The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-15
new YORK TOPICS
GOSSIP AND CURRENT COMMENT
FROM THE METROPOLIS.

FROM THE METROPOLIS.
Interesting Growth in Political I'M
pOrtance of Charles f. Murphy,
Tammany Lcader--He VIII BE nn
Excessively Busy Man from Now
Till January LIST, Settling the Fate
of Apparatus 10 Ohlce in the Big
Town Like Croker, Has the
Reputation of Being ST.
lent Man - This Reputation Is
Deserved in His Cnse Ex-
actIy the Same as in CrOlS-
er's-Incrensed Interest in the
Democratic Party in the Presiden-
tiaI Election of 10O4-Talk of Gro
yer Cleveland ns Candidate-It
Would Bring an Element to the
Political Surface in New York
That Has Not Been Much in Eve
dence of Late.
New York, Nov. 14.-Charles Francis
Murphy, the leader who piloted Tam
many to victory the other day, has
been growing in political stature ever
since
Before a full day had elapsed after
the election plenty of men who had
never before been willing to concede
any respect to him whatever were
quite ready to hail him as one of the
most astute politicians of his age. He
is now by all odds the biggest fish in
Ia
now on till Jan. he will be busy from
morning till night, and often far into
the night, settling the claims of those
who want place under the city govern
ment
Mr.. Murphy is man of quiet man
ners. He wears his face smooth-shaven.
His coat is of a sack pattern for the
most part, after the fashion of the
average New Yorker. Sometimes, how
ever (as, for instance at any impor-
tant Tammany meeting). he puts on
a long frock and buttons it tight,
When he does the fact is revealed that
his figure is better than most.
Like Richard Croker, Mr.. Murphy
has the reputation of being a silent
man. ana so ne Olltil 10 NINll AilC
newspaper reporters are talking to
him. or when all those present do not
command his entire confidence. In
this he is not much unlike most sue
Cessful politicians. There are those
who soy silence is sign of weakness
Others wonder if silence is a sign of
weakness. whether anybody at all
could stand before Murphy were he
suddenly to become voluble.
AS a matter of fact, neither Croker
nor Murphy are specially silent when
surrounded by their friends and those
whom they consider their equals. Both
refrain from talking much before men
of their own political camp even, when
these men are of minor Importance po-
litically.
1t is probably a correct theory that
in the main the political leader of few
words controls his organization better
than the more laxative one. Senator
Plat who still has middling tight
grip on the Republican organization of
New York state, wastes no words in
certain circumstances, and the same is
true of Senator Quay of Pennsylvania,
His control of the Republican organi-
cation in his state is the finest thing
of the sort in the world.
On the other hand, Senator Hanna,
whose strength with the National Re-
publican organization is the admira-
ton of all beholders, is pretty free
with his words under almost all cir
All of which seems to
show that it is as unwise to general
ize about political leaders as about
anybody else.
To return to Charles Francis Muir
ply.
He began life without money. He
earned his first wages as a lad in a
local shipyard. Later he drove a
crosstown horse car. Still later, at
twenty. he began business for him
self as a liquor dealer. He had four
or five liquor stores when he went
into policies actively. His future as a
Tammany leader is now assured, prob
ably, as long as he cares to sit in the
game. He could not have maintain
ed himself had his ticket been defeated
this year, but he could probably re-
tain the leadership just the same even
should he be defeated at the next city
election.
All newspaper readers must have
noticed the increased interest of the
Democracy in the next National cleo
ton. Nowhere is this access of inter
est more strongly manifested than in
this city.
Here Mr.. Cleveland has many
friends among the old line" members
of his party, and here his possible can