The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1928-10-31

Abstracts from speech delivered
by J. F. Connor at the Womens Hoo
yer Club meeting held recently in
Redwood Falls 1t follows:
The name Tammany has been used
often in this political campaign.
shall try in this article to give clear
description of the organization bear
ing this name. 1t claims to be 139
years old, but I shall describe it as
it is now and has been Is years past.
Tammany is a political machine
that most of the time rules New York
City. Such an organization, has not,
and could not exist for so long a
period in any other American city.
New York, however, is not really
American. More than half of it's
residents speak foreign language.
The Scandinavian, Germans, and
other immigrants that come to Min
nesota soon become Americans.
Their children trained in our public
schools cannot be distinguished from
Those whose ancestors came over in
tthe Mayflower. In New York, how
ever, the immigration problem is
different Each of it's many nation
alities has its separate settlement.
They retain their language, customs,
and ideals. In short, remain aliens
Each community in these alien settle
ments has it's leader, man who
understands our language, customs
and business methods. He is also an
expert American politician. This
leader renders real service to his peo-
pie, he meets the new Immigrant,
helps him to find home, to find en-
ployment, and guards him from ex-
ploitation. In many ways he serves
his people we'll All that he asks in
return is that they vote as he dir
ects. Tammany finds this leader
makes him a Tammany official, and
gives him a city job. He holds the
Job as long as he delivers the votes
In the good old days every saloon
keeper was a Tammany official
None others need apply. He not
only paid license to the city, but al
so dues to Tammany. These dues
amounted in the aggregate, to mil
lions of dollars annually. These sa-
loon dues constituted Tammany
chief campaign fund. Every saloon
was a Tammany club room, where
Tammany propaganda was put over
and Tammany orders communicated
to the faithful. OF course these alier
settlements are not all of Tammany
but their vote is the most easily con-
trolled. Other groups that have axes
to grind affiliate with Tammany
What is known as the Underworld. l:
often exchange as exchange votes TO,
police protection. Tammany is ruled
from the top down, as autocratlc
government as the Russian govern
ment under the Cars. 1t is highl!
efficient organization, resembling II
many respects, an army. AT tint
head is Grand Sachem or boss. Here
are their divisions, brigades, regi
ments, or companies, and lastl!
squads of the communities. Each o
these divisions has Tammany Off
cial at its head The communit!
leader, knows personally every Tam
many voter in his community, wheth
er he votes with Tammany or not
He has a written record of each voter
giving his name, nationality, age. re
ligion, salary, business, lodge affllla
tions, and ETC. 1t is his business t
see that every Tammany supporte
votes. Tammany, whenever it deem
it necessary, gets out its vote to tn
last man. Tammany officials neces
sarily give much thought and time t
their Tammany duties. Each receive
a salary sufficient to keep him on nj
lob. Those holding high offices ar
men of outstanding abilities. who cal
and do command large salaries.
have recently seen a list of abou
thirty Tammany officials whose sal
aries range from a thousand to III