THE GREATEST CHARITY FUND IN THE WORLD.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2661, 26 May 1908, Page 2

THE GREATEST CHARITY FUND IN THE WORLD.

HOW A FAMOUS SOCIETY DOES ITS WORK

Whatever may be its political sins —and they are many—there can be. no doubt that Tammany Hall, New York, has a record for private benevolence of which any society might be proud. lis charity pay-list in New York State amounts to over s,ooo.ooodc>ls. a year— £1,000,000 in English money. Englishmen have often wondered what was the secret strength of this huge organization which enables it to defy successfully every movement for reform in New York City. This article will show how. in the ordinary nature of things. Tammany Hall is constantly gathering strength so as to keep its position impregnable. The whole of Manhattan island, on which New York City stands, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and other boroughs of Greater New York, have been marked out into small districts. Tammany annoints a l"a''eiv to each, and this leader is the father and adviser of every poor man and woman in his immediate neighbourhoodprovided they have some connection with the Democratic party. Here is one day's work of a district leader. He enters his office at 9 a.m. A host of written complaints await him. The landlord of one tenement threatens to evict some poor widow for non-payment of rent. One is the widow of a man who voted the Democrat ic or Tammany ticket all bis life. , The others are elderly men whose strength is not equal to hard work. The- leader lifts the telephone, rings up the landlord. and asks him to wait one month for his Vent, which will be guaranteed by Tammany. The landlord prudently accepts.. knows the money is sure now,, and he dare not quarrel' with the allpowerful organization in any case. The leader has barely dispatched this business when the telephone rings furiously. It is from a policestation in the vicinity. A man has been arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and he has given the district leader's name as bail. The later makes inquiries, and after having identified the man says.'"He's all right. Tf you haven't got him on the blotter (charge-sheet) you might let him go when he sobers up, or, better still, bring him round here. If he's on. let him down lightly and T'll come round some time about twelve and pay his fine. But don't let him go till I've seen him." The district leader then lights his cigar and savs to his henchman, "Now. .Tim. show the cro\Vd in, "ohe at a time ! " > About twenty men and women have been waiting patiently since halfpast eight to have a few minutes' talk with the father of the'district. To the men his attitude is that of a genial, but business-like, adviser. To the women he is gallant, kindly, or tender as the case may be r • The first applicant is a man who has just come out of hospital, where he has been suffering from bronchitis. "Well, Torn, my son, how are you ? You're lookin' foine ! Still, you want a bit of a holiday. Come in to-morrer an' we'll have the name av a place where you can spend two or thro." weeks before ye turn in to work. Oot any money to go on with? Yes! That's all right. Good-bye ! " Tom slides out. and a Weeping woman takes his place. Her husband has been killed the day liefore whilst working on the building of a skyscraper. The leader in courtesy and tenderness, tells the widow how highly they all thought of ( him, and how proud they will be to' do a good turn for his widow and children. He tells her not to worry about anything, that "the boys " will see he has a funeral worthy of his memory, and that work will be found for her and the youngsters. He takes careful note of her children's ages and capabilities, then he calls "Jim" and tells him to see the widow safely home. • : The next detail may seem incredible but it is an absolute fact. A woman enters accompanied by a boy of fifteen. Her complaint is that her son will not attend to his religious duties. The leader looks at the boy, a sullen lad with his bowler tilted on' the back of his head, a half-burnt cigarette in his mouth. The leader reflects that, if left to himself, he would certainly like to kick this boy. But he daren't—for a double reason. Tt might make an enemy of the mother, and. at the same, .time it must never be forgotten that in six short years this boy will have a vote. So he speaks kindly to the'lad, tries to awaken his ambition by pointing out that all the successful men of America ate closely identified with the work of Churches, whether Catholic or Protestant, and that no matter how big a man might be, he cannot do without religion. With a shrewd mixture of common sense, humbug, and irony, he manages to satisfy mother and son—convinces the boy that a man must take life seriously. He promises that if tltb boy will make a. start, he will give him some responsible work connected with the social side of Tammany, and so dismisses them both in a better humour.

By twelve o'clock the leader has got rid of his visitors for the present. Xow he must hurry to the police-station, where three or, fow .men have to be bailed out. He must get each of these men into a private room and give them "a good talking | to." Then ho has to scamper round to various employers, so that appli-j cants for work, whose names are on a list in his office, may Ire satisfied. He has his lunch is a saloon, and combines- business with it by meeting various men for whom he has work to do. They have to pass round word that there is a special funeral in the district which all the "boys" t must attend under penalty of disgrace. There are three social dances to arrange, one or two benefit concerts to arrange, complaints about houses being badly repaired, and a multitude of apparently small things, none of which must be neglected. Then there are money' grants to be made, and cheques to be paid to funeral furnishers and tradesmen. It is eleven o'clock at night before the leader has an hour, to himself Then he sits in a saloon with his local committee and discusses the next day's work. It has been reckoned that Tammany spends in this way about 5.000,000 dols. to 0,000,000d015. a year. Tt has a way of its own in getting back this vast sum of money. All ihe men whose fines are paid loyally pay back. As for the rest—well, the rest is silence. Hut one may well un-

riemami . flaw why the average mew Yprker iSde'aj to the voice of reform. As one malt -said to the writer. "Tammany Jkp.oks after me an' the old woman;wßen we wanted a friend, an' when' Tartimany wants a friend I'm that f "Tit-Bits."