part be the de-
lection OF violations Of the law, bringing TO the
notice of the authorities such violations, and
about the trial for neglect OF duty Of those re-
sponsibIe for continued state of affairs which
could only exist through official supIneness or
connivance.
LIKE THE REFORM WORK OF 1895.
AS yet there is no organized movement behind
the meeting which is to be held Tomorrow nor
has it any political significance; but there seems
to be no doubt that out OF the gathering will
grow an association OF citizens whose efforts will
be devoted not only to the wiping out Of the
viciousness which is now openly Haunted in
every part of the city, but to the institution Of
good government. 1t is possible that there may
spring from the meeting some such large poHti-
cal reform body as was brought into being In
1895. when the Committee of Seventy came into
being, whose endeavors ended in the election OF
a reform Mayor.
Charles Stewart Smith, one OF those who
TO a Tribune reporter yesterday:
This is conference called of prominent
citizens not officially connected with the Cham
Der of Commerce-that is, it is not a Chamber
OF Commerce meeting but meeting Of infiu-
ential citizens to be held in the rooms OF the
Chamber Of Commerce for the purpose Of decid-
ing what it is best to do under the circum-
stances to unity all organizations OF every kind
and of every class which are opposed to the as
Police Department with the gamblers the low
dives and disorderly houses. Ny personal opin-
ion is that ought in the end to try 20 ascer-
tain to whom Captain Schmittberger referred
when he said recently, if he was correctly re-
ported. that ne had received contributions from
the places to which I have referred and passed
them up We should attack. in my Judgment,
the powers who behind this unholiest alli-
of the members of the Police Department
and the resorts of vice and crime"
ANTI-TAMMANY LEAGUE SUGGESTED.
J. Harsen Rhoades said yesterday that no def
mite plans had been formulated for presentation
the meeting tomorrow. The signers Of the
call had talked over the situation in an informal
way. but beyond making up their minds that II
was necessary for something TO be done for the
betterment of the city they had taken no ac-
ton. Mr.. Rhodes said that most deplorable
condition of things existed, not only upon the
East Side but all over the city, and that IL was
time something done.
1T is probable" he continued that some
permanent organization will grow out OF to-
morrow's meeting and 1t is likely that this or
ganization will combine all the anti-Tammany
elements The Tammany committee is probably
in a better position than any other body TO clean
out the town and put end 10 the vice
which is now rampant every where inasmuch
the police. if controlled by Tammany, are likely
to obey the orders OF that committee. Vice pre-
walls only the East Side but in all parts
of the city Police corruption and police black
mail prevail all over the town. II there should
be movement organized for fighting Tammany
next year l think that the movement would be
supported by a great many men who now profess
allegiance to Tammany"
Regarding the talk of the fOrre ton OF
vigilance committee Mr.. Rhoade said: Il do noi
think that Bishop Potter meant to suggest
committee that should TAX the law into it,
hands. I am inclined To think that his idea
is TO have a committee OF citizens that shaz
patrol the city. see that the laws are observed
and insist that those officials who close their
eyes 20 crime shall he prosecuted Such a
scheme Is feasible and is likely TO be carried
out There are thousands cf men in New-York
who are brave and willing enough to undertake
such a service"
NOT POLITICAL. SAYS CRIMMINS
John u. Crimmins. another Of the signers OF
the call, deprecated the idea that there was any
political impetus in the movement which had
been started The men who had interested
themselves in the promotion Of the meeting at
the Chamber OF Commerce had been animated
entirely by a desire TO suppress vice and i'm
morality in the city. They were acting sim