New-York tribune., 1905-01-30
TO APPEAL TO CROKER.
MURPHY'S ENEMIES PLAN.
Bitter Var if Er-Chief Calls Nc
CGreR and SuHiUan to His hid.


| Thursday Mr.. Croker comes TO attend the
/ killed while speeding his automobile in Florida.
! Frank II. Croker was the ex-Tammany chiefs
favorite son. and his death was a great blow 10
! Mr.. Croker. Just before sailing from England
! Mr.. Croker said that he was going home
/ sad errand that he expected to remain here less
than three weeks; that he hoped his friends
would realize this and not talk politics to him
as he did not anticipate giving politics single
! thought
Despite the sad errand and despite Mr.. Gro
kers desire to avoid all political matters there
/ is not the slightest doubt that some of the So
STYLED 'old guard or the men who were power
/ ful IN Crokers day, but who since the advent
! Of Murphy as leader. have been thrust into the
/ background, are planning to enlist the atten
ton of the old chief and urge him TO come back
/ as leader
1t is uncertain What would occur if Croker
should listen to these entreaties and declare
| himself ready TO assume the role of leader.
| Once before Croker abdicated and turned over
! the leadership 10 John c. Sheehan. Later he
/ came back, and when his friends urged him to
| assume the leadership ne decided TO do so.
/ The contest between Croker and the adherents
/ Of Sheehan short Croker speedily reas-
/ serted his supremacy and drove sheehan out Of
Tammany Hall.
There is different situation to-day. Murphy
! is securely intrenched. Mayor Mcclellan and
! the Tammany leaders under him who are hold
! ing ONCE or are controlling patronage or are
! receiving favors from the city administration
are loyal 10 Murphy. Many OF the oldtime lead
/ ers who We're strong for Croker have been de-
/ throned, have died or have retired. A new and
! vigorous element is in control Of Tammany Hall,
and OF the Croker old guard only handful is
! left.
| 1t is asserted by the friends OF Murphy that
a call from Croker for support would not be
! answered by any powerful following. They say
! that Croker's DAY is gone and that he is a
memory. There is q sentimental fondness for
/ him in the organization, they say. but when
it comes TO concrete support he would have
/ one
| On the other hand. there is no doubt that Mr.
Croker, on his return if he to turn his at
tenlon to 1t and looks into the matter, viii find
e disrupted and dissatisfied Tammany organiza-
! ton. Murphy's leadership has been anything
| but satisfactory to the rank and file. While
! Oakley. Cram Mcclellan. Featherson. Keenan,
! and a few Tammany leaders are getting the
Plums the majority of the Tammany leaders
! ere dissatisfied
WHAT TAMMANY FACES.
"Tammany never won a victory when it's own
people not with it, said a leader yester-
day. You can look back when Shepard run for
Mayor and Low beat him. You can recall when
! Strong elected Tammany was disorganized
and its people were not with it, The situation
to-day is that few powerful leaders are run
ming the organization. but they are aspiring to
the high and lofty. McAdoo. as Police Commits
sioner, is trying TO clean up the town Wood:
bury doesn't give Tammany man chance in
the Street Cleaning Department. Haffen is in
( revolt in Tie Bronx AIcCarren is holding
Brooklyn, and there is a general unrest among
the rank and file Of the organization Tam
nianys strength lies with the saloonkeeper the
pooroom man and the patron of the free and
easy resorts OF the town. The check has been
drawn too tight for this class While Mcclellan
IS popular in certain sections his attitude
the gas question he's aroused resentment among
the great body of voters Taken all together
Iammany is ripe for a reconstruction. What is
needed is a leader. Unless Croker should take
a hand there would be no revolt IF he should
come out in the open and express a desire to re
able following"
Despite the mission on which Mr. Croker
comes and despite his announced intention to
refrain from politics, there a renaissance
or the Croker old guard at the Democratic
CIub when 1t became known that he coming
home Ex-MayOr Van Wyck John F. Carroll
Lawrence Delrnour, Andrew Freedman Peter f.
Meyer Jefferson NJ. Levy and many OF the old
time Croker favorites have gathered there and
TAXED or the return OF Croker. There is no
doubt that they will urge him 10 return and
take hold They will tell him that Murphy
Mcclellan and a few others are running the
organization for their own glory and that the
old friends Of Croker left out IN the cold |
1t is hardly possible so even the friends of
Croker admit that he will take an interest, but
II he does there will be stirring times in Tam
many.
croker was always the friend or the element !
in Tammany that for liberal enforcement
Of laws. He stood for open town" and |
frankly said so. He for Devery, Van Wyck |
and all that the regime typified
He had no closer friends in the five boroughs |
than P. H. McCarren who is at swords points |
with Murphy. One OF his stoutest retainers !
Timothy D. Sullivan, and the Clan Sullivan |
behind Croker to man. In The Bronx, !
Nagle and the rough riding, poolroom operating
element were Croker's sentinels at the northern |
end of the town.
NOW BRUSHED ASIDE.
To-day Carroll and Van Wyck are brushed
aside and Nagle and his friends have been put |
out Of business. while Haffen is fighting for his |
life and the SuIIvans are disgruntled and sui |
len. but poweriess until leader comes. They |
would rally 10 Croker's standard at the first call |
Of the old chief. In Brooklyn McCarren has |
held the fort for over a year. and Croker could |
count on him in a minute In every district |
Croker could rally to his support sturdy and |
staIwart men. Many of the present leaders /
would join him. II is believed that all OF the |
leaders south of 14th-st, many Harlem leaders |
and a few scattering ones in the centre Of the !
city would be with him BY forming an ali- |
ance with AfcCarren IL is believed Croker could |
control the next city convention II he so desired |
Even If he could not get absolute control OF the |
Tammany organization, II McCarren WouIo |
bring him the twenty-one Assembly districts or |
Kings County. on an absolute pledge Of auton- |
oray for Kings, right that Murphy has always |
denied, he and McfaTren could control the city /
convention. and then Murphy's power would |
crurnble like snow in July.
This is the situation that faces Croker This /
is the condition that his friends will present to
him. He will be urged to declare himself and /
TO take back the reins of leadership. Whether he |
VIII do so or not remains to be seen. He says |
he will not but his friends hopeful that he |
will II he does decide 10 do so. one Of the great
est internecine fights Tamnany ever saw viii be (
rrac{nftated Murphy and his friends N