the boss and the machine-第13章

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and　thugs　shared　with　the　police　their　profits；　as　did
corporations　and　others　seeking　not　only　favors　but　their　rights。
The　committee　in　its　statement　to　the　Grand　Jury　（March；　1892）
estimated　that　the　annual　plunder　from　these　sources　was　over
7；000；000。

During　the　committee's　sessions　Croker　was　in　Europe　on　important
business。　But　he　found　time　to　order　the　closing　of　disreputable
resorts；　and；　though　he　was　only　a　private　citizen　and　three
thousand　miles　away；　his　orders　were　promptly　obeyed。

Aroused　by　these　disclosures　and　stimulated　by　the　lashing
sermons　of　the　Rev。　Charles　H。　Parkhurst；　the　citizens　of　New
York；　in　1894；　elected　a　reform　government；　with　William　L。
Strong　as　Mayor。　His　administration　set　up　for　the　metropolis　a
new　standard　of　city　management。　Colonel　George　E。　Waring
organized；　for　the　first　time　in　the　city's　history；　an　efficient
streetcleaning　department。　Theodore　Roosevelt　was　appointed
Police　Commissioner。　These　men　and　their　associates　gave　to　New
York　a　period　of　thrifty　municipal　housekeeping。

But　the　city　returned　to　its　filth。　After　the　incorporation　of
Greater　New　York　and　the　election　of　Robert　A。　Van　Wyck　as　its
mayor；　the　great　beast　of　Tammany　arose　and　extended　its　eager
claws　over　the　vast　area　of　the　new　city。

The　Mazet　Committee　was　appointed　by　the　legislature　in　1899　to
investigate　rumors　of　renewed　corruption。　But　the　inquiry　which
followed　was　not　as　penetrating　nor　as　free　from　partizan　bias　as
thoughtful　citizens　wished。　The　principal　exposure　was　of　the　Lee
Trust；　an　attempt　to　monopolize　the　city's　ice　supply；　in　which
city　officials　were　stockholders；　the　mayor　to　the　extent　of　5000
shares；　valued　at　500；000。　It　was　shown；　too；　that　Tammany
leaders　were　stockholders　in　corporations　which　received　favors
from　the　city。　Governor　Roosevelt；　however；　refused　to　remove
Mayor　Van　Wyck　because　the　evidence　against　him　was　insufficient。

The　most　significant　testimony　before　the　Mazet　Committee　was
that　given　by　Boss　Croker　himself。　His　last　public　office　had
been　that　of　City　Chamberlain；　1889…90；　at　a　salary　of　25；000。
Two　years　later　he　purchased　for　250；000　an　interest　in　a
stock…farm　and　paid　over　100；000　for　some　noted　race…horses。　He
spent　over　half　a　million　dollars　on　the　English　racetrack　in
three　years　and　was　reputed　a　millionaire；　owning　large　blocks　of
city　real　estate。　He　told　the　committee　that　he　virtually
determined　all　city　nominations；　and　that　all　candidates　were
assessed；　even　judicial　candidates；　from　10；000　to　25；000　for
their　nominations。　〃We　try　to　have　a　pretty　effective
organizationthat's　what　we　are　there　for；〃　he　explained。　〃We
are　giving　the　people　pure　organization　government；〃　even　though
the　organizing　took　〃a　lot　of　time〃　and　was　〃very　hard　work。〃
Tammany　members　stood　by　one　another　and　helped　each　other；　not
only　in　politics　but　in　business。　〃We　want　the　whole　business
＇city　business＇　if　we　can　get　it。〃　If　〃we　win；　we　expect　everyone
to　stand　by　us。〃　Then　he　uttered　what　must　have　been　to　every
citizen　of　understanding　a　self…evident　truth；　〃I　am　working　for
my　pockets　all　the　time。〃

Soon　afterwards　Croker　retired　to　his　Irish　castle；　relinquishing
the　leadership　to　Charles　Murphy；　the　present　boss。　The　growing
alertness　of　the　voters；　however；　makes　Murphy's　task　a　more
difficult　one　than　that　of　any　of　his　predecessors。　It　is
doubtful　if　the　nature　of　the　machine　has　changed　during　all　the
years　of　its　history。　Tweed　and　Croker　were　only　natural　products
of　the　system。　They　typify　the　vulgar　climax　of　organized
looting。

