第10章

TheRepublicanAssociationofwhichIbecameamemberhelditsmeetingsinMortonHall，alarge，barn-likeroomoverasaloon。Itsfurniturewasofthecanonicalkind：dingybenches，spittoons，adaisatoneendwithatableandchairandastoutpitcherforicedwater，andonthewallspicturesofGeneralGrant，andofLeviP。Morton，towhosegenerosityweowedtheroom。Wehadregularmeetingsonceortwiceamonth，andbetweentimestheplacewastreated，atleastoncertainnights，asakindofclub-room。Iwentaroundthereoftenenoughtohavethemengetaccustomedtomeandtohavemegetaccustomedtothem，sothatwebegantospeakthesamelanguage，andsothateachcouldbegintolivedownintheother’smindwhatBretHartehascalled“thedefectivemoralqualityofbeingastranger。”Itisnotoftenthatamancanmakeopportunitiesforhimself。Buthecanputhimselfinsuchshapethatwhenoriftheopportunitiescomeheisreadytotakeadvantageofthem。ThiswaswhathappenedtomeinconnectionwithmyexperiencesinMortonHall。Isoonbecameongoodtermswithanumberoftheordinary“heelers“andevensomeoftheminorleaders。ThebigleaderwasJakeHess，whotreatedmewithratherdistantaffability。Therewereprominentlawyersandbusinessmenwhobelonged，buttheytooklittlepartintheactualmeetings。

Whattheydidwasdoneelsewhere。TherunningofthemachinewaslefttoJakeHessandhiscaptainsoftensandofhundreds。

AmongtheselessercaptainsIsoonstruckupafriendshipwithJoeMurray，afriendshipwhichisasstrongnowasitwasthirty-threeyearsago。HehadbeenborninIreland，butbroughttoNewYorkbyhisparentswhenhewasthreeorfouryearsold，and，asheexpressedit，“raisedasabarefootedboyonFirstAvenue。”WhennoteighteenhehadenlistedintheArmyofthePotomacandtakenpartinthecampaignthatclosedtheCivilWar。ThenhecamebacktoFirstAvenue，and，beingafearless，powerful，energeticyoungfellow，carelessandreckless，speedilygrewtosomeprominenceasleaderofagang。Inthatdistrict，andatthattime，politicswasaroughbusiness，andTammanyHallheldunquestionedsway。ThedistrictwasoverwhelminglyDemocratic，andJoeandhisfriendswereDemocratswhoonelectiondayperformedtheusualgangworkforthelocalDemocraticleader，whosebusinessitwastofavorandrewardtheminreturn。Thissamelocalleader，likemanyothergreaterleaders，becamepuffedupbyprosperity，andforgottheinstrumentsthroughwhichhehadachievedprosperity。Afteroneelectionheshowedacallousindifferencetothehardworkofthegangandcompletedisregardofhisbefore-electionpromises。Hecountedupontheresentmentwearingitselfout，asusual，inthreatsandbluster。

ButJoeMurraywasnotamanwhoforgot。Heexplainedtohisganghispurposesandthenecessityofbeingquiet。Accordinglytheywaitedfortheirrevengeuntilthenextelectionday。Theythen，asJoeexpressedit，decided“tovotefurdestawayfromtheleader“——IamusingthelanguageofJoe’syouth——andthebestwaytodothiswastovotetheRepublicanticket。Inthosedayseachpartyhadaboothnearthepolling-placeineachelectiondistrict，wherethepartyrepresentativedispensedthepartyballots。Thishadbeenadistrictinwhich，asarule，veryearlyinthedaytheRepublicanelectionleaderhadhishatknockedoverhiseyesandhisboothkickedoverandhisballotsscattered；andthenthesizeoftheDemocraticmajoritydependedonanelasticappreciationofexactlyhowmuchwasdemandedfromheadquarters。Butonthisdaythingswentdifferently。Thegang，withaRomansenseofduty，tookanactiveinterestinseeingthattheRepublicanwasgivenhisfullrights。Moreover，theymadethemostenergeticreprisalsontheiropponents，andastheyweredistinctlythetoughandfightingelement，justicecametoherownwithawhoop。

