New-York tribune., 1901-10-31


Shepard hopes 10 re-establish. Slowly but surely
1t became evident that Tammany Hall did not
want such a government was established
but that its followers needed boss TO guide
them and TO look after their interests IN pouG,S,
and places In other words, Tammany hall
represents a class Of voters who must be con-
trolIed by boss, and il Tammany were not
provided with q boss it would die natural
death.
In the evolution of these three years John
Kelly unconsciously developed the qualities re-
quired for the position of boss. He did not seek
ii. He even urged me TO take the place put IL
was apparent TO all of US that ne alone couiu ie
rule Tammany. and We retired. This is the only
period during which I had any connection with
Tammany. | do not look back at It, as
Shepard supposes, with honorable satiSiae- fIS"a
Since that time / have been invariably opposed
to Tammany Hall, and by no process OF linPuta % "a
tion I be made responsible elther lor 'S
good or it's bad reputation
Kelly was an honest and patriotic man. not
educated as Shepard is, but with intentions as
good, and with natural abilities far greater Ior
political administration than Shepard Is sup
posed to possess. He felt as Shepard does, that
he was rendering service 10 New olh ~
controlling its ignorant and unruly clemens
and that he was entitled to the gratitude or MS
fellow citizens for his unselfish labors His poss
ship was of very different quality from lhat oI
Croker and was accompanied with no olheI
criticism than that II was autocratic and not
Democratic. John Kelly could not uhoeIs'aiIu
why the intelligent Democrats couid nor dp
service he was rendering 10 the city. buL Idlii
many Hall ceased to be Democratic, ana SO II
remain until 1t is utterly destIpyeu. Ine
difference now and then is simply In the peSsom-
alitv of the bosses. / have often expressed my
favorable opinion Of John Kelly, ana SnePdI9
has given his unfavorable opinion or hlChdio
Croker Holding this opinion. he proposes TO re-
organize an institution which, under the PftesI
ent control, he has justly criticised as ioui
blot upon the municipal history or TINS coui
try" If | was staggered by his ineNpiiSao,e
acceptance of the Tammany nomination, am
all the more amazed At his simpieitS III Sun H
posing that he can reform lammanN iiaii.
where TiIden. with his great intellect, ms
enormous political power. and ms UNITY n aiisu iS
power OF organization, iaiea, Is I s,,Sp nHpprhoIn-
gists.. Men Of ordinary common sehse "a NalsG ~
understand II. 1t is plain. however, from Ils
utterances that he has persuaded hnseu 'lS'
he is performing high and holy duty. ms sa,i ar
vocates regard his action as heroic, ana naNe
no doubt that he himself so regards It,
But WHAT \ FALL.
But what a fall was there. my countrymcn!"
Shepard undoubtedly feels that ne can NJ; ~
successfully with the problem OF TeSolcG,lre re- ssrn
boss rule with Democratic principles OF soNttn
ment In fact. his best friends cannot ShuI @
their eyes to the fact that step by step I ne mas
and regenerator OF the Democratic party. TO
which by birth. education and assoelateSi t tib re
feels that he is dedicated as X hlna rreat oe dis
annontment If defeated, his politicai career
will be ended. If elected, he is foreaooHneu 70
failure in the herculean task WHICH TIC Has
undertaken. He will find the infamous bur-
den of Tammany Hall transferred to his un"
padded shoulders, while Croker VIII play inc
part of Hercules and carry OFF the goiueh
apples of the Hesperides to his garoens at
Vantage.
Shepard hatters himself that in case OF the
alaction of the whole Tammany ticket, he can
control the administration by reason OF ms
power of removal of the heads OF departments
He admits that he cannot control the appIo- @
priation of money, but he thinks he can CON
troll its expenditure This belief only SHOWS ms
Ignorance of the complicated nature OF the city
government and of the infinite details wilch ne
cannot hope TO master in two years. But the
control of the departments does not give MIN
any power over the functions OF the great OIL
GERS elected on the county ticket Does he eH-
pect that Tammany will pay any attentloh 10
his wishes in the exercise of the enlarged rune
tions of the President of the Borough OF Man
haitian? And how about the District Attorney,
who. the picturesque Gardiner solemnly salu'
is a constitutional officer whom the Mayor can
not remove. and who in the last emergency, @ 10
matter how the police may be governed con-
trolls the criminal business Of the city? Every
lawyer knows that far as crime and wee are
concerned the office of District Attorney is FAR
more potent than that of Mayor. How does MI
Shepard relish the associate which Tammany
has given him in the high office once filled by MS
brilliant father?
This leads me to recall the fact that I re-
fused the nomination for Mayor unless the
entire county ticket was made satisfactory TO
me, and / selected the late Henry X Beekndh'
who was not Tammany man, as the candidate
for president of the Board Of Aldermen. be-
cause in case of the disability of the Mayor, he
would be his successor. If Shepard has had
ANYTHING to do with the ticket at whose head
he is running, he has demonstrated his unntness
for chief magistrate by the associates 10 Whoh
he has consented.
If space permitted would like to point out
how Tammany Hall has been the inveterate foe
of rapid transit and the small parks, 10
which Shepard often alludes in his speeches
would like 10 discuss the question OF
capital and labor, which Shepard handled
so adroitly that he altogether missed
the only important point in the discussion. The
trades unions forbid their members TO work
with non-union men. and in case non-unlon men
are employed a strike follows. Shepard did not
tell us whether he thought such action on the
part of the trades unions to be right or wrong.
When was Mayor / had to face this issue and
1t is believed lost the labor vote because
was not willing to admit that any human being
could be deprived Of the right 10 work and to
live by the edict OF any organization Whatso-
Perhaps Mr.. Shepard will kindly en-
tighten us on this subject. He will remember
my letter TO the Democratic Club Of Brooklyn
upon this subject and the sympathy which he
expressed at that time with my views, and
which doubt he still entertsins.
But there is no time TO discuss such details.
Thus far from the nature of the case l have
been forced TO speak, much 10 my regret, Of the
personal position which Shepard occupies in this
struggle but let there be no mistake as to the
nature of the issue presented. 1t is not Shep-
ard and his great abilities and spotless record
as his friends insist: it is not the principles of
Democracy which at stake as Shepard
claims but IL is Tammany Hall. with its
infamous record; il is Crokerism with its alb
senteeism and its corruptng influence in every
department of the city government. IL by the
deliberate vote of the people Tammany Hall
shall receive yindication by the election of any
candidate whom IL may nominate, then the pub
lie conscience will be at fault. Fortunately
there are but two candidates in this campaign,
and the line is sharply drawn between the forces
of reform marshalled on the one side and the
forces of iniQuity marshalled the other. The
y,erdict will determine whether manhood suff-