The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-23
WOODRUFF TALKS TO OGDEN.
COL. OGDEN RETIRES FBOu
ROOM As IF DISPLEiSED.
N Lieut. -GovernOr Had said: There
Are some Here Tonight who "a, Th,,
Republican Executive Committee ,Iem.
bers should Not Hold Political Places,

bers should Not Hold Political Places.
The Washington's Birthday dinner Of tia
Hamilton Club was held in the dubious.
Remsen and Clinton streets, Brooklyn,
last night. There were about one hundred
diners. among them President Ward,
Assistant Corporation Counsel McKeen,
Justice John Woodward Of the Appellate
Division, Police Commissioner Partridge,
former Mayor Schieren, Col. Willis l..
Ogden, Lieut.. n. L. Caps, U. s. n, II. ".
Maxwell. c. II. Otis, A. G. Mcdonald Robert
+. Tilney, j. s.. rockingham, W. c. kel.
! logg and F. j. Vernon.
James NJ. Beck, Assistant Attorney
General of the United States, responded
to the toast Founders Of the Republic"
Lieut.. Gov. Woodruff spoke for the State
of New York" Justice Almet +. jerks Of
the Appellate Division answered the toast
Lincoln" and Job +. Hedges responded
to The Lessons of Anniversaries.
Among other things Mr.. Woodruff said:
I'VE are told that oficeholders should take
no part in politics, and that the men who
are active in politics should not hold Office.
Some go 80 far as to say that the members
of the Executive Committee of the Repuh-
lican organization in this county should
not hold political places. There are some
men present tonight who have said that.
To Mr.. Schieren, Col. Ogden and Mr..
McKeen l want TO say that
At this point Col. Willis L. Ogden, the
chairman of the Municipal Civil Service
Commission, left his seat and retired from
the room "a II he was displeased with the
remarks Of the Northumberland. Mr..
Woodruff continued in part as follows:
have been too long in politics. in too many
conventions and on too many conference
g Thn npfoTtnn m1t ,t6Sin s"iH % not ,nS What et' those who
succeed have secured. what they sought or,
sought. what they got. but that some men ~
S Sorniny oimii activity do not seek T%political
preferment. There is no more disgrace about
seeking service under a national. state or
municipal Government than In a business
corporation or a private concern.
The disgrace lies in trying 70 make "ut
that IT il undignifLed or belittling to do 30:
or, worse yet, in pretending not to want that
which Is being zealously sought, and thereby
make the straightforward seeker the victim
We are told that office holders should take
no part in politics, and that the men who are
active in politics should not hold office. Some
20 40 far n TO say that the members Of the
Committee of the Republican
or ganization in this county OF Kings should
not hold political places. You might as well
expect a greut corporation TO be successfully
conducted by n few small stockholders with
out giving them any compensation, instead
oil DN "a DONTu Oh directors fOIlDO~fu VI NlOth-
holders whose interests are large enough
TO warrant the expenditure of valuable time
and well paid officers, H. that n great political
organization will be or can he satisfactorily
conducted by men whose energies are entirely
devoted to commercial or professional pur-
suits. If these busy men will only attend
the primaries once u year aud elect thoroughly
honorable, capable men to represent the
party in committees and IN conventions.
there will be no necessity for imposing n
non-or1ce holding condition upon those who
are willing to serve their party day, and night
in the most onerous and thankless place
that IL has ever been my or any other mans
misfortune TO occupy.
Why, | spent days a year ago last De-
Cembpr in the unsuccessful effort to get some
one Of the thoroughly representative business
or professional men ] know 20 take, without
the honorable and far from OnerOus position
of chairman of the Republican County Com
mittee. There II not a political organization
on the earth which II not conducted by men
who give their time to political affairs because
they are in politics.
ing 80 true a. in the case OF politics and busi-
moss or politics and the law. or politics and y
life of ease. Business and profession must
be Suhordinated by the man who IN these
political organization or In official life to tho
credit of his party. II would Xiii some ot
the men who advise against committeeman
holding Office just to attend the dinners,
bAnuuet-. clam bakes and Chowder parties
all winter and all summer that every meiu-
political organization must encourage by
his presence in order To maintain interest
in the party on the part OF those who con-
~titutr ten times a. large a part OF either
party a. belong 10 exclusive ciuos hke the
Hamilton. or live IN swell neishborhoods