Lewiston evening teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1900, 1900-09-29
A BRYAN-cROKER DEAL.
. r,hiOst Officer Is Promised to the State
of New York.

I'D that the democratic boss OF New
Work politics, Richard Croker, now more
.,,o, ever the autocrat of the democratic
,h;ue in New York since he knocked
II,, ont of the ring, was insincere in his
pretended support of Bryan. But within
,hs last 10 days it has become manifest
that Croker has, by some means, been
..ae,t,v enlisted on the side Of the Ne
hraska boy, and that he is doing his ut
most to secure for Bryan the electoral
,ote Of New York. At first his change of
front was generally received with such
;,credulitv that the Oregonian did not
t,;rt it worth while to print the startling
stories which came from New York on
this subject, but they have been con-
frmed bv such an accumulation as to
,save no doubt that Croker is fighting
With all his energies and with all the
powerful means at his command to carry
tbe state of New York for Bryan. How
his conversion to the cause of Bryan was
brought about has been the subject of a
number of dispatches from New York to
the Chicago Times-Herald and Chicago
Record, which substantially agree as to
the main facts, the latest phase of which
is embodied in this dispatch of Septem-
Der 20 to the former paper:
Political equation has been reduced to
a science by Richard Croker and William
Jennings Bryan. Their solution is:
Campaign fund OFF, 900 900 with which
to carry New York state for the Nebras-
kan and promise to obtain such victory.
Contribution of 500, 900 to the demo
cratic national campaign fund.
Promise of the secretoryship of the
navy, in case President Mckinley is de-
feated, to ex-senator Edward Murphy,
IT,, Mr.. Croker's bosom friend.
Promise, under like condition, that Mr..
Croker shall be the undisputed dispenser
of federal patronage in New York state.
Such are the positive statements of
knowing politicians in this city. They
are given as the reasons for Mr.. Cookers
sudden conversion to active interest in
Mr.. Bryans election. The story as re-
vealed is one of political ambition and
cupidity, of open bargain and sale, with
little dash of vengeance thrown in.
Incidentally, the story explains the
sudden development of unpleasantness
between Mr.. Croker and Thomas c. Plat,
the two opposing bosses, who usually
manage to remain the best of friends.
Since Mr.. Croker has began to fight SEN
ator Plat out in the state the latter has
been charging Tammany's chief with
leyying the biggest campaign tribute
ever known on the saloon and disrepu-
table resorts of New York City. Mr..
Croker has retorted by calling Senator
Plat an "old liar"
The story of the Croker. Bryan deal in
political functions is of national interest.
About month ago National Vice Chair
man William c. Stone came to New York
to look over the ground and have heart
to-heart talks with eastern leaders.
Messrs. Croker and Hill and German and
Murphy were all either quarreling or
sulking, and between them the party was
in bad way.
Mr. Stone quickly picked out Mr.. Gro
ker as the man without whose aid it
would be futile to attempt to carry New
York state. The national committee had
no funds with which to make fight and
the empire state leaders were Indifferent
as to whether Mr.. Bryan was elected or
not
Messrs. Stone and Crocker talked long
and frequently. Mr.. Stone made several
trips to Elberton, on the Jersey coast,
where Mrs Murphy in her summer cot
tage' was actively planning how to get
her husband into Mr.. Bryan's cabinet, if
such body should ever be called into
being. The Murphys and the Crockers
are the best of friends, and soon Mrs
Murphy was laboring to wake up Mr..
croker to the need of democratic victory
IN New York. But always and ever Mr..
stone had to face Mr.. Cookers practical
question:
what is there for us in the presiden-
cy?'
Mr' Croker pointed out in substance
mat with Willis J. Abbott, Mr.. Bryan's
closest friend at the Chicago headquar-
'efS slated for the place of secretary to
the president, Tammany could hardly
nope to fare we'll with New York federal
patronage, for Mr.. Abbott had fought
'ne organization long and haud in this