New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-16
THE STATUE OF PURITY.

Mr.. Gaynor seems to regard himself as sort
of Statue of Purity, and his environment among
his red light" associates on the Tammany
ticket does give him an external resemblance
to the Lady with the Dishpan in the Tender
loin But it is not an external likeness that the
Judge has in mind. His purpose he cOnceives to
he the same as hers Like the Lady with the
Dishpan. he frowns sternly on SANDER and
undertakes for Tammany the championship of
New York's fair fame. Tammany has put him
UP. as it is supposed that it put her up, rs
proclamation of the innOcency of its intentions.
Is he not of heroic size and snowy white. Ike
the plaster Lady of Long Acre? Does not she
stand in the TenderIoin and he on a Tenderlom
ticket? Are not they equally good evidences
of the purity Of New York politics and the moral
sweetness of Tammany Hall?
The Statue to Purity in Long Acre is silent.
The Statue to Purity on the Tammany ticket
has a voice and he uses il as the immaculate
Lady of Long Acre would use hers if she had
one. rebuking unbelievers in the sweetness and
light of Murphy The Statue to Purity earns her
keep as a voiceless protest against knocking
He means to earn his keep, too, shouting that
Tammany's town is a good old town and well
governed where everything is lovely. In his
prose poem exulting in his nomination the Statue
of Purity sang Likewise are the slandererS
and knockers against the city's morals, fame
land financial condition and credit now to be
made to shut up. There is not more decorous
and orderly city in the world And again, on
Thursday night he struck the same TaInmany
note: 1T is time these slanderers of the city
..of New York be made to shut up. They have
..slandered us all over the world. We
..have got to make them shut up What are
they doing it for? Why, in the name of
little partisan advantage! Shame on them!
shame on them, Out with them, OUT
with them all, hypocrites, scoundrels. defam-
"ers! Shut up and get out! l say to
them again, Shut up! And 1 say TO you that
''if it is my fortune to be Mayor of this city
they will shut up some of them will be IN
"a police COURT"
That is lust what the White Lady of Long
Acre is saying in her silent plaster of
paris way And she has the advantage Of the
candidate as a Tammany Statue of Purity IN
that she has never been an anti-Iammany
Statue of Purity. The Statue of Purity on the
ticket was once an anti-Tammany Statue of
Purity, and he hasn't yet got his new role
clear in his mind In his poem in which he
breathed forth fire and slaughter against Sian
derers and knockers" he lost his bearings
and like an anti-Tammany slanderer and
,knocker' went thus: Unlawful and an
moving interference. oppression, lawless force
| land violence lawless arrests and imprisOn-
| ''lawless trespasses and extortions, dishonesty
land corruption are doomed in the government
| "of the city of New York" What! Lawless-
ness corruption, violence, eXtOrtiOn, dishonesty,
| blackmail-he mentions that, too, a little fur
| Their on-all these in the perfect and decorOus
city. under the auspices of the noble civic party
whose Statue of Purity he is. And in his let
ter describing his conservation: "As l looked
lat them 1.-THE taxpayersl my mind became
filled with the awful baseness of men who
having got into Office by the votes of these
| people turn around and betTay them and rob
them Of their hard earned money, paid IN as
| taxes" What! Officials rObbing the taXpay
ers in this perfect, decOrOus, well governed city
of New York! The Statue of Purity knocks
and SANDERS becoming confused in his mind
by his sudden change from anti-Tammany
TO a Tammany statue. On the whole, he must
envy his silent ally in Long Acre Square. She
is not gifted with speech and has no thoughts
10 suppress which will not stay suppressed.
Laugh at her dishpan if you will. 1t is an
honest dishpan. 1t has never been an anti
Tammany diShpan.