New-York tribune., 1901-12-04
CROKER TO SHIFT BURDENS
WEARY OF TASK OF LEADERSHIP, HE
WILL TAKE \ REST.

TO GO ABROAD EARLY NEXT YEAR-CAR-
| ROLL LIKELY TO BE LEFT IN CHARGE
WHAT THE BOSS SAYS OF SHEPARD
AND GOVERNORSHIP NOMINATION.
Richard Croker after a month of reflection, yes
| terday made known his ideas about the landslide
| of November which swept TammanE out OF
| power. He gave an extended interview at the
! Democratic Club. in the course of which he eN-
| planned Tammany's defeat. outlined Tanmany
| future and dealt with his personal plans gen
| orally. While announcing in so many words
that he woull retire from the leadership OF ram
| many Hall. he indicated that at early date
| he would make arrangement by which he would
share the leadership with others, If he did
not shift the responsibility TO other shoulders en-
| tiTely. The Tammany executive committee meets
next month reorganize for the year, and at this
| meeting Croker VIII make his ideas known. Croker
| dropped into Il chair at the Democratic Club and
gazed quizzicaIly Tribune reporter. who asked
him If he had finally determined to retire as leader
| of the Tammany organization. Then he said slow Y:
We'll. / don't think Will do much leading
| in the future. l am getting old and worn out. /
cannot be a wheel horse for everybody any longer.
I admit that the leader of Tammany Hall should
| stay in New-York all the year. and actively look
after the interests of the organization. l cannot
afford to remain here for the greater part Of
| the year NJ health is poor. and it is the
| abroad that enables me TO recuperate for what
work l able 70 do here. If I remained in New
! York all the year l would be unable to do any
work all, I knew it wrong for to go
| away but had u 90 il save ny life. l suffer
/ a great deal from catarrh and from my stomach,
! and 1 need the rest and recreation badly. 1t is
simply impossible for me to remain here and work
any longer 1 have done work since the
election than 1 did in the Of the campaign
HOW POLITICIANS REGARD IT.
The politicians generally took this yes
| terda:- that Croker had determined to step down
and ont II Is well hat
| Croker wanted resign and get He per-
| suaGed by Senator Timothy D. Sullivan and others
| TO reconsider. Croker is a wealthy man. As
Tarnmany expresses it. he has made his pile" and
has it salted away He is tired of the strife and
turmoil and wants to turn the organization to
others and have good time. Who his successor
will be Tammany man dares say. There are two
| factions in the organization. The most powerful
! is the so-called gambling combine. which die
tated nominations on the county ticket last
paign The other is what is called the respectable
bj1f. Will dictate the naming OF Mr.. Croker's
| nnteor tn CROKER viii Get out absolutely no
Tammany believes They say Croker is al
ways ''qUitter' in the hour of trouble He wants
! 20 play for The next two years. and he
afford to do so. When he thinks Tammany has
! chance to get back into power th"y say Croker
| from John c. Sheehan in 1891 Croker,s retire
ment , they add is Sa%l {st plan }oer e. Ie Is FAIR
weather friend. ana can be expected to hold out MS
about To- come into power It is generally believed
| that John F. Carroll viii be in charge Of the
executive committee at the meeting TO he hed next
InoIa1 mont may nay go 80 Lar , m 20 Vii ha known mai
| Croker is standing in the. background with ms
shadow blanketing the whole organization. and
| ready to and take control whenever there is
anything to be accomplished hy it.
| As to the State organization. croker s4lG: see
| that the newspapers ar" saving taat / want wa, TO TO
ing to dictate a new national platform lhaI Is
| sheer rot. l am in no physical shape TO 90 any
| many's interest at heart and advise as best can
| l don't know who Will succeed to the management
Inf hat
FefrU@ry hlrU, sIii remain there for some time
Croker spoke Of Devery saying IF the charges
which have been made against Devery are true, he
these charges have never been proved The oppo-
nens Of MI DeDery mad eYery T 2PP%rtuh.y 2Pt .yr ~
| ney's off7ce: but they did not do SO. believe
| like TO fair play.
DUE TO THE NEWSPAPERS
Croker then said other things: 1t is
| useless to inquire into the causes of defeat
last month One cause was suffcient-the opposi-
ton of all the newspapers in New-York to Tam
| many Hall As things were, the Republicans
could have put up ticket Of their own and won
| The Greater Neyg-York Democracy could have
possib osi to Win with the ghoe press of
against The charges against Tammapy ny reached
| few That is the whole story"
| Reverting to the State Leadership question, Gro
| ker said: 1T is silly TO make hght on the lead
rship do9s care WI who pos" P0Sgs as as b S5ate sfdST
| ebonid banker after At this tne. all Demo
Gratis should engaged in uniting against the com
| mon enemy and not in promoting serlsh ambitions.
| T. js norsensc. too begin at this time to talk
| about Democratic candidates for Governor next
| Ica~ Let the party get together first
| As 10 Taramany's future. Croker sad: Some
| Nnev,umps are talking about Tamma1y going 10
| han ever two years from now defeat once in
! a while is A good thing for any organization; After
tho fsionsts have been In office couple OF years
| Tho neonIe will see that the TamInany administra-
| lion vas not such a bad thing after all We have
! baen doyned before by reform movements and we
| aIways rose up stronger than ever after a lew
| Years Il will be the same story IN lsUS lam,
! many is close the common people or New ork
In referring TO England he added: Il have been
| snnoyed for years by the newspaper tax ipout my
| being an Englshman heart 1t Is all rot J.
! am q New-Torker, and American all through
live in England part of the year soleiy Tor the
| ..Le of my health. keep race horses because
80 ,hem and my health by looking after
! ,Sa,, n had not taken to horses and open air
| Gfe IN England I would not be alive to-day
| Nv Croker was asked about the report that I'd
| ,-ard Shepard in sense TO become the legal
S,isc- Of Tarnmary that he was to draft platforms
| a. the Croker-Murphy- Mclaughlin Mack COM
| iins FOR Governor year and become the State
Ia, Mr. Croker said: There is nothing in that
sbene I'd does not want such position He is not
| ~ noiittcs Mr.. Shepard Is an able man He is a
| eond man and expresses his views ike any one
Else hut the against him in the last election
| we've TOO great. know Of no plan for ms being
| MI Shepard would not discuss the reports re-
| xsrding MN when asked about them. 6ut Wts be-