The sun., 1903-10-19
THE CAMPAIGN FOR DECENCY
Mr.. william NJ. Iyins's Arrangement Of
TsmmaAy Hall.


To THE EnrrOR OF The Sun Sir! Tam
many 10 Plumber Organized. Its name. the
world over, 10 synonymous with systemati@ed
corruption.
In ita long career Of a century. It can point
to no memorable public service. TO no con-
spicuous administrative achievement. Its
history IL the story OF our municipal shame:
the longest chapter In American political
criminology.
Its victories have invariably been con-
temporaneous with u slothful public spirit
Its defeats have always marked the vitality
OF ideals OF progress, fitness aud cleanliness.
1t borrowed Its methods and Its purposes.
at It's BIRTH from the revolutionary and anti
social system OF the French Jacobins, 1T 10
to-day the most ancient. the most periect.
and the most successful Of Jacobln societies.
Its system Is the organization, in the struggle
for power and plunder. Of the lowest orders
in society the whole body Of parasites
who live on the exploitation Of lawlessness,
vagrancy. drink, gambling and prostitution.
1t Is = giant syndicate for the division OF
the expenditures OF the government. and OF
the income OF extortion and fraud among
the captains OF the anti-social elements OF
the community. with the large profits and the
great places to the more respectable" ieaders
who are willing to lend cloak OF decehcy
for valuable consideration.
Its government has been, and must always
be, by virtue OF its very nature, . class gov
ernment: namely government by the worst
and for the worst.
Having large rewards to offer. rewards
which appeal to vanity. ambition and the
thirst for sudden wealth. 1t has never had.
nor has it now. any dinioulty In finding pre-
sentable tools. fSureheads. sponsors, for
has "A al hos <<x vhNc tta adj m
ness Ia irresistible, whether shrewd fnanciers
or mild hammered eligibles.
Like Satan. 1t has, therefore. never failed
Of its Adrocatus DioboH. But it also follows,
Of necessity, that none but the servile have
ever enjoyed its favors. Its candidates have
the voice OF Jacob. but their hands are the
hands Of Esau. The measure Of their chance
Of success 10 the willingness Of the people
to accept counterfeit because Of the clever
ness with which it is made. The plan and
spirit OF the game are like those Of any other
confidence game whatever. Their candi-
dates bear the same relation to independent
personalities that gilded brick does to
bullion.
Tammany's historical adjective Ia the "un-
terrified" and Its method has always been
that Of terro-!:ins the Ia awbreaker for the pur-
poses OF its own pocket. and then guarantee
have always been the surest instruments
Of corruption. II wants no others.
When its opponents have been In Office.
whoever and whatever they have been, the
city has been blessed by the mere negative
fact that Tsmmany was out Of office. Two
years ago. the Greater City realized that gov
eminent BY Tammany means the licensing
of Woe by tho very force paid for its suppress
sion: the consequent almost incurable cor
ruption OF our police. and the use OF our
charitable and correctional institutions for
the support OF policy that encourages tho
criminal classes and fills the jails. the aims
houses and the hospitals Honorably and
boldly led. the city then expelled the striped
beast from power.
To-day there Is but one issue: ahall Tam
many be reinstated? and. II so. for what
ntel glbls reason?
The question Is not the personality OF the
Mayor nor yet whether his administration
has been all that was hoped for This 1t is.
rather: Has HE administration been as good
as possible under the cir curnstanoes. re-
membering that politics. at best. Is a rough
business. and that he has suffered the re-
straints OF Illogical legislation. incurable
tradition. and conditions made in advance
by the public enemy. Tammany. to-wit.
No one who knows the history OF Tammany
can tEutuluuy utuy Whut h&cl AlClC DVEu bulA
of it, 1t seems incredible but, unhappily.
it is history.
No one who knows what the present ad
ministration is, will deny its unreasonable
merit as compared with any Tanmany ad-
ministration whatever; or that its standards
have been those Of honesty, decency and
progressive Improvement in the public ser
vice.
And these two propositions constitute
the whole issue az actually presented.
The coming election will determine which
element in our community Is the stronger:
the anti-sOcial. led by the cunning. the corrupt
and the unconscionable. who make tool Of
government and poison the public atmos-
phere with the fumes Of all the vices:
Or the home-makers. the home-lovers.
the honest, the clean, the publc-splrited.
the haters Of our historic shame.
NEW YORK. Oct. Is. WILLIAM NJ. WINS.