Evening star., 1900-11-29
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Influential Men Engage in Struggle
for Civic Purity.
POLITICAL PHASE OF THE ISSUE
The Reformers Have a Giant Task
Ahead of Them.
THE MEETING YESTERDAY
pecial Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK. November %, 1900.
AS an indication of the genuine character
of the work undertaken in the reformation
of this city II is necessary only to men
ton the fact that at the gathering Of the
chamber of commerce yesterday afternoon
men worth in the aggregate over billion
of dollars met to engage in the struggle for
civic purity. Even the famous chamber
of commerce committee Of seventy, which
led the purely political part of the move
ment which resulted in the nomination of
ex-Mayor William L. Strong, was not one
half powerful the men who have
united for the overthrow of Tammany Hall
this year
1t is interesting to note the range which
the discussion has already taken. Richard
Croker, at his home at Vantage, England,
is exchanging hot words with DR.. Park
hurst. Mayor Van Wyck and the police
commissioners writing to Bishop Pot
ter The bishop insists that 1t is not a
clergymans place to lead and that, while
he is in sympathy with the chamber Of
commerce movement and not in sympathy
with Tammany Hall bogus reform, the real
work of the campaign must be carried on
by laymen. Meanwhile the great Ice trust
scandal which caused such a storm of in
dignation to sweep over this city some
months ago Is apparently forgotten. Prob
ably the best pleased men in Greater New
York over the turn affairs have taken are
Mayor Van Wyck and the directors of the
ice truSt-the mayor because he had no
idea of becoming candidate for re-elec-
ton and because the papers have stopped
hammerng him directly-the board of di-
rectors because the value of the shares Of
Ice trust stock, which rapidly deprecated
when that corporation held the center of
the stage, are steadily mounting upward
again. This is not to intimate that there
Is connection hefweep the chamhev
of commerce attacks upon vice and the
suspension of the war on the ice trust, but
it indicates rather the rapidity with which
issues change here in the metropolis.
The Real Question i'm Issue.
The most important question and at the
same time the most interesting question is
whether the reformers can succeed, even if
they fuse with the republicans 1t should
not be forgotten that in the recent election
the chamber of commerce was practically
a unit against Tammany Hall and Bryan
and yet Bryan carried the greater city. by
over 10000 majority. This would seem to
indicate that the republican-reform combi-
nation has a giants task before it, espe-
cially if the next republican state legIsla-
ture, under the leadership Of United States
Senator Piatt should decide to force the
state constabulary bill upon the people of
New York city.
The recent election shows that New York
city is essentially democratic city, and
that a majority of the workingmen and the
great middle classes can be relied upon TO
vote the democratic ticket despite the fierc-
est pressure that can be brought to bear
by the financiers of the city
The most enthusiastic reformers argue
that the movement which culmina ted in the
election of eX-Mayor Strong succeeded and
that it is impossible for this latter day
crusade against the democratic organiza-
tions to fail. They forget that Mayor
Strong was elected in the old city of New
York. not the new Greater New York, and
that the boroughs of Brooklyn, Richmond
and Queens are democratic as well as the
borough of Manhattan. Besides the fusion
of republicans and reformers, which result
ed in the triumphant election Of Mayor
Strong. followed a long and fierce agita-
ton against police blackmail, conducted by
Lexow committee upon the subject Of
blackmai came upon the people Of the old
city Of New York with all the force Of a
Knockout blow, and the republican organi-
cations, the business interests and the
churches stood shoulder to shoulder because
all decent men revolted at the corrupt tao
tics. The Lexow committee Investigations
caused a political revolution in this city
and STILL In spite OF those exposures Mayor
Strong's plurality in the old city was small.
Big Task for Reformer.
1t is possible that men like Bishop Pot
ter, Morris X. Jessup. Charles Stewart
Smith and George Foster Peabody have
some trump cards up their sleeves which
will correspond to the attacks upon black
mail made by the witnesses before the Lex
committee, but up to the present time
there is no indication that they really real
ize the gigantic nature of the task cut out
for them that their campaign will not
end in a dismal failure like the campaign
carried several years ago by Seth Low
That blackmaiing tactics are still car
ried on by the police and the street depart
ments is well known But the persons who
suffer the most are the unfortunate wo-
men on the streets the gamblers and the
saloon keepers, whose business requires
them to run Sundays and during hours
prohibited by law. But 1t is only the law
violators who are compelled to pay tribute.
The Tammany Hall leaders have learned
the lesson Of letting the large business
men of the city severely alone.
Still there are more ways than one for
getting hold Of the filthy lucre by official
blackmail. 1t is said that an immense rev.
enue is wrung from street stand owners.
and that the tribute money that is ccl-
lected by Tammany Hall leaders in this
way amounts to more than half million
dollars annually. An attempt will be made
by the next republican state legislature to
put a stop to this particular practice.
But 1t should be remembered that Tam
manys bluff reform even though 1T may
not fool Bishop Potter and some of the
members of the chamber of commerce, may
fool great many of the church voters
and they may decide that after all there is
more politics than anything else in these
two reforms, the Tammany Hall reform and
the chamber Of commerce reform, and they
may vote along usual political lines. Moth
ing short Of political upheavaA can drive
Tammany Hall out of power, and up to
date little real work has been accomplished
far less than DR.. Parkhurst accomplished
single handed unaided and alone few
years ago.
Available MayOralty Timber.
In order to defeat Tammany Hall it will
be necessary to prove the wholesale charges
of blackmailing and that is not childs play
even under the most favorable circum-
stances.
Looking forward to the coming mayor
atty contest it is pointed out that there
is no lack of timber to oppose the Tam
many ticket. At the present writing the
list Is as follows:
Bird S. Coler, Independent democrat; Seth
Low, Independent republican,; John d. Grim
minis, Independent democrat; Charles A.
Schieren, independent republican,; George
L. Rives, independent democrat; John Har-
sen Rhoades. Independent republican; Alex
ander E. Orr, independent democrat; John
Clanin, independent republican; Edward NJ