The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-10-02
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 2, 1901.
RICHARD CROKER,

new YORK directs public attention
again Immediately to the recognized
leader of Tammany Hall. No man in
the entire country is more successful
in having general attention directed
toward him than Croker.
There is hardly newspaper in the
United States which at one time or
other does not break out in denunci-
alton of this man. He is much more
an object Of public reprobation than
was Tweed at any time until the ex
posture of his crimes came about vet
It must be accounted a very remarka
bic circumstance that Croker possess
es the respect and devotion of the
members of the political organization
OF which he is the head and of many
most estimable people in nowise con-
nected with politics who know him
personally.
Judged by the newspaper represen
tations OF him Mr.. Croker is a private
and public malefactor. This estimate
is by no means confined to the reDub
hcan newspapers. 1t is almost uniyer-
sal. VI course to any discerning
man. no matter how badly prejudicel
against Croker or Tammany, all this
is absurd. Standing in the light of
the greatest publicity, the butt of the
assault of every political lampooner,
treated as social and moral outcast
by reputable and disreputable ankle in
public life outside of the ranks of
Tammany, it is none the less true that
no one has ever been able to put his
niger on even single transaction,
puDllc or private, on the part of Gro.
ker, which justifies such unstinted
abuse, or, indeed, which offers the
slightest palliation of such ill-treat
mem.
Twenty years ago this man was the
victim OF an unjust and unfounded
charge of murder. He had been re-
peatedly tried for lnat crime One
of the anti-Tammany politicians who
is now leader in the sOcalled reform
movement in progress in New York
was the chief agent in having Croker
arrested and tried for the crime
which he did not commit and which
his accuser knew then and has al
ways known he did not commit AS
the consequence of that charge Gro
ker was eXiled from social and polite
al life alike. While an important fac
tor in the management of Tammany
no leader Of the organization would
dare to take the responsibility of
making him the incumbent of any
public Office of note. 1t was left for
Abram S. Hewitt, while mayor of
New York, to undo the injustice from
which Croker had so long unjustly
suffered. He appointed him to the
Office of police commissioner. and i'm
mediately after. on the death of John
Kelly, Croker attained his present
prominence as leader of Tammany
Hall. Whatever else may be said of
that leadership, it is beyond denial
that it has been successful
When Croker became leader of
teen years ago. he was a poor man
He is today millionaire. Where did
he get ...s money? The answer to
that question which Crokers enemies
accept and to which the newspapers
give currency, is that he derived it
from public rObberies of one kind or
other. There is little on which to
base such an answer. 1t would be
much more in accordance with fact
and probability to say that he made it
through being shrewd enough to
avail himself of the almost unlimited
opportunities for money making
which the leadership of such a power
full public organization offers to any
man with brains enough to avail him
self of them.
Corruption prevails in Tammany
Hall. There is little ground for dis
putting that proposition. So does cor
ruption prevail in every American
political organization. Political man
ayers have been regarded always a:
having pocketed more or less of thu
funds which they raise to cOnduc
political campaigns. The Tamman!
politicians no doubt do that thing. 1
the Tammany organization were com
PEELED by law to make public account
ing of the moneys entrusted to thei
financial officials for political purpos
es. as they should be, such charg'
could not lie at the door of croker o
anybody else. The Globe does no
believe that he made his money tina
NAV There certainly ia no eYilenc