Would-berepeaterswerethrownoutontheirheads。Everypersonwhocouldbecajoledor，Ifear，intimidated，wasgiventheRepublicanticket，andtheupshotwasthatattheendofthedayadistrictwhichhadneverhithertopolledmorethantwoorthreepercentofitsvoteRepublicanbrokeaboutevenbetweenthetwoparties。

ToJoeithadbeenmerelyanactofretributioninsofarasitwasnotsimplyaspree。ButtheleadersattheRepublicanheadquartersdidnotknowthis，andwhentheygotovertheirparalyzedastonishmentatthereturns，theyinvestigatedtofindoutwhatitmeant。SomebodytoldthemthatitrepresentedtheworkofayoungmannamedJosephMurray。Accordinglytheysentforhim。TheroominwhichtheyreceivedhimwasdoubtlesssomeplacelikeMortonHall，andthemenwhoreceivedhimwereakintothosewhohadleadershipinMortonHall；butinJoe’seyestheystoodforahighercivilization，foropportunity，forgenerousrecognitionofsuccessfuleffort——inshort，forallthethingsthataneageryoungmandesires。Hewasreceivedandpattedonthebackbyamanwhowasagreatmantotheworldinwhichhelived。

Hewasintroducedtotheaudienceasayoungmanwhoseachievementwassuchastopromisemuchforthefuture，andmoreoverhewasgivenaplaceinthepost-office——asIhavesaid，thiswaslongbeforethedayofCivilServiceReform。

Now，tothewrongkindofmanallthismighthavemeantnothingatall。ButinJoeMurray’scaseitmeanteverything。Hewasbynatureasstraightaman，asfearlessandasstanchlyloyal，asanyonewhomI

haveevermet，amantobetrustedinanypositiondemandingcourage，integrity，andgoodfaith。Hedidhisdutyinthepublicservice，andbecamedevotedlyattachedtotheorganizationwhichhefelthadgivenhimhischanceinlife。WhenIknewhimhewasalreadymakinghiswayup；oneoftheproofsandevidencesofwhichwasthatheownedafirst-classracingtrotter——“AliceLane“——behindwhichhegavememorethanonespin。DuringthisfirstwinterIgrewtolikeJoeandhisparticularcronies。ButIhadnoideathattheyespeciallyreturnedtheliking，andinthefirstrowwehadintheorganization(whicharoseoveramovement，thatIbacked，tostandbyanon-partisanmethodofstreet-cleaning)Joeandallhisfriendsstoodstifflywiththemachine，andmyside，thereformside，wasleftwithonlysomehalf-dozenvotesoutofthreeorfourhundred。Ihadexpectednootheroutcomeandtookitgood-humoredly，butwithoutchangingmyattitude。

Nextfall，astheelectionsdrewnear，JoethoughthewouldliketomakeadriveatJakeHess，andafterconsiderableplanningdecidedthathisbestchancelayinthefightforthenominationtotheAssembly，thelowerhouseoftheLegislature。Hepickedmeasthecandidatewithwhomhewouldbemostlikelytowin；andwinhedid。Itwasnotmyfight，itwasJoe’s；anditwastohimthatIowemyentryintopolitics。Ihadatthattimeneitherthereputationnortheabilitytohavewonthenominationformyself，andindeedneverwouldhavethoughtoftryingforit。

JakeHesswasentirelygood-humoredaboutit。Inspiteofmybeinganti-machine，myrelationswithhimhadbeenfriendlyandhuman，andwhenhewasbeatenheturnedintohelpJoeelectme。AtfirsttheythoughttheywouldtakemeonapersonalcanvassthroughthesaloonsalongSixthAvenue。Thecanvass，however，didnotlastbeyondthefirstsaloon。Iwasintroducedwithpropersolemnitytothesaloon-

keeper——averyimportantpersonage，forthiswasbeforethedayswhensaloon-keepersbecamemerelythemortgagedchattelsofthebrewers——

