New-York tribune., 1920-12-20
rst-Tammany Rule

themselves, necessarily dangerous
public enemies. Men cannot be dan
gerous without craft, or intellect, or
power of leadership. 1t is only when
they fall under the control of sin
lister political combination that they
become, in important office, a posi-
tive menace to the general welfare.
The present pompous incumbent
Of the Mayors chair, for example,
could not stand for week against
the storm of public wrath his admin
;stration has aroused were ae not
hattered and cajoled by Hearst, on
the one hand, and by Tammany on
the other.
1t is the Hearst -Tammany part
nership that owns, controls and ad-
ministers the government Of the City
of New York These political wolves
captured the city government with
McClellan's first election, fighting
later on over the prey they had to-
gether dragged down. 1t is signif-
cant that they do not fight now. Of
all the men Hearst has helped to put
irto important office Hylan is the
first that he has not turned against
within a few months after the cleo
ton. And Tammany, dissatisfied
even with Sulzer, has no complaint
to make of Hylan.
Hearst and Tammany have quar-
relied in the past-always over
spoils. But they do net quarrel now.
Under Hylan there is enough for
both. Hearst's inordinate political
ambition is seemingly satisfied with
the power he wields through the
City Hall. with perhaps Tammany's
rromise of help for the United
States Senatorship as further con-
sideration. Tammany has the Of
fees; and it is using them in such
characteristic Tammany fashion
that the town has become crooks
and rrHfter's paradise
We Rave, then, in Hylan a head of
the city government with whom
Hearst and Tammany are content;
and we have in consequence an ad-
mlnlstration in which graft is ramp
ant, which is powerless to curb the
worst outbreak of crime within the
memory of the oldest inhabitant, and
which has utterly destroyed the
vorl. Of coed government begun in
the days Of Strong and Seth Low,
in the main furthered by Gaynor and
ably and intellieently carried on by
John Purroy Mitchell.
We have Hearst -Tammany gov
crnment with all that it means
dirty streets, rotten pavements,
broken-down departments in charge
Of incompetent commissioners. high
er taxes, enormous waste Of public
money, insolent politicians thrust
INTO important places from which
men of training and capacity have
been elected.
The public can rid itself of Hylan
at the next election, or sooner if it
strongly petitions the new Governor.
But this is not enough. He is q
minor issue. Other politicians as
dull, as serviceable, as vain, can be
taught to parrot idle promises, and
IN office will be just as is the present
protector of bandits, burglars, build
ing grafters and incompetents.
A smashing blow must strike and
destroy the alliance itself-must
wreck 1t and its two parts beyond
reconstruction. Not until the grin
Of this combination is forever loosed
can there be hope for much more
than ftful and futile attempts at
decent government in the City of
New York. If its power continues,
even though temporarily put out of
control, we shall see reform COM
PEELED to spend its first energies not
on constructive work but on merely
cleaning up the mess it inherits.
Good government is built up SLOWLY
and laboriously. It can be DESTROYED
IN few months. 1t took fifteen
years 10 get blackmail and graft out
Of the Police Department and hon.
esty and efficiency into it; and En-
right undid the labor in few
months. The next victory for good
government must be final.
We must, therefore follow the dis
ease from which New York suffers
70 its source and stamp out the in
lection there. No permanent health
VIII be with us until We do, Hearst
I'm and TammanyIsm are the twin (
fountains Of the poison.
The particular jumping jack man
'k'n Hearst and Murphy put into
the City Hall ia of small CONSEQUENCE. +
What is Of consequence is that an
organization whore only reason for |
existencs ~ its hunger is once more
In alliance with a politician who