New-York tribune., 1901-10-30
COLER'S JABS AT CROKER.
WARD VI. SHEPARD. TOO-ANOTHER
"COMMERCIALISM' ARTICLE


Proof that Controller Coler is as bitter as ever
toward Richard Croker and is willing to strike
at him even at the risk of hurting his own
party in the most exciting week of a municipal
campaign is furnished by another article on
'Commercialism in Politics." which will appear
In to-morrow's issue of The Independent" Poll
tcians Of the city are we'll aware of the fact
that Mr.. Croker was greatly enraged over Mr.
Coler's first article. which appeared in The
Independent on August Q. 1900. In that ar
ticle the Controller pointed directly at the Tam
many Boss in the first sentence, as follows:
When in the course of public investigation
some months ago prominent political leader said:
! am working for my pocket all the time" he
condition Of modern politics in the great
cities of the United States.
1t is well known that by writing that article
Mr Coler made relentless foe of Mr. Croker
and there many Tammany politicians who
believe that Dir. Coler might have gained The
Tammany nomination for Mayor this fall if he
had not written that article In his second ar
tcle Mr.. Coler hints of that when he says:
''Commerciaism in politics provides no place in
public life for man who tries TO be courageous
iy honest" Toward the end OF the article he
says:
To discourage true honesty in public life is
a serious matter. but IL is bunting the moral
sense Of the rising generation to blaZon TO the
world the lesson that the public officer who bars
the suice from the public treasury 10 the pri-
vate pocket is a marked man. doomed 70 suffer
defamation for daring 10 do right. Such is the
principle. such the methods of commercialism
in politics. Isolated cases need not be cited
The system is general the methods the same
everywhere. Indiscriminate denunciation of the
Napoleons OF political commerce is often a short
amount of personal abuse or campaign Will
of ahei1 .ensiSltiss Sai ONE SsaI
chise Is N sin they cannot forgive.
Mr.. Coler in his second article points directly
at the Tammany leader in this fashion,
In every urban community there is always
minority not in politics. who are disposed 10
be watchful at all times. and often suspicious
of the conduct of the public business. When
they see man in politics rise in ten years
less from pleading poverty 10 wealth so great
that il is houted with reckless and apparently
premedtated ostentation. they naturally
curious to know how and where it obtained
When the indiy iduaIs ID so fortunate ns TO set
' are able to say under oath that they S"1r @e"er
TscrlynS % one , t so shi % and yet are
the mystery TO the uninitiated is intensified.
situation.
BY way of proof that there is mystery in
the case, Mr.. Coler says later in the article:
The men who are in politics for business pur-
poses and have favors 70 bestow always find
commercial opportunities. Capital. skill and
terests for political and official favors. The
man who knows in advance when and where
the new streets to be opened. new parks to
he laid out, lines of transportation TO be
created. always buy on easy terms a large
share of the real estate TO he improved and
benefited If the same man. through the
kindness of those he placed I'm public office.
secures "dv"nce indofmntaGn r., OF ths Kind OF
bridges. the tncr of stock In corporations
To him or his near relatives or friends
When il is settled for period of time that
iz rlrf1e
of a city or State and that such party or fac
tion is in turn controlled by one man, many
business arrangements may he made which.
seeming fair and honest. yet yield large profits
IN all concerned Ii Is n trivial contract. In
dera; I'M one hieh IL b"sad ON skiiSai spesi-
fcntIons, will not yield In extru profit the
price of "a bulldog or IA rncehorse
In telling why such Tammany leaders
Croker and Carroll prefer to remain out of Of
flee. Mr. Coler perhaps inadvertently conveys
a solemn warning against the election of Mr..
SHEPARD the Tammany candidate for Mayor.
He says:
Public officers may not legally become inter
ested in any form of contract or business in
terest with the State municipality under
which they hold office, but they are In no way
prohibited from helping outsiders TO secure
valuable contracts by reason of special re-
auirements or specifications. This is one of the
reasons why great political leaders, alive TO the
material interests of themselves and their near
relations do not ask or accept public office They
nut into places of power and responsibility men
who will do their bidding, or, at least, men
the personal reputation of the man elevated
TO oHce the better for the interests of the
ties. provided always that he does not prove
TO he aEEressiveIy honest