The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-10-24
THE STRENGTH OF TAMMANY

The evidence presented in the i'm
parchment trial of William Suizer
proved that the former governor was
unfit to hold office and justified the
verdict of removal. But few people
feel like rejoicing over the outcome
of the trial in view of the character
of the forces behind the prosecution.
The victory is victory for Tammany
more than victory for clean govern
ment In fact the result presents the
paradoxical situation of the removal
from office of an unfit public servant
being a triumph for corruption.
The prevailing tone of the COM
ment on the result of the imDeach-
ment trial of Sulzer is condemnation
of the organization that worked his
downfall rather than condemnation Of
the man whose weakness and positive
wrongdOing made him such an easy
victim to the power that has so long
ruled New York city and state. The
removal of Sulzer from the highest
office in the gift of the people of New
York is but another and startling evil
dence of the grip that Tammany has
upon the government of the Empire
state This organization, which typi-
fies all that is sordid, mean and VIC
ious in the political life of the country,
has managed to maintain its dominate
position for many years in spite of its
universally recognized shamelessness.
1t has maintained this power, shame
to say, not merely because of the
generalship of Chas. Murphy, the pres
ent chief of Tammany Hall, and of
Richard Croker, his predecessor in
that place, but because it has been
able to deliver the majority of the
votes on election day. Often these
majorities in New York city have run
so high that there could be no doubt
of their genuineness in spite OF re-
peating and ballot box stuffing, which
Enthusiastically has accompanied prac-
tically every election in which Tam
many was interested. 1t may be that
these votes were largely obtained
through corrupt methods, by the COM
bination of spoils and graft and even
by the direct payment of money for
votes, but if that is the case the sit
uation is even more alarming than II
the elections were won by the exer-
else of brute force. 1t means that a
majority of the people of New YORK
lily, of those who regularly vote at
least, are capable of being influenced
by corrupt means, and, therefore, that
the possibility of crushing Tammany
and what it represents is remote and
all but hopeless. Too much stress
has been laid on the character OF
Murphy and the other leaders of Tam
many Hall in the campaigns waged
against that organization. Those
men are the vilest of political cor
ruptionists, but the disposal of the
individual leaders will not disrupt the
organization. 1t is not founded on the
personality of few men, but on a
condition of the community which
makes it possible for corruption so
organized to thrive and prosper. If
the present leaders were driven out
of their positions, others would i'm
mediately fill their places and the
organization would continue as of old
Men who are without faint, who are
lnselfishly patriotic, and who wish
for the welfare of their fellows be-
fore their own, do not belong to such
4 political organization as Tammany
II Tammany Hall Is to be pried loose
from it's grip on New York city and
state, it will be necessary first to wean
from it a sufficient number Of the
rank and file of it's members and sup
porters to destroy it's voting majority
Possibly the Haunting of it's tremend-
Gus power by crushing the governor
of the state because of his opposition
to it's wishes rather than of his unfit
ness, will be the means of breaking
down the strength of Tammany. Let
us join with Sulzer in the hope that
he and his experience prove to be
the weak instrument by which So
great a giant of corruption may be
destroyed and so great victory for
reform thereby won.