New-York tribune., 1901-10-18
SHEPARD TAMMANY'S MAN
r,rs BRAVE, BOLD SPEECH WAS SUP
PRESSED. AS THE KINGS CAM
PAIGN BOOK WAS

r,a Tammany leaders are delighted with the
-,aacbes Edward N. Shepard has made in the
--ssent campaign. They say gleefully that they
save as a candidate a mentally facile and
.,o-aIIv elastic advocate. They point with pride
- the devious legal paths by which Shepard has
-.-sven 10 prove technically that he cannot an
.-sr the pertinent questions which have been
L,,,lsd AT him about Devery and other of the
.qy-nfng blots" IN Tammany Hall They as
.s-+ that Shepard is all right and that If
.,acted he viii continue the policy OF Mayor
van Wyck.
They have not always been so happy, however,
and AZ one time they hung with fear and trem-
Ming upon an imminent speech OF Mr.. Shep-
I'D II was the speech he made last Saturday
-,ght In Brooklyn. Just two days before the
Eings County Democratic organization issued
g. campaign textbook This work iayed Tam
many Il referred to the attempt TO "Devery-
,,sn Brooklyn II pointed out that the Demo-
rats OF Kings County had always discounte-
,snoed the political methods of Tammany. and
oried themselves with Tammany only because
noI,tical exigencies made such an alliance i'm
s-stive Just at the time this campaign book
1ss issued there was great deal Of talk about
the speech Shepard would make at the Academy
- Music. some Of the insiders" IN the Brook
,vn organization made the prediction that Shep-
I'D would 90 further than the campaign text
boolk They announced positively that Shepard
would speak out In meeting" They said he
would strike straight from the shoulder, re-
terating and emphasizing what he had said
about Tarmany in the past. and would declare
,hst he accepted the nomination as a Democrat
and II elected would clean out Tammany and
the whole foul brood.
This was the announcement that went all
through Brooklyn, and It reached the ears OF the
Tammany men. The Tammany leaders began
% ouake They asserted that it could not be
+-ue bur y II was true there was time enough
n Fix" Shepard before he made the speech.
Then remarkable thing happened. The cam
paign textbook was withdrawn and suppressed
Bv what channel Tamuany reached the Kings
County leaders 20 effect this can be conjectured.
Az al events. the efforts OF Tammany in this
line were successful.
With the suppression Of the campaign text
book the natural query was as to what Shepard
would DO about his speech Some Of those in the
confidence OF Mr.. Shepard declared positively
that he had his speech all written; that II was
q bold. fearless and scathing address. and would
deal with Tamnany and cSrruption in no gentle
manner These friends Of Mr.. Shepard declared
that he was fearless and could not be pulled
down as the textbook was. Shepard could not
he coerced or swerved IN his decision, they de-
elared and waited anxiously for Saturday night
ana the promised speech
Then another wonderful thing happened. Shrp-
ard made his speech, but IL was as mild as a
summers day and full OF evasion and
sophistry as even Croker could wish. II utilized
All the articles OF q trained lawyer and casuistic
debater TO evade the questions at issue. II was
MERLE and weak but Tammany had brought
about its end. Shepard was diverted, his speech
was suppressed and his ideas were smothered.
Tsrurnary was jubilant- Some Of Mr.. Shepards
friends who were waiting for the bold and fear
less address were disappointed and sorry. but
Tamnany was happy, and Shepard is now re-
garded as Tammanys man.