El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-09
B0SSCR0KER

taught Croker. by a sort of merit sys-
tenn, that election majorities and not
excuses are desired, and that to get
majorities precinct captains may go
far il necessary-may, in an emerg-
ency, tip-toe right up to the door of the
penitentiary, and trust to the efforts
of the organization to pull them back
by the coat-tails. Croker spent six
months in Jail in his youth charged
with murder. The crime was COM
mitted in an election fracas. and the
jury disagreed. Probably the indict-
ment left no scar upon him. for it was
part of the business.
Tammany holds an amorphous char
ter The society of Tammany. or the
Columbian Order, is a benevolent Or
ganiZation: and Tammanys Hall is a
political organization, and one set of
men belongs to both societies, so that
Tammany'S business is the disburSe-
ment of benevolence and the collection
of votes. And. being of a practical
turn of mind the chiefs of Tammany
have established a system which con-
verts the smallest amount of benefits
into the largest number of votes. So
District Captain Croker, a registering
young man in his day. learned that it
pays TO be kind. that it pays to be gen.
erous-perhaps free-handed is the bet
ter word-that it pays to keep prom
ise.and that it pays to lend hand.
All this he learned in Tammany. which
in spite of its virtues. is a corrupt, I'M
American survival of feudal paternal-
istic government. One wonders if it
is not destined to live and wax fat in
New York SO long as atavism makes
the European emigrant and his chill
,fo hit dnr. ha fret
dens of civilization, and grope instinct
lively for the sustaining arm of a king.
When he ran for alderman in oppo-
sition to Boss Tweed's wishes. Croker
was elected on the anti-boss ticket.
and helped to pull down Tweed. Tweed
fell, not because he was thief. but be-
cause he did not tell the truth to his
fellow-thieves; they found they could
not trust him. And Croker learned in
Tweed's downfall the one trick which
has given Croker power-he learned to
tell those who trusted him the exact
truth. and to make a lie the cardinal
sin in his code. The men who shud
der at Croker's power, shudder because
they fancy it is generated in iniquity.
but the truth is that the power to con-
troll men is always the sign of some
strong quality. No man is all good
or all bad. but men follow a leader as
long as. in their eyes. his virtues out
weigh his vices. And the Croker that
learned industry in the shops and cour-
age in the gang-which is the clan in
the feudal system of Tammany-
learned a sort of anthropoid honesty in
the office of alderman. 1t is not here
contended that Croker developed a
New England conscience: he was hon
est according to his light and the Gro
suffering gas light in the streets. In
a simple way he knew that it was
wrong to steal funds. either public or
private, for stealing requires duplicity.
and that is not a part of Cookers ma
ture; but probobly he did not under
stand. and does not now. why success
fui stealing is iniquitous. further than
that it does not pay in the long run.
In those days Alderman Cookers So
cial duties were about the same as
those that confront a New York alder
man today, and similar to those that
have confronted the gentry for a thou
sand years. He was the patron of his
shire. To him the yeomen looked for
succor in. distress. He stood between
the young blades of the tenements and
their natural enemies. the police. He
furnished amusement and recreation
for his vassals. 1t was his part to sit
in silence on the top deck of the char
tered boat. taking the peasantry to
his annual clam-bake. and to receive
his subjects there in stately dignity as
his henchmen brought them up. Also.
he was expected to lend the distinction
of his presence to the barkeepers an
nual ball. and to grace the church fair
with his dumb. clumsy courtesy. 1t
was all medieval. all like the real
round table. probably. and all incon-
gruous to the American point of view.
Yet the rise of Croker in Tammany
from peasant to marauder. from ma
rauder to squire. from squire to liege
lord. from liege lord to chancellor of
the exchequer. from.-but this is an
ticiDating the narrative: suffice it to
say thatCroker's rise is not strange; is
typical of the organization. 1t was
like the rise of Kelly. the rise of Tweed
or the rise of other kings of Tammanv,
whose fall has been forgotten in the
last hundred years.
When john Kelly rose to the boss's
throne in Tammany. Croker was a dis
trict leader: that is to say kind of
county central committeeman in the
political organization. and a kind of
duke in the Tammany social system.
Kelly made Croker a sort of privy
councillor. and gave him the Office and
the title of city chamberlain. 1t may
be said to- the credit of the system
which produced Croker. that he con-
Quoted the various Offices he he1d-cor-
Oner. city chamberlain and fire COM
missioner-decentlya and without scan
dial. No city money stuck to his fin
gers. AS chancellor of the eXchequer.
Croker was thrown daily with the no.
bility. The Irish in him made him
initiative. He acquired veneer of
manners. He ceased to be a gent. His
fists whitehead HE clofhoS praw .smild