New-York tribune., 1909-12-17
REORGANIzERs AND BOSSES.


As the public reads the letters 10
Murphy which are being published
serially its wonder al the affinity of the
better element i'm the Democracy for
the Fourteenth Street leader must grow.
In the break between Charlie" and
"Fingey"-fOr after reading the letters
there can be no doubt of the break
why should the Saratoga chips" see
reason for espousing the cause of Char
lie: There can be no doubt that they
have espOused the cause of the Tam
many boss The leaders of the reOrgan-
iZatiOn movement themselves say that
they meant mo war on Tammany." The
sum total of their improvement of the
party was apparently 10 be an ousting
OF the eminent "Fingey' from his post
Of honor and the substitution Of some
respectable figurehead. leaving the do
minion Of Murphy undisturbed.
But why should Charlie" be un-
touched and "Fingey" abased? The cor
respondence OF the boss gives us an au-
thentic view of the man whose continued
power did not distress the sensibilities
Of the Saratoga chips" We have him
inquiring Of his henchmen what the
Judges were doing for the Murphy fam
lily. We see him keeping in touch with
the dickering of the various interests
desiring special privileges in the Build
ing Code and being Informed as 10 how
stock" is 10 Ice put in the name Of
certain correspondent. apparently in
consideration of an advantage 10 he Oh
iained from the masters of the city. The
interest of the boss i'm public contracts
sticks out of every letter published.
There is no use In doing anything with
the Street Cleaning Department. he is
told. after the way the Commissioner
acted on the snow" With regard 10 a
water supply contract he is informed
that my opinion is that we have no
chance unless we succeed in landing
''as the lowest bidder" This is clearly
a hardship And, by the way. who are
we? The writer Of the sentence is a
member of q contracting firm I'm which
Murphy has denied any interest. Every
letter reveals the political mercenary,
the man who. like Murphy's predeces-
sor. IS working for my own pocket all
the time"
IL is refreshing 10 turn from this
favorite of the reorglnizers 10 the man
whom they had marked for destruction.
While Murphy is busy even during his
vacation hours about contracts. con
tracts and still more contracts. ConnerS
turns with light heart and clear con
science 10 hens. Politics has scarcely the
power 10 divert his mind from his
chicken farm, where under his Skilful
leadership his hens are laying 7.Oo0 eggs
q day at four cents apiece and where
next summer his incubators will hatch
250.Gco chickens and 1900 ducks If
Mr. Hearst who makes a speciality of
other mems letters. should have any Of
Conners's correspondence I'm his col
lection the public may he sure that the
most damaging thing To be- found there
In would be sentences like these: THE
little red hen wants To sit: "Biddy has
the pip: 'tls brown Leghom pullet
laid double yolked egg on Monday
and the carburetor Of the new incr-
hator is out of order
4 perfect Cincinnatus is "Fmgey.
Ills rural ways affect the urban bosses
Ia rlhald laughter. and they hold their
cultured noses AT the smell Of the hen
coop that ne carries with him. Thus we
see Jim" who is Gaffney. the contractor.
diverting the boss on his vacation with
a clipping from New York paper about
"Fingey's" visit TO Gaynor. You will
note the sarcasm on the bottom of the
article regarding sitting on the porch
for two hours Looks 10 me as though
''he lGaynorl was afraid 10 introduce the
IMAM from Buffalo To his friends" The
elegant Murphy's perception of the So
cial defects Of Conners must he ex-
quisite indeed