the boss and the machine-第10章

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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　keeps　track；　as　far　as　possible；　of　his　affairs。　In
every　assembly　district　there　are　headquarters　and　a　club　house；
where　the　voters　can　go　in　the　evening　and　enjoy　a　smoke；　a
bottle；　and　a　more　or　less　quiet　game。

This　organization　is　never　dormant。　And　this　is　the　key　to　its
vitality。　There　is　no　mystery　about　it。　Tammany　is　as　vigilant
between　elections　as　it　is　on　election　day。　It　has　always　been
solicitous　for　the　poor　and　the　humble；　who　most　need　and　best
appreciate　help　and　attention。　Every　poor　immigrant　is　welcomed；
introduced　to　the　district　headquarters；　given　work；　or　food；　or
shelter。　Tammany　is　his　practical　friend；　and　in　return　he　is
merely　to　become　naturalized　as　quickly　as　possible　under　the
wardship　of　a　Tammany　captain　and　by　the　grace　of　a　Tammany
judge；　and　then　to　vote　the　Tammany　ticket。　The　new　citizen's
lessons　in　political　science　are　all　flavored　with　highly
practical　notions。

Tammany's　machinery　enables　a　house…to…house　canvass　to　be　made
in　one　day。　But　this　machinery　must　be　oiled。　There　are　three
sources　of　the　necessary　lubricant：　offices；　jobs；　the　sale　of
favors；　these　are　dependent　on　winning　the　elections。　From　its
very　earliest　days；　fraud　at　the　polls　has　been　a　Tammany
practice。　As　long　as　property　qualifications　were　required；　money
was　furnished　for　buying　houses　which　could　harbor　a　whole
settlement　of　voters。　It　was　not；　however；　until　the　adoption　of
universal　suffrage　that　wholesale　frauds　became　possible　or
useful；　for　with　a　limited　suffrage　it　was　necessary　to　sway　only
a　few　score　votes　to　carry　an　ordinary　election。

Fernando　Wood　set　a　new　pace　in　this　race　for　votes。　It　has　been
estimated　that　in　1854　there　〃were　about　40；000　shiftless；
unprincipled　persons　who　lived　by　their　wits　and　the　labor　of
others。　The　trade　of　a　part　of　these　was　turning　primary
elections；　packing　nominating　conventions；　repeating；　and
breaking　up　meetings。〃　Wood　also　systematized　naturalization。　A
card　bearing　the　following　legend　was　the　open　sesame　to　American
citizenship：

〃Common　Pleas：
　Please　naturalize　the　bearer。
　N。　Seagrist；　Chairman。〃

Seagrist　was　one　of　the　men　charged　by　an　aldermanic　committee
〃with　robbing　the　funeral　pall　of　Henry　Clay　when　his　sacred
person　passed　through　this　city。〃

When　Hoffman　was　first　elected　mayor；　over　15；000　persons　were
registered　who　could　not　be　found　at　the　places　indicated。　The
naturalization　machinery　was　then　running　at　high　speed。　In　1868；
from　25；000　to　30；000　foreigners　were　naturalized　in　New　York　in
six　weeks。　Of　156；288　votes　cast　in　the　city；　25；000　were
afterwards　shown　to　be　fraudulent。　It　was　about　this　time　that　an
official　whose　duty　it　was　to　swear　in　the　election　inspectors；
not　finding　a　Bible　at　hand；　used　a　volume　of　Ollendorf's　〃New
Method　of　Learning　to　Read；　Write；　and　Speak　French。〃　The　courts
sustained　this　substitution　on　the　ground　that　it　could　not
possibly　have　vitiated　the　election！

A　new　federal　naturalization　law　and　rigid　election　laws　have
made　wholesale　frauds　impossible；　and　the　genius　of　Tammany　is
now　attempting　to　adjust　itself　to　the　new　immigration；　the　new
political　spirit；　and　the　new　communal　vigilance。　Its　power　is
believed　by　some　optimistic　observers　to　be　waning。　But　the
evidences　are　not　wanting　that　its　vitality　and　internal
discipline　are　still　persistent。



CHAPTER　VI。　LESSER　OLIGARCHIES

New　York　City　is　not　unique　in　its　experience　with　political
bossdom。　Nearly　every　American　city；　in　a　greater　or　less　degree；
for　longer　or　shorter　periods；　has　been　dominated　by　oligarchies。

Around　Philadelphia；　American　sentiment　has　woven　the　memories　of
great　events。　It　still　remains；　of　all　our　large　cities；　the　most
〃American。〃　It　has　fewer　aliens　than　any　other；　a　larger
percentage　of　home　owners；　a　larger　number　of　small　tradespeople
and　skilled　artisansthe　sort　of　population　which　democracy
exalts；　and　who　in　turn　are　presumed　to　be　the　bulwark　of
democracy。　These　good　citizens；　busied　with　the　anxieties　and
excitements　of　their　private　concerns；　discovered；　in　the　decade
following　the　Civil　War；　that　their　city　had　slipped　unawares
into　the　control　of　a　compact　oligarchy；　the　notorious　Gas　Ring。
The　city　government　at　this　time　was　composed　of　thirty…two
independent　boards　and　departments；　responsible　to　the　council；
but　responsible　to　the　council　in　name　only　and　through　the
medium　of　a　council　committee。　The　coordinating　force；　the
political　gravitation　which　impelled　all　these　diverse　boards　and
council　committees　to　act　in　unison；　was　the　Gas　Department。　This
department　was　controlled　by　a　few　designing　and　capable
individuals　under　the　captaincy　of　James　McManes。　They　had
reduced　to　political　servitude　all　the　employees　of　the
department；　numbering　about　two　thousand。　Then　they　had　extended
their　sway　over　other　city　departments；　especially　the　police
department。　Through　the　connivance　of　the　police　and　control　over
the　registration　of　voters；　they　soon　dominated　the　primaries　and
the　nominating　conventions。　They　carried　the　banner　of　the
Republican　party；　the　dominant　party　in　Philadelphia　and　in　the
State；　under　which　they　more　easily　controlled　elections；　for　the
people　voted　〃regular。〃　Then　every　one　of　the　city's　servants　was
made　to　pay　to　the　Gas　Ring　money　as　well　as　obeisance。
Tradespeople　who　sold　supplies　to　the　city；　contractors　who　did
its　work；　saloon…keepers　and　dive…owners　who　wanted
protectionall　paid。　The　city's　debt　increased　at　the　rate　of
3；000；000　a　year；　without　visible　evidence　of　the　application　of
money　to　the　city's　growing　needs。

In　1883　the　citizens　finally　aroused　themselves　and　petitioned
the　legislature　for　a　new　charter。　They　confessed：　〃Philadelphia
is　now　recognized　as　the　worst　paved　and　worst　cleaned　city　in
the　civilized　world。　The　water　supply　is　so　bad　that　during　many
weeks　of　the　last　winter　it　was　not　only　distasteful　and
unwholesome　for　drinking；　but　offensive　for　bathing　purposes。　The
effort　to　clean　the　streets　was　abandoned　for　months　and　no
attempt　was　made　to