The Washington herald., 1909-10-23

STATURE OF a BOSS, became nauonaI ng~
ure, a man to reckon with when Presi-
dents were nominated
For six years he held the Democratic
organization in Kings County gripped in
his fingers He held il against Tam
many raids. the rebellion of district lead
ers, the furious assaults of pulpit and
press and not infrequently against the
consequences of his own acts-but he
held il. He never knew when he was
licked and never gave an inch against
the most determined attacks.
Whatever charges were flung at McCar-
rem because Of his acts as a legislator
or as a politician. nobody ever refused
him credit for certain clearly defined
qualities. His industry never tagged.
He hated cant and pretense and for the
most part the senator preferred abso-
lutte frankness and truthtelling in deal
ing with friends or enemies. Whenever
he couldn't see his way clear 10 tell
the truth he chewed a dry cigar and
smiled very slightly. His courage was
unbOunded.
Judge of Human Nature.
There never was any question about
his genius for managing men. genius
made up in part by a remarkable ability
10 Judge human nature. He possessed
a great deal Of personal magnetism and,
though not known particularly as a
great speaker, could carry an audience
along with him. Perhaps the trait for
which he was most widely known was
extraordinary resourcefulness. They got
the senator into some pretty tight cor
ners now and then, but he never failed
e. II. -. 49,
pound his way out he would discover
knothole that his enemies had over
looked.
II has been a good many years since
the Democrats over the river first heard
OF the man who was TO be the biggest
boss Brooklyn ever saw. McCsrren was
born on June IS. 1S49. up in East Cam
bridge Mass His father was owen Nc
Carren, who was a natural born poll
tician In 1851 the elder McCarren moved
from Massachusetts TO Williamsburg.
where he ran for alderman in the old
Fourteenth ward and was defeated.
Young Pat was apprenticed 70 a cooper
after picking up a common school edu-
cation, and he worked hard. While his
hammer belted around new barrels he
got 20 thinking about politics. II was
pretty easy for the young fellow to take
the leadership OF the younger men OF
the ward against the domination OF
Nolan. who was quite a local figure in
his time He hadn't turned his twenty
first year when ne put up fight against
Nolan at the primaries. was uproariously
beaten and sent back 20 think II over.
He thought II over so proftably that the
next time ne went after the old leader he
got him. McCarren knew something in
those days about using his fists. He was
tall and lean and slender. but he had a
good punch and could use both hands
quick and hard
In 1881 he had become so well known
locally that he was nominated and
elected assemblyman from the Four
tenth and Fifteenth wards. After that
HIS leadership In the Fourteenth was
rarely questioned and his influence spread
rapidly. He was reelected 20 the as
sembly and in 1855. ran against Jacob
Worth for the senate. but was beaten.
The district wac virtually Republican,
but McCarren put up a lively fight. He
was returned 10 the assembly in 1855 and
IN the following year realized his sena-
torial ambition With the exception OF
the years 1885 and 1895 he had been con-
tinuousy in the senate. Then he was
defeated by George a. owens, put up by
McCsrren. as a joke. the opposition not
caring 10 name a candidate.
First Big Opportunity.
His big opportunity for leadership
came in 1903. For several years it had
been generally recognized that McCarren
was the shrewdest. hardest fighting
leader the Brooklyn Democrats could
point to, and everybody knew it was only
q matter Of time and opportunity before
he won absolute domination OF the or
ganization. In that year. 1903 George B.
Mcclellan was nominated for mayor
Hugh Mclaughlin, the veteran leader
Of the Democrats across the bridge, and
his lieutenants. James Shevlin and John
L. Shea, rebeled. They wouldn't have
thing 10 do with Mcclellan. McCarren
stayed with the nomination. There were
cries that the Tammany tiger was about
20 go into Brooklyn. but McCarren. though
he used the same cry himself later, made
no effort to keep Tammany out In fact
he stood at his end OF the Brooklyn
Bridge and invited the tiger over 70
make a meal Of Mclaughlin, Shevlin,
and Shea. The tiger gallOped over and
had his feast. The old-time leaders were
devoured. McCarren was left alone as
leader. and he had made a friend of
Mcclellan as well With Mcclellan in
oiice Senator McCarren was welcome
visitor at the city hall
For a short time after the Mcclellan
victory In 1903 Leader Murphy, of Tam
many, and Leader McCarren of the Kings
County Democracy. were friendly, super
flcially at least. The first sign of a break
between Murphy and McCarren came
after the famous banquet to McCarren
which followed McClellan's first victory
The feast was to have been held in the
old Academy OF Music in Montague
street. The Academy was burned on
the night before the dinner and II was
held in the Hotel ST George. Murphy
and most of his Tammany Heutenants
were with him. McCarren in his speech
congratulated all hands on the victory
and then in a few quiet remarks made
II known that the Kings County Demo-
cratic organization would forever stand
for the political autonomy Of Brooklyn.
Murphy and his friends, II seems. took
offense at these remarks
The prelimlnaries 70 the Democratic
Presidential situation Of 1905 created
further friction In 1904 the break came
the beginning OF as bitter struggle as
New York ever saw perhaps-Murphy's
attempts to overthrow McCsrren's lead
ership and make the Kings Democracy
Tammany adjunct. The break came
when McCarren without consultation
with Murphy declared himself In favor
OF Judge Parker for President.
Called murphy Down.
Murphy was for the late Arthur Pue
German. OF Maryland. This was another
evidence OF McCarren's courage. II was
Ike the courage he displayed In former
years at a meeting Of the Democratic
State committee when David B. Hill was
the master Of the State. Hill made
statement IN the committee and McCar-
ren promptly called him liar