Evening star., 1922-05-11
Last of the Old Line of Political
Bosses Passes.

With the passing Of Richard
Croker. former "boss" of Tammany
Hall, the editors of the country be-
lieve theIe has been eliminated from
American public life the stripe OF
politician whose boast it was that he
worked for his own pocket all the
time Some editors have kind word
for Croker, others bitterly denounce
him. but all agree that only in Amerl-
ca could a man of his type have risen
to such heights in civic affairs.
THE day of the Crokers in politics
is gone" the Newark, N. j.. Star
Eagle points out. I'VE shall have
leaders as strong and unscrupulous as
he was. but we shall not have men
reach his power who are so igrNfant
of the basic fact in human nature,
which is that we are constantly NOV
ing toward better things" The only
good thing that could be said in the
favor of the veteran boss, the Newark
News believes. is that ''he never
broke" his pledged word. He was
cism. but by his own standards was
great man.
Under "boss rule" as the Pittsburgh
Leader points out. the Tweeds and
Crokers were brilliant examples of
that invisible government"'of which
so much has been said in recent years.
Croker always was behind the scenes.
He held no Office of authority. Yet no
man in power, no man who aspired to
power. and men who had lost. power.
but hoped for a restoration, said no
word, did no act, that was not di-
rected by Dick Croker" The chief
factor in his success, the Brooklyn
Eagle is convinced, was that Croker
has rarely been excelled in his under
standing of men,"
He died without the question where
did you get it?" as applied to his
the New York Evening World recalls.
adding that .'he was a born leader
He held a great organization in the
hollow of his hand. He might have
been remembered as force in
municipal progress. Instead he made
his name a municipal warning So it
has stood. So it will stand" Yet in
the opinion of the New Haven Regis
ter, the bosses did not pass with
him. They do it differently now, and
with more finesse. but New York is
as thoroughly and completely bossed
as it was in Croker's day Of ruling it.
and not a bit more ideally" Some
what similar views are entertained
by the Springfield Republican. which
suggests that whether New York city
To-Day rs Oelter SoNerHeu litdn uur-
ing Croker's overlordship may be
questioned, but there is evidence that
it is" And the outstanding factor in
Croker's- entire career, the Utica
Press believes. was that he always
kept his word. His was an exception
"and would have been possible in no
other country. His may not have been
the highest political ideals, but he
lived up to what he professed and is
kindly remembered and referred to
by those who worked with him."
Croker was forced to operate have
been forgotten, the Baltimore Ameri-
can points out. as the two price lists
of 1900 and 1892 are different. But,
according to his lights. Croker was
thoroughly honest dast He fGufnt u in the
What he did lack was vision. the Wis
ion that makes men love their coun-
try, not only for the hour, but for
eternity. The difference in vision
is. rather fully. the chasmal diff
Roosevelt" which kindly comment is
bitterly contradicted BY the Hart
ford Courant, which insists that 1T is
doubtful IL even during the notorious
days of Tweed conditions, New York
city's government had even been
ment Of the municipal conditions that
allow such a person to gain control
Of a city's government" This also Is
the opinion Of the Cincinnati Times
Star, which asserts that without pa
triotism, without civic honor, without
shame, Croker played New York for
what 1t was worth-to him. America
owes him but one debt. Croker's
Methods helped to speed the reaction
against the old-time boss. In these
days, at least, the boss has to pre-
tend to have the city's interests at
heart"
Summing up Croker's entire career
the Lexington Leader declares that
friend. q man who kept his word
at any cost, who was honest within
the limits Of his strange code Of
moralA and q type which only al
In the naiddls ages ha would haA's J,