The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-27

opposite side Of Broadway; of the Ever
EFT House at Fourth avenue and Sew
enteenth street, which has PASSED, and
of many famous homes. including those
of the Astor cousins, John Jacob and
William Waldorf, and the vanderbilts---
all were built by the man who now sits
- the head Of the table Of the Board Of
Elecficns-
His interest In politics began when
the Tweed ring was exposed Il got-to
talking with people about It." he said
yesterday. "and was shocked to hear
many say that everybody In public
once was grating and that It was
necessary. said. No, II IL not and
made UP my mind to prove was right
II got q chance Mayor Havemeyer
was elected and he made me one Of the
three Commissioners Of Excise served
a year and q half, and In that time
personally visited every one OF the 5000
places where liquor was sold between the
eattery and Forty-second street
wanted TO see for myself how the places
were carried on and in which class az 70
license they ought to DO placed. I only
recall one case of q man trying TO give
me graft He handed me money and
handed 1t back. saying: THAT sort OF
thing won't help you. You'll get what
oNOA AAIohoo yOu 10 ohIIco 10 hno yOu
pay the fee 10 the city, / learned much
about the city and its people from my
work as Excise Commissioner, and the
knowledge has been helpful"
Served as Police Head.
Then he served two years as Police
Commissioner. When Mr.. Havemeyer
went out of office Mr.. Voorhis went too,
for he was a leader Of the County De-
mocracy and was fighting Tammany In
those days. He returned to his carpenter
shop and stayed there until 1881. Po-
litical tides shifted; the County Democ-
racy fused with the Republicans. MIR.
Voorhis, in whose political gospel party
regularity and independence was the first
and last chapter, went over to Tammany.
or, as he might say. Tammany came
around to his ideas. He was Dock Com
missioner and then Police Commissioner
in the administration of Mayor Grace.
and Police Commissioner under Mayor
Hewitt until 1899. For three years
thereafter he was q Justice of the police
court. He was not a lawyer. but his
long study Of human nature enabled him
to tell pretty well whether the accused
or the policeman was lying. In 1895 the
Legislature closed his judicial career by
decreeing that police justices must be
members of the bar of several years
standing.
Once more this Cincinnatus Of the city
went back to his plough, which in his
case was carpenters saw. but the sub
stitution OF iron and steel for wood in
building construction was making the
trade of stair builder constantly less
profitable. In 1901 Mayor Van Wych
made him a member of the Board OF
ElaCfinnq tharn he ~
being reappointed by the Republican
Low and the Democrat Mcclellan. A
year later he was appointed Superinten-
dent of Public Buildings for Manhattan
Borough. From 1911 to 1915 he was
one of the State superintcndents of cleo
tions and with the advent OF Mayor
Hylan he returned to tho Board Of Elec.
tons as its president.
When Mr.. Voorhis was 80 years old
Charles F. Murphy and the other
sachems Of tho Society OF Tammany OIL
Columbian Order elected him grand
sachem, and each year since then they
have reelected him, II don't see why
they do it," he says. TT ought to BE-
passed around more. I want to say that
this people OF Tammany have treated me
beyond my merits.
Keeping busy is the secret of keeping
health" he went on. without some.
thing to do man dries up and blows
away. 1 never go to sleep at night with
out laying out my work for the next day
Another thing that has helped me is that
was brought up on home made food
never eat canned stun from cold stor,
age. which freezes the goodness out OF
food. often hear 1t said a person
should drink lots of water, but usually
don't take drop from the time ]
leo ha -
at 6. Until fifteen or twenty years age
ate three meals a day. but found out
after an attack of indigestion that two
were plenty. / make It a rule to eat Sc
much at each one OF the two meals
whether feel hungry or not. I usually
have q Dup of coffee in the morning, blu,
don't care whether 7 get it or not ]
smoke two cigars q day. They cost 2h
cents piece and are mild and good
Have one. No. have two or three, &c
you can be sure that am right"
, He produced a paper box in which one
buys cigars ten for a quarter. They
were indeed all that Commissioner voor-
his predicted.
Mr.. Voorhis said that he had been in
the habit of taking a stimulating drink
when he. felt so moved. but that he did
not feel disposed to buy refreshment
for himself at ''the present deyilish
prices" He Is one Of those who think
prohibition Is mistaken interference with
"the right of every individual to deter
mine what he shall eat and drink" As
to woman suffrage. he finds 1t working
out better than he expected. but feels
the men would vote differently on the
subject II they had 1t to do over again.
we are using women as election
clerks and must say they do Just as
we'll as the men," he acknowledged.
But I must say I was disappointed
when heard two estimable ladies' speak
at a meeting in Tammany Hail. Their
ideas were first rate. but they hadn't the
voices to make themselves heard"
The inevitable question. "How do you
stand on the League OF Nations?' came
last
I'm opposed to the whole darned BUSH
ness" said the grand sachem. ~ think
we ought to mind our own business, 1
want to see my country stand alone as
Il has always done and go to the help
of other countries when 1t feels It ought
to. do not want to see my country
forced into partnership with nations that
don't see things as we do. / want Il
to be ready TO help In time of trouble
but not be obligated to do It. No, sir,
let the United States remain the United
States and keep out of the superstate."
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