natural incompatibility of good government
and that kind of party organization which
culminates in boss rule could find no more striking
illustration than the recent municipal election in
Greater New York. There are at present not a
few well-meaning persons who, while deploring the
restoration of Tammany Hall to power, seek to
console themselves with a vague hope that after
all, the new Mayor, Mr. , may rise to a
just appreciation of his vast responsibilities, and
give the city much better government than we
were wont to expect from Tammany Hall. Every
good citizen, of course, joins in that pious wish. But it is useless to indulge in such delusions. No Tammany Mayor, unless he be a man of the loftiest kind of public spirit, of exceptional strength of will, and of the most self-sacrificing devotion to public duty, can resist the influences bearing upon him from the power that made him; and even if he be such an extraordinary person, he will find himself balked at every step. Nor does anybody suspect Mr. of such heroic qualities. There is not the slightest reason for doubting that he was put in his high office for the very purpose of serving the ends of the Tammany organization, and that he would never have been selected had not the nominating power thought him a fit and willing instrument. These ends will, therefore, determine the character of his administration.
The Tammany organization, as in the course of
time it has developed itself, consists of two classes
of persons — politicians who co-operate with one
another in the pursuit of public place or power for
their personal profit, and, secondly, a large
number of people who are made to expect from the
potent favor of such politicians some benefit or
other, be it in the way of employment at the public
expense, or of help in need, or of protection or
assistance in their private pursuits, whether lawful
or unlawful — not to mention the criminal class, which, among the members of the Tammany organization, finds sympathetic usage, if not active aid. To these two classes may be added a third: Democrats who, although themselves honest persons, cling to Tammany Hall, and vote its ticket because it happens to bear the regular Democratic label. It is evident that an organization so constituted must, whenever intrusted with public power, use that power for the benefit of its members and dependents, rather than for the benefit of the community; for, if it failed to do this, it would annul the very reason of its being and drop to pieces. It is equally natural that such an organization should fall under the direction of one chief, who is to distribute the spoil, to adjust conflicting claims, to decide questions of discipline, to issue proclamations, and so on — in short, to perform the functions of a general commanding an army engaged in active operations in the enemy's country, and who to that end needs a power wellnigh autocratic.
The “boss” is therefore, in an organization
like Tammany hall, a product of indigenous
growth. When one boss steps out, another will
inevitably take his place. And that boss will be
most efficient and most satisfactory to the
organization who permits himself least to be hampered
by considerations of principle or of public interest, and who secures to his followers or dependents the greatest personal benefit at the public cost. What the chances of good government are with such an organized appetite in power it is needless to discuss. On the whole, it may safely be assumed that Tammany Hall will do the worst it dares. And it is to be apprehended that after such a victory as that of last week, and with such enlarged opportunities, it will dare very much.