The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-05
ISSUE AT STAKE.

or the various elections which
take place today none, perhaps, sc
nearly approaches one Of national i'm
portance as that in New York City
The results will affect the entire ma
ton, as they will show whether the
first city Of the land shall continue to
be ruled by fraud and corruption and
whether criminals and e~x-convicts
shall continue to control the d%estinies
OF the second city in the world or
whether the people will assert them
selves and drive out the gang which
has made the name of their city a
synonym of everything vile and dis
honest in municipal government. 1t
will not do to say that the influences
welded by Tammany are only local
in effect, for they extend far beyond
the limits Of the city and contaminate
not only the state, but the entire re.
gion in which they are exercised.
Forty-four million dollars is the sum
annually required to pay the salaries
OF the time servers whom Tammany
has put in Office and to raise this
enormous amount the people are tax
ed to an extent where the burden
has become so great as to be almost
no longer bearable. During the year
just ending eXtrayagant increases
have been made in the pay Of almost
all Of the city officials amounting in
100000.
AS organized at present the city
for the maintenance Of political
henchmen. The claim is made that
even il 10000 of%iiceholders were to
be turned out today the machine
would not be imperiled In the least.
The most potent power III the control
Of the machine Is the police depart.
ment, which Is used to levy black.
mail on the virtuous as well as the
wicked, although the latter are the
most liberal Of the many enforced
contributors to the maws of the insat.
liable Tammany tiger. 1t has been
repeatedly proved that the police are
In collision with all the thieves,
gamblers. keepers Of bawdy houses,
pool rooms and the thousands Of other
resorts Of vice which abound there
and AFFORD them protection" upon
payment of a percentage Of their
gains to the corruption fund of the
political party that permits them to
thrive.
Although many efforts nave been
made In the past to GUST Tammany
probably nc such concerted and well
organized attempt in that direction
was ever made as the one which will
end with the close of today's election
Croker, who Is the head and soul OF
the gang. realizes this and has spent
money with a lavishness that paled
all his former expenditures for the
corruption of voters and the perpetual
ton Of his power. The screws have
been applied with merciless severity
to all individuals and corporations
that can be injured by the power o.
Tammany and the contributions tina
have been made are the heaviest ye'
exacted by the boss. Checks made
payable to Croker have rolled in tt
an extent that must have caused those
who issued them to vince. No par
ticular attempts have been made b,
Tammany to conceal It's methods o
eXtor.ion and the men who signed
those cheeks are well known, or a
least many Of them. and some Of tn,
New York papers on the side If tn
people in the present fight are unspar
ing in t heir language denunciatory o
the criminal rich" as those VIII,
have given to Croker are designate,
by them.
With the vast power of money an,
absolute control of all offices at it
back 1t Is not unlikely that Tamman,
SOW Wht w o5oih NiSlSii louuy, W.
II that event occurs 1t will cause
feeling Of despair and humiliation al
over the land, for 1t will be accepte,
that such a thing as reform in mum
cipal government of the larger cite
of the country Is impossible of at
complishment. Success today will
only further strengthen the power O
Croker and his gang Of leeches an
blackmailers and make him all tn
more ambitious and cause him an
them to exert their every power an,
influence in the direction of secul
ing control Of the state. even as the
now have control of the city of Ne'
York.