The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
SOCIALREFORM IN NEW YORK
No Question About the EDs, But Theoretical Rormers
Cannot Redeem the City,
By ". T. MANNING.
(Copyrigilt.)

When Richard Croker appointed COM
mittee of big leaders of the Tammany or
ganization TO cooperate III the work OF
surpres.sing vice he thought that it was
Smart Politics." and so did Tammany.
They now realize that it was a b,under.
Had Bishop Potter fallen into the Tam
many trap set for him by the Boss it
would have been all right. Tammany
would tlave controlled the investigation
into the frishtful abuses that exist. 1t
could have protected its friends 1t could
have miliimized the foulne.,s of the eX
posures. il could have proptiated pubic
opinion Goy the sacrifices of the more glnr-
ing offenders and the Inauguration of u
brief period of reformation. Then the
moral storm blown over, business could
be gradually resumed at the old stand.
That was the Tammany theory. But
Bishop Potter upset itsby Scornfully ignor-
ing Tammuny.s committee and organizing
his campaign on lines that have called
into earnest activity all the mora! forces
in the city. The result is that Tammany
is powerless TO shield its adherents among
the criminal clnsses. In order TO prove
its sincerity it must go ahead and prose-
cute them, drive them out OF business,
send them to the penitentiary. and a dras-
tic policy of that character is fatal to
Tammany rule in the metropolis.
AS TO TAMNrANY.
II WOu!t De N1ullS5 70 Say lLI,I Nh!o
vote the Talnmany ticket are in favor
of bad and vicious government, for they
are not y large proportion of its voters
and supporters are reputable citizens, as
good as can be found in any party what
ever, but the majorities it rolls up come
from the vicious portion OF the community,
the owners and patrons of the dives
and other haunts of crime all over the
city. Ninety-nine perszreilt.zo of the crimi-
nal army of New York, enlbra cling tens
of thousands Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, are
with Tammuny on election-day. They can
not go easewtlerei To Tammany these
outlaws look for protection and they are
naturally enraged now when they see the
boss of the organization and the organiZa-
ton itself in apparent league with the
reformers, whom they regard as their
worst enemies. Practically Mr.. Cookers
scheme tlas defeated itself, and all
through the underworld of Manhattan ut
the present time he is almost as unpopu-
lar as IS the good bishop who is making
so heroic I'm effort TO reform and purify
the community.
But this is not the only trouble that Mr..
Croker has on his hands. His leadership
in Tammany is seriously threatened. The
dissatisfaction with him within the or
ganization is assuming formidable proper
tons, and it is not improbable that if he
cannot be dethroned the best and BRAIN
lest men III Tammany will be affiliated
with a new Democratic organization by
the time the next campaign comes around.
Mr.. Croker, they believe. has tad the
leadership long enough. They are weary
of his methods. They are disguised with
his favoritisn, They are FESTIVE under
his dictation. And in addition to ALL they
foresee that the rising opposition TO
Crokerism is likely to become so irresst-
ible as to leave Tammany q wreck. They
want TO escape being crushed in the ruins.