Evening star., 1927-05-15
TAMMANY FACES PARTY
In 1923 FOR VINDICATION
New York Group Goes on Trial Before
Democrats as Silent Issue Linked
With Candidacy of Smith.

1S92, New York had 'gon9" Demo
cratic as many times as it had sup
| ported the Republicans and their pro-
genitors the Wings and Federalists.
Smith Switch Predicted.
One of the principal claims put
forward by the Democrats who favor
the nomination of Gov. Smith is that
he can carry New York-hasing the
claim on his four elections as gov
ernor of the State. There are a con-
siderable number of political observ-
ers. however. who dispute the claim
that Al Smith could defeat Presiden'
Coolidge in New York, If both are
nominated next year. They insist
that thousands of Republicans who
have voted for the popular governor
would switch to the Republican ticket
if he were running for President.
The attack on Tammany and in
ferentially on Gov. Al Smith. deliV-
cred few months ago by William
Gibbs McAdoo. Smiths old antago-
mist in the national political arena,
in his speech on prohibition, nulli-
fication and lawlessness, was only
an opening gun in the preconvention
campaign which is to result in the
presidential nomination in 1928. II
has been followed up already by Mrs.
Ella A. Boole, president of the Ma
tional Woman's Temperance Union,
who has sent a letter to all State
presidents of the organization, say
ing of Gov. Smith "Since he be-
came politician he has been closely
identified with Tammany Hall. Tam
many Hall has always been regarded
H. t.% I,.a
old days. They not only stood for
Sunday opening, but many of their
meetings We're held in the back
rooms of saloons.
Throughout its career. the Tam
many Society has emphasized its
patriotism In 1903 the society laid
the corner stone of vault in which
the bones of 1850 patriots who had
died on British prison ships were
subsequently laid with elaborate
ceremony. The Tammany Society
called for war with Great Britain
four months before the War of 1872
was declared. In 1845 the Tammany
general committee passed resolutions
advocating the annexation of Texas.
Up to the Civil War the dominant
element in Tammany had been for
the slavery power. But when war
broke out Tammany raised a regi-
ment which was led to the front by
it's grand sachem. But this did not
prevent many attacks by Tammany
upon the Lincoln administration.
Hit by Graft Disclosures.
Tammany took a lead In the fight
for manhood suffrage in 1920 when
the demand for such suffrage had be.
I.sJ TO- ~,
days the society was strictly for the
American born in office. this policy
was reversed in 1927. when property
qualifications for voting were repeal
ed. After particularly damaging dis.
closures of the grating Of Tammany
officials in 1S3S-40, the society adopted
the policy of encouraging foreigners
TO become naturalized and to vote. A
bureau was opened by the society to
teach the immigrant the advantage
of belonging to Tammany and to as
sist him through the naturalization
process. The legal naturalization fee
was S.. But between 1841 and 1874.
over 1000 immigrants are said TO
have been naturalized by Tammany
judges at S1.00 head, with the or
ganization frequently paying the fee.
In one six weeks period before an
between $4,000 and 10000
foreigners were admitted to citizen
ship in New York and it was after
ward said that S5 per cent of them
voted the Democratic ticket. Foreign
ers We're easily led. the Tammany
politicians found.
Tammany has looked after it's
own" It has repeatedly dug down
into it's jeans to aid the needy. Way
back in the panic of 1887 Tammany
workers distributed clothing, fuel,
food and money on a large scale TO
the needy. During the Winter of
1901 Tweed, then Tammany boss,
gave 81 900 to each alderman with
which to buy coal for the poor in their
districts. He distributed $4,000 in his
own ward. In 1873, when half the
mechanics in the city were out or
work, Tammany came to the rescue
Of many, and In 1888, during the biz
zard, the Tammany general commit
tee voted $4,000 for the relief of the
poor Charles r. Murphy, leader in
the eighteenth assembly district, was
responsible for the gift. The present
leader of Tammany, Judge Olvany,
speaking of the human side OF Tam
many said the society was very much
the same as it has always been, add
ing that the present division leaders
are ION the job 365 days in the year,
and are always ready TO lend a help
ing and sympathetic hand. They bury
the dead, arrange outings for the
women and children. and go down
into their own pockets to AID lnose
who are in need of food and cloth
ing" 1t is such service, given freely,
that has era abled Tammany to main
tain its strong grip on the great mass
of voters in New York City.
Reputation at Stake.
But Tammany, over a long stretch
of wears. has unfortunately earned
reputation for corruption in poiitics
and in public office, and IL is ina
reputation which its present leaders
are trying to lay permanently out
particularly during 1928. 1t is per-
fectly true that the Wings stuffed pal
lot boxes in the early days as wen as
Tammany, coloniZed voters III DOUBT
full districts and employed thugs at
the polling places. In 1906, Benjamin
Romaine, a grand sachem of the So
ciety, was removed from the office OF
city controller for acquiring land from
the city without payment. Other
Tammany officials were dismissed
soon afterwards for frauds of various
kinds.
In later years, however, more seri-
Gus cases of corruption were un'
earthed. The city council, known as
the 40 thieves" was elected in 1851,
with William NJ. Tweed as member.
Tweed later became the grand sachem
of Tammany. The story Of the
Tweed ring" is one Of huge graft
and political corruption. The loot OF
the Tweed ring between 1859 and 1871
was estimated at $75 100000, and over
the whole period from 1865 to 1871.
including issues of fraudulent bonds,
at $500 900 900 The city recovered
only $4,000 of the total amount
stolen
Kelly Tries Publication.