The Story of Tammany.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1, 6 January 1906, Page 42

The Story of Tammany.

HOW “BOSS” MURPHY KEEPS HIS HOLD ON NEW YORK. Tammany lias had another narrow escape from the destruction which its enemies have pred.cied lor it for the past century. Time and again the great political machine, which not only controls the American metropolis, but also exerts a sinister iniluence on national polities, has been defeated at the polls. Yet, no sooner is Tammany crushed than it rises again stronger than ever. Tammany, which was originally a charitable iust.tiuion at the end of the eighteenth century, confined itself entirely to the relief of distress in New York. One fine morning it awoke to find that it had aeaieved a new power in politics by the election to local office cl" one of its members. From that moment until the present day Tammany has been a political scourge. It must not be supposed, however, that this organised robbery and blackmail is altogether bad. On the contrary, setting aside all questions of law ami morality, Tammany does more good than evil. The honest citizen, the hard-working poor, and the usually over-taxed middleclass have reason to sing the praises of the great machine which looks after their interests, keeps down taxation, niivl in general sees to ic that in those ordinary things which usually make for good government no stone shall be left unturned to achieve the desired end. PAYING FOR PROTECTION. And here is where the amazing cleverness and cupidity of Tammany comes in. The slightest infraction of the law is visited with the severest punishment, er, worse still, blackmail. The. gambler, the racing tout, the keepers of disorderly houses, and other smaller fry are all assessed regular sums, which are called for monthly by policemen assigned specifically to this duly. Every great corporation, such as the railways, tram companies, and building enterprises, pay the most exorbitant tribute to the Tammanr election fund, so that they may be protected against any infraction of the hvw which they commit every hour of the day. Thousands of pounds flow annually into the Tammany treasure chest from trie pockets of merchants who use the pavements in front of their establishments to pile up goods intended for shipment. There is no other means in New York of shipping goods, yet through Tbmmany's Bureau of Encumbrances it is made a misdemeanour to leave even a snatch box on the pavement. If you ■walk down, say Spruce-street. and thread your way through mountains of great boxes, y on may gain an idea of the blackmail exacted by the great Moloch for this privilege. The Tammany blackmailer steps airily into the office oLthe president of a great company which cannot possib'y avoid keeping within the minor laws made especially for blackmailing purposes. His hat is on the side of his bead. In his mouth, at an angle of 40 degrees, he carries a great black cigar. ‘‘Good mornin’, Mishther X- .” he says good-humouredly. “I’ve called fer to tell ye that wo are about ready fer another assissmint. an' if ye plase, will ye bring it up to th* Boss in toorteenthBtreet th’ day*’’ If the money—cheques are not taken —is not forthcoming, that company will find itself in hot water before the week is out. THE “BOSS.” Election time sees Tammany at its beat. The great organisation is engineered by one lone, silent Irishman from the headquarters r.t Tammany Hall. This Irishman, one Charles Mijrphy, is the successor of Mr. Riehard Croker, who has given up the delights of Tammany for the less exciting pastime or Taring. To Mr. Murphy comes all the blackmail known as “assessments,” and he is accountable to no one. Books are. not kept. Gifts are “voluntary.” The Boss divides New York into 20 separate districts, each district under its own lead er, usually an Irish alderman. Each of these leaders sub-divides his

district under a junior leader, and each junior leader in turn sub-divides his district, so that in the end every block of houses in New York has its Tammany district under its distinct leader, who is directly responsible to his immediate Boss for the number of voters in his charge, so that within five minutes the Boss at headquarters can teil the exact number of men he can bring to the polls. If any district shows a decided fallingoff, he has but to bring in a couple of carloads of “colonisers/’ which is Tammany’s apt word for illegal voter** Mr. McClellan, the re-elected Mayor, is a man of the highest integrity, as so many other Tammany Mayors have been before him. It is part of Tammany’s programme to put into the higher administrative offices men of undoubted honour and little capacity, leaving the minor offices, which carry with them thia opportunities for stealing, to be filled by the henchmen of the Boss and his leaders. REWARD OF MERIT! I used to know a man In New York who never did anything, had no visible means of support, and yet lived the life of a man about town, always paying his way, and never short of money. It was by a mere accident tint I 'learned that he held office under Tammany as Inspector of Manhole Covers.” He was one of thirty. The only work they performed‘was to go to the Treasurer’s office once a month to draw pay. There are hundreds of sinecures like this under Tammany—the reward of faithfwl service ! — There is no danger that the working nian will vote against Tammany. In the first place, Tammany sees to it that he is not taxed; and in the second place, Tammany provides work throughout the year. If a man can prove that he has been a Tammany voter, he will find little difficulty in securing work either as a street-cleaner or a Toad-maker. The Tammany system is fully explained by these words from a music-hall song: It *8 me brother Dan Is an aiderman, Wid a Rrlp on th’ 14th Ward; It’s him that has the tickets for To work on the Booleyvard. Small wonder, then, that this perfect system can never be completely crushed out by its dilettante enemies, the reformers. Once every generation or so a wave of purity and morality sweeps over New York, and with irresistible force carries Tammany with it. Then comes the chance of the reformers. They invariably make such a mess of things, being inexpert idealists, that within two or three months the most respectable members of society begin an agitation for the return of Tammany, with its peace for the law-abiding citizens and its smooth, unobtrusive manner of conducting the affairs of the great city.