The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-09

years ago. was lively and picturesque.
The story " that campaign even after II
il long over and tho inevitable comparison
between promise and performance has
been uadr Ia very entertaining reading.
and Mr.. Alfred Hoddor. who collaboratcd
with Josiah Flynt in writing The Powers
That Prey has told it capitally in A
FHh, for City" lMacmillans)
Nobody has any doubt now, any more
than in November, 1901 that 1t was Mr..
Jeromc's aggressive fight, coupled with Mr.,
Devery's impoli;ic uttcranccs, that landed
the cstimablr Mr.. Seth Low in the Mayors
chair Mr. Holder gives an outline Of
the athletic axe-and-crowbar John Doe
performances that made Mr. jerome
nominee for Office and fairly full accounts
of the infant terrible" speeches that en-
livened the contest and helped win the cleo
ton. They read almost as well now as
they did when they were delivered, a very
unusual fate for stump speeches, due per-
haps to the fact that so many matters remain
as they were after year and a half OF re-
form administ ration. Mr.. Holder is not
a dyed-in-the- wool reformer--he has good
word to say even for Tammany as on pages
1888 to 1856.
There is something to be said for the
morality Of suiting action to word and
word to action, and something even for
the morality of being little better than
ones word I cannot for my life detest
William Devery-he is too veracious: nor
yet Tim Sullivan-he is too kindly; there
is in the world no sort Of charity that really
counts for good, except Big Tins. Nor
yet Tammany itself; 1t fosters in too great
perfection the spirit without which no
great republic ever yet has thrven-the
spirit of the clan. There are
doubtless various excellent sorts Of men
that count few representatives in Tammany,
but at least it has been rather they that
held aloof, than Tammany that refused to
take them in
"Tammany has accomplished quietly and
effectually for its own innumerable men,
bers what has been too often fussily and
inefectively attempted for the community
at large. 1t has supplied in time of need
material aid without the aid Of Charity
Organization. and legal aid without the
intervention of Legal Aid society
If there is to be forever in the city of
New York a system of insdministrable law
and illegal administration the application
VI tAiC ey SoSiA &lhei4p No III "o'oS iiaii>i'
than those Of Tammany men,"
Though the book processes to end with
last year. save for few illusions it prac-
tically stops with Mr.. Jerome's election; a
dramatic end and one that removes all need
Of explaining away all that has not been
done since. One remark throws light on
Mr.. Holders view OF the present city adj
ministration:
an the year that has just closed there
have been in municipal politics two points
Of singular interest to the dispassionate
observer-the acknowledged success Of
William Devery; the acknowledged I'M
success Of the party of reform There
are appropriations" Of Mr. Low that will
give that gentleman as little pleasure as
did the prominent part taken by Mr.. Jerome
in the last election, and a comparison be-
tween the views held by these two gentle
men on enforcing the liquor laws that
is more amusing than edifying to plain
ctizepa