The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-12
Mr.. CROKER RETlRES
LEWIS NIXON SUCCEEDS HIM AS
HEAD OF TAMMANY.
WAS CR0kER'S SELECTION.
STRONG WORDS OF ADVICE FROM
RETIRING LEADER.

He Endorses Nixon and Calls on the
Leaders to support Him-Stand on
Principles and Not ON Patronage,
Says the Old Man-OrganizatiOn
Has Generally PoIIed Largest
Vote in Years When 1t Had No
PatrOnaGe-HOnOr Was Unsought,
Says NixOn-He Does Not Propose
to BE Figurehead.
! New York, Jan 11.-Richard Croker
announced his retirement from the for
NAL leadership of Tammany Hall this
afternoon. The announcement was
made at the meeting of the Executive
Committee, at which the plan of or
ganization for the year 1902 was agreed
upon. Lewis Nixon was chosen as Mr..
! Croker's successor as the chairman of
the Finance Committee. This position,
by long usage, carries with it the lead
ership OF the organization.
In announcing the name of Mr.. Nix
on as chairman of the Finance Com
mittee, Geo. H. Hoesen, president of
the General Committee, said that the
step was taken at the desire of Mr.
Croker himself. Mr.. Croker, however,
did not express himself until all the
business before the meeting had been
| transacted when he arose and ad-
dressed the chair. There was a rustic
of expectancy in the crowded room as
he did so. He spoke in his habitual
| quiet manner, but such a stiffness pre-
/ yai1ad that aupY~Ny word ha uttered was
heard by all. His tone was a CONVEX
sational one, but there was something
like tremor in his voice and he
walked back and forth across the room
in a way not familiar to those who
have often heard him speak.
In beginning he said that the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Nixon to the chair
manship of the Finance Committee had
his full approval, and he hoped that
Mr.. Noxon would receive the same con-
sideration and good will which had
been extended to himself He added;
II know the young man well and 1
believe that he will restore confidence
in the organization and bring back to
it's support the army of Democrats
that we lost at the last election. I
nope tiiat you wiz give MN the same
confidence that L have enjoyed. l am
| continually receiving letters from
young men anxious to join this or
! ganization, who do not know how TO
| join. 1 hope that means will be found
| to bring more men in. The people
who left us for reasons of their own
can never build an organization up
| against you on patronage received
| from the Republican party 1 think
it is your duty to strengthen your
selves and to stand on principles, not
on patronage. You know this or
! ganization generally polls the largest
| vote when it has no patronage.
have been in the organization 35 years,
and during that iperiod it has polled
| a larger vote proportionately in years
when it had no patronage. So you
need never fear the efforts of men
who leave us because they wish to get
| positions. 1t is neglect of yourselves
| and distrust of your leaders which VIII
hurt you. If you conduct this organ
| ization honestly and comply with the
I'm conclusion 1 want to ask you to
have the same confidence in Mr.. Nixon
that you have had in me, and 1 have
no doubt of your success"
Honor UnsOusht Says Nixon.
Mr.. Nixon, the new leader rose as
soon as Mr.. Croker had sat down, and
very briefly thanked the committee for
the honor done him. He said:
Il need not say that this great honor
was entirely unexpected and absolutely
unsought by me. 1t was with sincere
regret that 1 learned that Mr.. Croker
had determined to retire. 1 was will
ing to remain in the ranks. But l will
not accept an executive position and
be a mere figurehead. l am not so
presumptuous as to imagine that l can
control in all things. But l can say
that while / may not always have your
support 1 shall have it if l keep this
position. 1 promise to apply every eff
fort and my utmost strength to build
up this organization"
A vote of thanks to Mr.. Croker for
his service to the organization was
voted by the committee.
Mr.. Nixon announced that he would
retain Thomas F. Smith, Mr.. Groker's
secretary, for a number of years, for
his secretary.
Nixon Has a Fine Record.
Lewis Nixon, the new Tammany
leader, was born in Leesburg, Va,
April 7. 1861, and received his early
education in the schools of that town.
In 1878 he was appointed a midship
man, and in 1882 he graduated from
the United States Naval Academy at
the head of his class. He was sent
by the Navy Department to the Royal
Naval College. Greenwich, Eng, and
in 1884 he was transferred to the con-
struction corps of the navy In 1890 !
he designed the battleships Oregon,
Indiana and Massachusetts,, and then
resigned from the navy to become
superintendent constructor of the
Cramps shipyard, Philadelphia. In
1895 he left there and on his own ac-
count, started the Crescent shipyard,
at Eliza bethport, N. j.. where he has
built one hundred vessels in six years,
among Others the torpedo boat Hol-
land and the monitor Florida. In
1898 he was appointed president Of the
East River Bridge Commission by
Mayor Van Wyck.
A sketch of Croker.
Richard Croker was born In Black
Rock, County Cork Ireland, Nov. "a,
1s43. He was brought 10 this country
when only two years OF age and re-
eeived his education IN the public
.ff Ia ha