The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-28
DEMOCRATS SEE |,
BEG|NN|NG OF
new ERA
Death Of Murphy Opens Way
for Liberal Leadership,
Says Hard.
By WILLIAM HARD.


the North becomes apparent to-
day as Charles Francis Murphy,
Of New York, is lowered into the
grave, and as George Brennan, Of
Illinois, becomes the outstanding
northern Democratic machine
leader.
Murphy himself evidenced the
new age with his support Of young
men in Tammany who, like AL
Smith, gained from the COM
munity a moral approval which
often had been lacking for Tam
rnany's older products. Under
Murphy, Tammany in fact changed
considerably in public estimationI
from the character which Il at one
time had,
Through this change Murphy
was able to raise the fortunes of
Tandmany from the. low ebb at
which they stood ten years ago
and to gain the approval of New
York strongly enough to drive the
Republicans from power at the
State capital at Albany and also
to drive the forces of professional
reform" from power in New York
city, substituting for them local
outright Democratic administra-
ton.
Left Party Bettered.
Murphy died. having made his
party in New York not only success.
ful but better party than it
formerly had been. He saw a new
age in which new methods would
be necessary and desirable and he
worked into it. His young men at
Albany. with his backing, supported
many progressive" measures which
were opposed by corporation influ-
ence, and Murphy thus separated
Tammany in the popular mind to
q considerable degree from its old
reputation Of being the tool of the
corporate wealth Of New York.
Meanwhile, by significant coin.
ctdence. a similar situation has been
Drought about In Chicago by George
Brennan. There still exists widely
throughout the country al. impress.
] sion to the effect that George Bren.
nan, being the boss Of the Chicago
and Illinois Democracy, is a monster
Of evil who must be resisted at all
hazards by the champions of
righteousness, such as William Jen.
ntngs Bryan and such as the heroic
drys" and forwarti-looking PRO.
gressives" Of the free and rising
great West.
Feeling Dying Out.
: This impression is coming to be
an Anticipated superstition. George
Brennan, who today becomes beyond
question the most influential North.
ern Democratic leader in Democratic
machine politics. Is a man who has
risen from the playing Of the
smallest politics in the smallest way
TO a place where he has had the
chance to play big politics, and has
surprised multitudes of his fellow
citizens by deciding to play big
politics, not in a small way but
big way.
He has expelled the Republicans
from the city hall in Chicago by
choosing as the Democratic candi.
cate for mavor, man who did not
belong at all to Brennan's own fac.
ton in the local Democratic party
but who on the contrary belonsed
altogether to the opposing pro.
eressive" faction. This man-Will.
lam E. DcVer--had been for many
years a prominent adherent of the
local Chicago Democratic ele1ne-t
which had followed Edward r.
Dunno, who at one time was mayor
OF Chicago and who afterwards was
Governor lot Illinois and who was
known hest as an adherent OF
municipal ownership and operation
and Of other so-called progressive"
aafd popular" tendencies. q -"
Dever, altogether aside from HIS
opinions on such matters az mum.
cipal ownership, had high reputa-
ton for moral character and had
earned this reputation through
many years Of successful and ap.
planded service in the city council
and on the judicial bench. Brennan,
who had belonged to the Roger
Sullivan faction and who had been
Roger Sullivan's chief Of staff, went
outside the Sullivan faction to find
or to accept a candidate for mayor
and found him In Dever and brought
II about, that 'Dever became the
unanimous choice Of the Chicago
Democracy.
Broke With Past.
BY that one act Brennan broke
with the past and started q new
era In Illinois and Chicago Demo.
cratic politics. Presently another
act followed through the behavior
Of Dever as mayor.
Dever' began with. energy to try
20 enforce the Eighteenth amend.
11ent and the Volstead law in Chi.
cRgo. He did Il with no objections
raised from Brennan. II IL not
AaIieved that Brennan has the slight.
eat enthusiasm for the Eighteenth
amendment or for the Volstend
law. Nor is It believed, for thsr
matter, that Mayor Dever is an
enthuiast for such ideas. Dever
has altogether RETAINED from say.
Ing that he Is by personal convic.
ton a dry. He nevertheless has
proceeded to perform what he be.
Heves to be his duty as an admin.
istrative officer Of local govern.
ment.
Y This situation is characteristic Of
the new Democratic DEVELOPMENTS
in Chicago and In Illinois Of which
Brennan Is the titular leader ami
the chief manager. For commits.
aioner of public works in Chicago
a local officer who handles the mos.
important parts of the local adj.
miniatration, including many large