The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-14
Croker and Plntt.


York City is tine result Of a plain under
standing between Mr.. Richard Croker and
the Hon. Thomas C. Platt. 1t will con-
tinue until Mr. Platt dies or is deposed
from the Republican leadership. Mr..
Platt does not want decent municipal
government in New York. He deii5er-
ately defeated Seth Low in 1897, and he
has now announced his intention OF de-
feating Mr.. Coier in 1901. The only posi-
BILE result is another Croker mayor of the
Grant Gilroy-y Wyck variety.
New York is a great Democratic city,
and in the nature of things should have a
Democratic executive. United. the De-
mocraey can elect any man they nomi-
nate. Divided between a worthy citizen
and a creature of Tammany Hall the de-
cision is in the hands of the Republican
minority But if the Republicans are
themselves divided the Tammany oandi-
date is certain of election. This was
proved in 1855 as we'll as in 1897. In 1894
Mr.. Strong was elected because, having
made what seemed the impossible demand
that the anti-Croker Democrats should
support Republican, Mr.. Plat could
not repudiate the Republican whom those
Democrats finally decided upon.
Mr. Strong was the last mayor OF o.d
New York. When the campaign OF 1877
began it was seen to be of enormous i'm
portanca The Greater City had been
created and Tammany determined to con-
troll il. To lose the fight was TO court de-
s.ruction. To win was to attain I'M
bridled municipal power, and the great
wealth which could be derived from II.
Iammany girded up its loins. Croker re-
turned from Europe, and the first man
with whom he came to an understanding
was Platt.
1t was absolutely essential to Croker
that his man should be elected mayor.
To any honest Republican leader it would
have been equally essential tsiat the
Croker candidate should be de.eated
The situation was plain to everyone.
Seth Low running as a Citizens candi-
date, with Republican and Indep ndent
Democratic endorsement, was certain 10
beat Van Wyck Ee could only be defeated
by the nomination of machine Repub-
lcan candidate This candidate was
promptly supplied by I'latt. and the re-
suit was never in doubt. Greater New
York. by grace of platt, became Crokar's
American estate.
1t was necessary of course, for Croker
to consider the Brooklyn boss in the Sc
lection Of the subordinate candidates on
the Van wyck ticket and Nj. McLaugh-
lin. either by accident or dc sign, supplied
him with an honest man. This was Bird
S. Coler, who as Comptroller OF New
York, has shown himself pre-eminentiy
fitted to reform the city government On
lines of business honesty AID comEsn de-
cency. No one in New York doubts that
Coler running as an Independent caLd-
date with Independent Democratic and
Republican endorsement would beat the
Croker nominee by fifty thousand votes
But Platt will have none of Coler, and
has already proclaimed against him. If
offered his choice between Plat mayor
and Croker mayor he would, of course,
take the man with his own brand; but as
between a Croker Democrat and an anti
Croker Democrat he stands on his record
and chooses the former every time.
AS matters stand, Croker will eloct his
man next fall without difficulty. Sd long
as Plat lives and has political being,
Crokerism in New York City is fixed
quantity For the two bosses are equally
worthy of political immolaticn, and they
find that there is safety as well as money
in union, division, and silence.