Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
Tammany's Leadership.

Judge AfeOTRe w. OlNdfys WHEY
hailed as the leader Of the new" Tam
many, has handed In his resignation
The reason given by him is the condi.
ton of his health and the advice Of hi:
physicians. His resignation, apparently
is a real surprise to the Tammany lead
ers themselves.
Tammany leaders In the past have
died In harness or they have retired to
live on their incomes. Judge Olvany
is comparatively young man and has
been leader of Tammany Hall for the
last four years. His conduct of Demo-
cratic political affairs in Manhattan met
with much success-until the recent
presidential election, when with former
Gov. Smith, himself Tammany sa-
chem, the organization failed to roll up
the huge plurality in New York City
upon which the Democratic leaders had
counted. AS consequence, New York
State failed to cast its electoral vote for
Gov. Smith, its favorite son, although
It reelected Senator Royal s. Copeland,
a Democrat. and elected Franklin D.
Roosevelt governor to succeed Gov.
Smith. Immediately there were rum
blings. The charge was made in some
quarters that Tammany had actually
"cut" Gov Smith, that some Of the low
er Tammany leaders and some of the
rank and file had an idea that the gov
ernor had become too high hat" But
this charge was promptly denied by
Judge Olvany himself. who insisted
that the Tammany organization had
supported Gov. Smith Loyalty in the
campaign and on election day.
Judge Olvany, when he arrived in
Houston, Tex, last June to attend the
Democratic national convention, an
nounced that New York's Democracy
had as its candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination a second Abraham Lin
coin, a man who was close to the peo-
pie, Alfred E. Smith. The influence OF
the Tammany organization had been
exerted far and wide to bring about the
nomination Of Mr.. Smith. and how ef-
fectively, the outcome of the national
convention indicated clearly.
Under these circumstances, 1t might
be expected that Gov. Smith would be
the selection of Tammany to take the
leadership which is now to be vacated
by his friend, Judge Olvany. But the
reports from New York today show that
not only is Gov. Smiths name not In
cluded in the list of possibilities" for
the leadership. but that there would be
actual hostility to his election as Tam
many leader. This seems to bear out In
part the charge that Tammany as a
whole did not give Gov. Smith its hearty
support in the presidential election
Former Judge jeremiah T. Mahoney
who has quite recently resigned from
the New York Supreme Court, is men
toned prominently as the probable Sue
cessor Of Judge Olvany.
Gov. Smith Is for the present out Of
public life. This does not mean that
he Is out Of politics. Indeed, there are
many of his friends who insist that four
years hence he will be stronger than
ever with the electorate and that his
denomination for the presidency and
his election will follow. The fact that
Gov. Smith was intimately associated
with Tammany Hall was used against
him in the last campaign with much
effect In many parts of the country. II
he should become leader of Tammany, II
seems quite clear that his presidential
aspirations, II he still has them. would
suffer thereby.
Much has been said and written about
the new" Tanmany. on the theory that
more idealistic organization has beer
erected on the foundations Of the old
Judge Olvany has been responsible ir
good part for the claim that the Tam
many Tiger has reformed. The future
conduct Of Tammany will be followed
with no small public interest. Living
down a reputation is one Of the mos
difficult tasks in the world.