Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-03
RICHARD CROKER.

poor, friendless boy, with almost no schooling, and
with none of the advantages which might be sup
posed to aid a young man in his progress. He died
possessed of great wealth after having lived for
many years a life of pleasant leisure on the accum-
!%ulations won in his earlier years of political life. For
the best part of a generation he held the fortunes Of
the greatest city in: the western world in the hollow
of his hand. Holding no official position himself,
and seeking none, he dictated the disposition of pub
lie offices among his followers, decided who should
through his control of the politics Of the city of New
York, exercised an. important influence on the af-
fairs of the state and the nation. |
The success of a friendless boy in winning his
way to a position Of influence and wealth always
suggests the wonderful possibilities of America. It
would be better for America, however, if such sue
cess as that of Croker were not possible, for such
success is won through the capitalization of some of
the least desirable attributes of humanity.
1t is a graceless act to pick flaws in the character
OF a man who. has passed away, and it is not neces-
sary at this time to speculate on whether or not
Richard Croker was guilty of murder, as was charg-
ed OF. whether the great fortune which he accumu-
lated was stolen from the city inlthe form of COM
missions collected on public contracts let at extor-
tomato tlgures, and in other similar ways. All these
things have been threshed over, and there is little
profit in shaking up the old straw. That Croker
had certain admirable personal qualities is unuues-
toned. He had the capacity for making friends,
and he had a sense Of loyalty to those who had be-
- ANAauS aiiiihL 14C d genius IOF@ organization
which would have worked wonders IN an industrial
or in the field Of constructive states
manship.
The thing that is Of special interest is not the
personal character of the man, but the social condi-
tons which made the success of his peculiar meth
DDS. possible. He organized a tremendous political
machine on the basis that public service exists for
private profit. In the precincts, in the wards, and
in the central group, this spirit was dominant, and
was 50 recognized Offices were distributed, not
on the basis Of the fitness Of the individual to fill
them, but on the services which he had performed
Tor the organization. The appeal made was not TO
the public spirit of the citizen, but to HIS self-inter--
est, to his a~rnbition; often to his cupidity. The 3sys-
TEN was strong in its appealt to the ignorant and the
lawless. Growing logically out Of it comes tie pro
lection Of the criminal for pay and the demoraiiiza-
ton Of all the forces which are supposed to exist for
the safeguarding Of the public interest
Where these conditions exist men will BE found
with the will and the ability to use them for their
own advantage Croker 50 used them III New York
jHinky pink and SBath-Hcuse John have s. ussdss
~ Chicago. And,the epfessingE 1eature oftfe
whole situation s. that citizens who have another
yiew point md q different vision are so reluctant to
aasseft thertseives III Al effective manner for tie
nsintenance of decent standards III public HE and
|ths scotbdl1e Ct pnbiiegb business honesflyin liz inter-
hherss aI srouad hespre,ident
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