The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-20
Challenges Them to Prove That He
Got His rloney Dishonesty Tam
many Chief Wants to BeLeft Alone

New York Nov el.--Squire Croker talk
ed yesterday at the Democratic club to
newspaper reporters. His subjects were
various. He denounced some OF the
newspapers for accusing him OF wearing
golf breches on @. III. r. Belmont :
links He also called attention to tho
tact that the newspapers had accused
him OF being dishonest
lie challenged all his accusers. incud-
lhE reiormers and clergymen, To prove
their charges
II didn't wear short pants on the links, D.
ne said It's an outrageous he, The
newspapers hound me everywhere, even
o. The links did not wear knee pants.
why don't they leave me alone? " rs
true that ] played golf but wore these
very clothes that have on now. can
provo it. And did not even wear
SIR. Croker paced up and down the club
reception room. frequently looking at his
shins and muttering: Knee pants Then
he talked about clergymen.
REFORM sLANDERERs.
'Havcn't they always got it in for me?'
he asked. They and the reform sland-
"rers attacked rue all during the cam
paign. They called me common thief
said had never earned an honest dollar,
and mads me responsible for every crime
Committed in the city.
Now, | want 10 tell them and all the
people of New York that | defy them,
aud L hereby challenge them 10 prove
their charges They are ia power They
have. the whole city government and
machinery is at their command and they
can do anything they want Ito. Now I
challenge. them to prove what they said
of me during the campaign or. back
down. That is square proposition, isn't {
when they said had no business and
never earned an honest dollar they lied. |
have two different kinds of busl-
ness, honest. legitimate business. aud
every dollar have ! earned honestly.
They know it, too. All along the Fusion
organization has followed the line of at
tack laid down by the pulpit
The preachers have charged me With
by political corruption. gambling and all
that. The charges were broad aud di-
rect. and now that the preachers and
their friends are I'm power | call on them
TO make their charges good.
TAMMANY RULE.
And then as to the Tammsny admins
tration. They call It rotten Don't they
know that the Republicans have sent
committees down here from Albany. and
that they couldn't find anything wrong
with Tammanys administration? OF
course they know ~ And besides, thc
Merchants association followed the legis-
lative Committees by investigating all the
depa rtments.
They haven't reported yet. have they.
except one lying report about the water
department? Why haven't they reported?
anything wrong 10 report = Haven't YOU
noticed, too. that since the election Low
and all the other reformers haven't been
saving anything about the rottenuess of
the city government?
They seem 10 think IL Is pretty good
after all. Their talk about corruption
was all for campaign purposes ! wish
they would attempt To prove the charges
they have brought asamht me personally
! only wish they would. They have
placed me I'm bad position before the
public. and I call on them again 20 prove
their accusations or Withdraw them.
The squire did more pacing. and then
began 10 laugh. What's tho joke some
body ventured To ask
Amt it funny" MIR Croker resumed,
this reformers talk about opening the
saloons on sunday The papers are full
uf g. The proa cherS. the Flslopists. the
whole reform crowd are Tor opening tho
saloons on sunday, and ths newspapers
haven't a word 10 say against a.
Good Lord suppose 1Hmmauv tried
that thing: suppose Tsmmauy came out
for sunday opening. what ou uproar There
would he! The newspapers. the pulpits
and tho reformers would hound us on the