New-York tribune., 1901-12-05
NO FUN IN BEING BOSS
CROKER WANTS A LITTLE, so HE PLANS
TO HAVE A REST.
TAMMANY LEADERS. HE SAYS. ARE NOT
MADE: THEY JUST GRow'-THE
sHARER OF HIS BURDENS
NOT YET CHOSEN.

NOT YET CHOSEN.
Richard Croker at the Democratic Club yes
terday. was in an more pessiTnistic mood
than he was on Tuesday. He again talked
about his retirement from active participation in
the affairs Of Tammany Hall and his future
plans Il cannot stand it any longer" he SAID
doIefully This role of leader isn't bed OF
roses It is too much for me. No man can
stand i as long as 1 have 1 must have rest.
II has been ali work and no pleasure with me-
IL a man becomes leader Of Tammany Hall ne
might as well give up the idea for all time OF
having fun If the people knew what 1 have
undergone as the leader Of Tammany Han they
would not blame me for wanting rest in England
once in while There is rest for me IN
New-York or any place in this country If 60
to New-Jersey New-England to California
the papers instruct their representatives TO camp
around the house in which am staying tell
you it is a trying job. 1t is nice for the men
that have nothing TO do but look after the fat
Offices and hold them down. 1t is the man who
has 10 handle all the troubles of the organlza-
tion who gets no sleep. There is no end of work
in it, and no one man is going TO stand it long
Croker was asked if his successor had been
decided upon. He said humorously: "A leader
In Tammany isn't made. He is like Topsy-he
lust grows / was not selected leader. L just
grew up 10 it 1t this way: The district
leaders come TO regard one of their number as
most competent to lead, and naturally they de-
fer to him. The executive committee does not
select any 1t may select an assistant Tor
leader and he may develop into a leader, but
there is no actual election of leader. l am
not bothering about the leadership, and am
not envy1ng the man who gets the job. He has
got TO be a firm, independ Mt man, who can say
No pretty often and shoulder lot of trouble II
IL comes his way He Will have lots of trouble.
He can count on that rs a certain perquisite OF
the office"
Croker would not discuss his successor in the
leadership. The opinion is general tha' there
will be a leader pro tenn 1t Will prooaolS De
John F Carroll. AS Croker himself says, there
will be little to do in the organization for the
next two years. In that time the boss wants 10
get rest and recreation. He will probably speno
the greater part of the time in England, and
return here in time to take part in the next
municipal campaign. That ne will ever com,
pletely relinuuish the control, unless compe4leu
10 do so. few believe The executive committee
viii meet next month and az that meeting
Croker will probably announce that he is going |
away for a long rest. He may Suggest that Gar
roll look after the affairs of the organization IA
the course Of his absence, or he may ask the |
lea ders 10 allow Kim TO name an assistant 10
conduct things in his absence. At all events IL |
is probable that Carroll viii be the recess poss,
with Croker prepared to return When' IN ms
opinion Tammany has a chance to return 10
power and spoils to be distributed
Mr. Croker met at the club yesterday morn
..,g Young Tim" Sullivan and Martin EngeL
Timothy D. Sullivan who. next to Croker. Is
II e most powerful leader in the organization,
has gone to Hot Springs, and the other leaders
who can AFFORD to do so are making plans LOT
vacations while waiting for the clouds to roll |
by
II have not lost hope of winning the Derby,
said Croker in the course of his talk yesterday |
81 am going &c try for it this year. / see |
morning paper says L am going to sell out my |
American racing stable. l haven't got any |
racing stable here: so I can't sell 1t. That story
IS nearly as bad as the story published some |
time ago thar I had crossed the ocean and |
landed at Dover. That a cablegram in a /
morning paper, dated at Dover. thought 1t |
was q fake then but since / have found out |
that there was this much ground for il. that g /
horse called Boss Croker had landed at Dover |
on its way to race in France. 1t was the best |
Joke I ever heard Another thing, see some of /
the papers say I racing partner Of Pat |
McCarreEl. That's another joke"
IF you win the Derby, will you settle down |
for good in New-Y ?" was asked.
II am already settled down for good in New
York" Croker answered. Il a New-Yorker,
and, as L have said thousand times, 1 60 to
England once in a while only for my health-to
defend my life