The sun., 1901-12-05
CROKER, ,AND0THERS,
CAN'T ALL DRAG A LENGTHENING
STRING ACROSS SEA.
the Squire win Sec II New Leader
"Grows" while We Tries To Win the
Derby and IN Get Away From News
papers and Hangs on 10 the String.

Mr.. Richard Croker spent all yesterday
laughing at the great joke that he had
played on the people who had been taken
in by his talk on the previous day abou,
relnauishing the leadership OF Tammany
Hall sAt times when he could straighten his
face he elaborated the joke and talked more
and more about the propriety OF having a
younger man run Tammany Hall. When
p Mr.. Croker first appeared in public he stood
at the window OF The Club and looked out
at the weather. While he was doing this he
repeated a number Of times:
i don't get a chance to rest ] can't
stand IT, need rest. I'm tired. It's all
very well for men who have big Offices.
But I'm bothered all the time and can't
stand it, | really can't Mr. Croker spoke
OF the big Offices as though he had longed
all Of his life for an Office and had never
been able to afford one. and the sight was
a pathetic one. Some one asked. TO humor
the joke who will be made leader?'
.The leaders OF Tammany Hall are not
made or elected said Mr.. Croker. They
Just grow, like Topsy. The leader must
be independent. because II he is not he can
not get on with the district leaders when
they come TO him. The district leaders
come to him with all sorts Of demands.
He must be firm and secure in his position,
10 that il he cannot do what the district
leaders want, and they say that they will
70 out and overthrow him, he can say, Go
ahead and try"
Mr. Croker paused and thought while.
sThe leader might say that he wanted
some man 10 help him and the Executive
Committee might say all right, go ahead.
Then Mr. Croker said that he was con-
stantly subjected to annoyanccs In THIS
country that he escaped when he was
aboard
"Why, here I cannot turn around wi thout
the reporters are after me. II 60 into the
country the reporters there insist on seeing
me though / have nothing to say. Now
when am in England. it Is diferent-nonc
Of the reporters there bothers memo one
bothefs me- al all / can be alone and rest
all that | want. Sometimes the newspapers
make little mistakes about me. Only the
other day a report was sent by one o! the
news associations that Boss Croker has
landed at Dover Now, was in this country
but ! thought some one had sent this out
70 accomplish an object and for that reason
Ihad il IN ve7tigated. found that that was
said was literally true-'Boss Croker had
landed at Dover, but that was a horse ON
the way to France to race. The telegrapher
had sent il out in that shape. and no one
had thought TO fix it right, and 40 there
was the result. Wen, nope lndt Hoiee
did better in France than | did here,
Mr.. Croker is always willing TO talk about
his horses and this anecdote set him TO
thinking about them. First he said that
he had not sold his racing stable In this
country, for the reason that he had none.
and then he said that he wanted to win the
Derby.
IF should win the Derby next year
I would not stay long in Europe said Mr..
Croker. I'm resident OF New York,
anyhow. III the people knew what | have
undergone as the head Of Tammany they
would not blame mo for taking little rest
In England. Do you suppose that II !
20 to New Jersey, or 10 California. for that
matter. get a rest? No! The reporters
camp on my trail 1t is an awful thing 10
be the leader OF Tammany Hall. There
II long
However the Squire has no notion Of
giving up the post Of chairman OF the
Finance Committee Of Tammany Hall,
which has control OF the campaign fund
and he will keep string on the leadership.