In　1913　the　Independent　Democrats；　Republicans；　and　Progressives
united　in　a　fusion　movement。　They　nominated　and；　after　a　most
spirited　campaign；　elected　John　Purroy　Mitchel　as　mayor。　He　was　a
young　man；　not　yet　forty；　had　held　important　city　offices；　and
President　Wilson　had　appointed　him　Collector　of　the　Port　of　New
York。　His　experience；　his　vigor；　ability；　and　straightdealing
commended　him　to　the　friends　of　good　government；　and　they　were
not　disappointed。　The　Mitchel　regime　set　a　new　record　for　clean
and　efficient　municipal　administration。　Men　of　high　character　and
ability　were　enlisted　in　public　service；　and　the　Police
Department；　under　Commissioner　Woods；　achieved　a　new　usefulness。
The　decent　citizens；　not　alone　in　the　metropolis；　but　throughout
the　country；　believed　with　Theodore　Roosevelt　that　Mr。　Mitchel
was　〃the　best　mayor。　New　York　ever　had。〃　But　neither　the
effectiveness　of　his　administration　nor　the　combined　efforts　of
the　friends　of　good　government　could　save　him　from　the　designs　of
Tammany　Hall　when；　in　1917；　he　was　a　candidate　for　reelection。
Through　a　tactical　blunder　of　the　Fusionists；　a　small　Republican
group　was　permitted　to　control　the　party　primaries　and　nominate　a
candidate　of　its　own；　the　Socialists；　greatly　augmented　by
various　pacifist　groups；　made　heavy　inroads　among　the
foreign…born　voters。　And；　while　the　whole　power　and　finesse　of
Tammany　were　assiduously　undermining　the　mayor's　strength；
ethnic；　religious；　partizan；　and　geographical　prejudices　combined
to　elect　the　machine　candidate；　Judge　Hylan；　a　comparatively
unknown　Brooklyn　magistrate。

How　could　Tammany　regain　its　power；　and　that　usually　within　two
years；　after　such　disclosures　as　we　have　seen？　The　main　reason　is
the　scientific　efficiency　of　the　organization。　The　victory　of
Burr　in　New　York　in　1800　was　the　first　triumph　of　the　first　ward
machine　in　America；　and　Tammany　has　forgotten　neither　this
victory　nor　the　methods　by　which　it　was　achieved。　The
organization　which　was　then　set　in　motion　has　simply　been
enlarged　to　keep　easy　pace　with　the　city's　growth。　There　are；　in
fact；　two　organizations；　Tammany　Hall；　the　political　machine；　and
Tammany　Society；　the　〃Columbian　Order〃　organized　by　Mooney；　which
is　ruled　by　sachems　elected　by　the　members。　Both　organizations；
however；　are　one　in　spirit。　We　need　concern　ourselves　only　with
the　organization　of　Tammany　Hall。

The　framework　of　Tammany　Hall's　machinery　has　always　been　the
general　committee；　still　known；　in　the　phraseology　of　Burr's　day；
as　〃the　Democratic…Republican　General　Committee。〃　It　is　a　very
democratic　body　composed　of　representatives　from　every　assembly
district；　apportioned　according　to　the　number　of　voters　in　the
district。　The　present　apportionment　is　one　committeeman　for　every
fifteen　votes。　This　makes　a　committee　of　over　9000；　an　unwieldy
number。　It　is　justified；　however；　on　two　very　practical　grounds：
first；　that　it　is　large　enough　to　keep　close　to　the　voters；　and
second；　that　its　assessment　of　ten　dollars　a　member　brings　in
90；000　a　year　to　the　war　chest。　This　general　committee　holds
stated　meetings　and　appoints　subcommittees。　The　executive
committee；　composed　of　the　leaders　of　the　assembly　districts　and
the　chairman　and　treasurer　of　the　county　committee；　is　the　real
working　body　of　the　great　committee。　It　attends　to　all　important
routine　matters；　selects　candidates　for　office；　and　conducts
their　campaigns。　It　is　customary　for　the　members　of　the　general
committee　to　designate　the　district　leaders　for　the　executive
committee；　but　they　are　elected　by　their　own　districts
respectively　at　the　annual　primary　elections。　The　district　leader
is　a　very　important　wheel　in　the　machine。　He　not　only　leads　his
district　but　represents　it　on　the　executive　committee；　and　this
brotherhood　of　leaders　forms　the　potent　oligarchy　of　Tammany。　Its
sanction　crowns　the　high　chieftain；　the　boss；　who；　in　turn；　must
be　constantly　on　the　alert　that　his　throne　is　not　undermined；
that　is　to　say；　he　and　his　district　leaders　must　〃play　politics〃
within　their　own　bailiwicks　to　keep　their　heads　on　their　own
shoulders。　After　their　enfranchisement　in　New　York　（1917）　women
were　made　eligible　to　the　general　and　executive　committees。
Thirty…seven　were　at　once　elected　to　the　executive　committee；　and
plans　were　made　to　give　them　one…half　of　the　representation　on
the　general　committee。

Each　of　the　twenty…three　assembly　districts　is　in　turn　divided
into　election　districts　of　about　400　voters；　each　with　a
precinct　captain　who　is　acquainted　with　every　voter　in　his
precinct　and　ke