New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-27
CROFT on MCCLELLAN.

With degree OF pleasure which he confessed
he had no words to express Mr.. GrOut appeared
at the Tammany mass meeting in Brooklyn on
Saturday night and made speech in which he
stopped 50 low as TO put in circulation the fan
tastic falsehood that Devery is q fusion hire
ling. But before he got TO that announcement,
which nobody believes. be made an assertion
which some persons including himself, may
possibly credit. IL" said Mr.. Grout- Il ever
for one moment believed that the election of
George 5. Mcclellan as Mayor meant graft
fraud. corruption, red lights or any unspeak-
''abie evil things. l would walk of OF this plat
form and of Of this ticket at once, as | be-
--lieve George B. Mcclellan would go himself
But Mr.. Grout has looked into Mr. McClellan's
honest face and his clear eye" and is pre-
pared to make an affidavit that there is no
danger.
This sudden confidence with which Mr.. GrOut
has been inspired by the nomination of a Tam
many favCrite may be pathetic from one point
OF view, but ii is not Impressive. He at least
knows what Tammany is and stands for, and
he has taken particular pains 70 let the public
know that he knows. According TO Mr. Grout,
"Tammany Hall is a business investment the
controlling stock of which is held by the chief
bosses, who. holding the stock. naturally get
most Of the profits" Nj Grout doesn't get
his Information at second hand. for he has
''breathed the stencil of Tammany directly at
close quarters" Thus he has personally identi-
fed Tamnlany with graft fraud. corruption,
red lights " and indispensable evil things" and
he referred 10 precisely those enormiues when
he said: These are the things which have
helped to render Tammany Hall thing of
suspicion and scorn in Democratic State and
national conventions. Honest Democrats owe
IT no allegiance"
Mr.. Grout says, however. that he has looked
into Mr.. McClellan's honest face and clear eye
and feels secure. Why: He didn't express the
opinion two years ago that Mr.. Shepard had
dishonest face and cloudy eye but he did ex-
picitly and emphatically subscribe to the be-
lief that when a man is nominated by q ma
chine he becomes subservient 70 that power"
II might be a chvalrous thing for Mr.. Grout TO
assume, if there were no evidence to the con-
trary. that Mr.. Mcclellan was a man Of super
lative discernment heroic mould and indomita-
bic viii. and incapa BILE of yielding bv hairs
breadth TO the dictation Of the Tammanv ma
chine. But with his candidates deliberate testl-
mony on that point staring him in the face his
profession of unwavering trust is childish For
this is what Mr.. Mcclellan said about govern
ment by Tammany Hall after Mr. Grout had
helped 10 make the exposure Of its graft
fraud. corruluon, req uSnIS ana "unSpeak
able evil things complete:
We meet tonight TO indorse the Democratic
adrlinistrat ton that has been presided over so
ably and successfully by that answering,
fearless Democrat Robert a. Van Wyck We
hare no apologies 70 offer. We hare nothing for
Uhich 10 apologize The Democracy of this
mighty metropolis conscious Of duty well per-
formed, submits its case TO the people upon its
record Of promises fulfilled and pledges kept.
NC hare done ,ceI. ours is the credit and ours
the honor.
That was indeed a blasting revelation. II not
Of Mr.. McClellan'S moral character. then of his
mental calibre. 1t revolted Mr.. Grout. in CON-
mon with every other citizen who was Joined in
the effort TO make an end Of Tammany's in
Camies and clear the municipal atmosphere OF
its stencil and it is either fatuous simplicity or
sheer impudence In Mr.. Grout to assert that a
man capable of pronouncing such q eulOgy
would defy Cookers Charlie" and the rest Of
Tammany's chief bosses, who holding the
stock, naturally get most Of the profits"