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

power on Croker, a lesson of silence,
which he learned first in the Tunnel
gang. became more and more a part of
his mental habit. Croker also made
his temper bridle-wise. During the
season spent in Jail charged with the
murder which he probably did not
commit, he learned some philosophy
which never deserted him. There is a
fine perspective of the world to be had
from behind prison bars-and Croker
got 1t we'll a bird's-eye view of the
vanities of this life.
When John Kelly died the crown
came to Croker by natural selection.
He was elected chairman of the finance
committee of Tammany. That is his
Office today. The finance committee
is composed of five district leaders out
of the thirty seven in New York. I'm
der each leader are score of precinct
captains. each of whom is set over four
or five hundred people; the people are
divided into tribes of nationality, and
also sub-divided into clans. This Or
ganizatioh. which has nothing to do
with political creeds or platforms, but
coheres out of greed for public taxes
and public privileges. is the most per-
feet voting machine on earth. To the
royal head of this system Croker came
as journeyman who had worked up
from bound boy. He was made king
by grace of his strong right arm, and a
steel brain. sharpened on a man hunt
er's milestone. Passionate by
that token Soft-hearted-Simpl as a
child. acQuiSitive. Shrewd in a narrow
groove like a machine. sordid at the
core. and ignorant of civilization as
a Hun. Croker came to his throne a
troglodyte king over race of cave
men.
To know what sort of a ruler he has
made. one must know his domain 1t
is first of all material. There is moth
ing so ethical about it as double ledger
entry. 1t is not Greater New York.
for there are spiritual. literary and
commercial estates in New York that
not only owe no allegiance to Croker.
but he does not know that they exist.
His kingdom is not even the atmos-
phere of current political thought in
Manhattan and the Bronx. for Croker
knows nothing of political economy
and the trend of political ideas. The
kingdom of Croker is the kingdom of
loot and this vain heather in his blind
ness. thinks it is one of great power.
To Croker. or to what Croker stands
for 80 900 men have surrendered their
sovereign rights. This surrender is
made without let or hindrance. 1t car
ries the right of transfer with it. A
tremendous power is generated by this
Croker and four others
sit in secret conference and nominate
men to fill every municipal Office in
New York from mayor to alderman.
Orders come down from this confer
epce to the city convention. to the
ward caucus. rhe only thing that
goes up is obedience. Seeing the pow
ers of Croker. one almost believes that
not a policeman walks his beat in New
York City except by his grace: not a
brick is laid on a public or private
work that he may not impudently tear
down If the contractor laying it with
holds homage to the boss; that not a
wheel turns on any railroad in New
York: not a car moves up and down an
elevator shaft in Greater New York but
by expressing an idle caprice, Croker
may not stop them. Popular govern
ment in New York city thrIves about
as Justify as in Constantinople or Bag
dad.
Ito be Continued Next Saturday,