andhebegantocross-examineme，alittletoomuchinthetoneofonewhowasdealingwithasuppliantforhisfavor。HesaidheexpectedthatIwouldofcoursetreattheliquorbusinessfairly；towhichI

answered，nonetoocordially，thatIhopedIshouldtreatallinterestsfairly。Hethensaidthatheregardedthelicensesastoohigh；towhichIrespondedthatIbelievedtheywerereallynothighenough，andthatIshouldtrytohavethemmadehigher。Theconversationthreatenedtobecomestormy。Messrs。MurrayandHess，onsomehastilyimprovisedplea，tookmeoutintothestreet，andthenJoeexplainedtomethatitwasnotworthmywhilestayinginSixthAvenueanylonger，thatIhadbettergorightbacktoFifthAvenueandattendtomyfriendsthere，andthathewouldlookaftermyinterestsonSixthAvenue。Iwastriumphantlyelected。

OncebeforeJoehadinterferedinsimilarfashionandsecuredthenominationofanAssemblyman；andshortlyafterelectionhehadgrowntofeeltowardthisAssemblymanthathemusthavefedonthemeatwhichrenderedCaesarproud，ashebecameinaccessibletotheordinarymortalswhoseplaceofresortwasMortonHall。HeeyedmewarilyforashorttimetoseeifIwaslikelyinthisrespecttofollowinmypredecessor’sfootsteps。FindingthatIdidnot，heandallmyotherfriendsandsupportersassumedtowardmetheverypleasantestattitudethatitwaspossibletoassume。Theydidnotaskmeforathing。TheyacceptedasamatterofcoursetheviewthatIwasabsolutelystraightandwastryingtodothebestIcouldintheLegislature。TheydesirednothingexceptthatIshouldmakeasuccess，andtheysupportedmewithheartyenthusiasm。IamalittleatalosstoknowquitehowtoexpressthequalityinmyrelationshipwithJoeMurrayandmyotherfriendsofthisperiodwhichrenderedthatrelationshipsobeneficialtome。WhenIwentintopoliticsatthistimeIwasnotconsciousofgoinginwiththesetpurposetobenefitotherpeople，butofgettingformyselfaprivilegetowhichIwasentitledincommonwithotherpeople。Soitwasinmyrelationshipwiththesemen。IftherehadlurkedintheinnermostrecessesofmymindanywherethethoughtthatIwasinsomewayapatronorabenefactor，orwasdoingsomethingnoblebytakingpartinpolitics，orthatIexpectedthesmallestconsiderationsavewhatIcouldearnonmyownmerits，Iamcertainthatsomehoworothertheexistenceofthatfeelingwouldhavebeenknownandresented。Asamatteroffact，therewasnottheslightesttemptationonmyparttohaveanysuchfeelingoranyoneofsuchfeelings。InomoreexpectedspecialconsiderationinpoliticsthanI

wouldhaveexpecteditintheboxingring。Iwishedtoactsquarelytoothers，andIwishedtobeabletoshowthatIcouldholdmyownasagainstothers。Theattitudeofmynewfriendstowardmewasfirstoneofpolitereserve，andthenthatoffriendlyalliance。AfterwardsI

becameadmittedtocomradeship，andthentoleadership。IneedhardlysayhowearnestlyIbelievethatmenshouldhaveakeenandlivelysenseoftheirobligationsinpolitics，oftheirdutytohelpforwardgreatcauses，andtostruggleforthebettermentofconditionsthatareunjusttotheirfellows，themenandwomenwhoarelessfortunateinlife。Butinadditiontothisfeelingtheremustbeafeelingofrealfellowshipwiththeothermenandwomenengagedinthesametask，fellowshipofwork，withfuntovarythework；forunlessthereisthisfeelingoffellowship，ofcommoneffortonanequalplaneforacommonend，itwillbedifficulttokeeptherelationswholesomeandnatural。Tobepatronizedisasoffensiveastobeinsulted。Nooneofuscarespermanentlytohavesomeoneelseconscientiouslystrivingtodohimgood；whatwewantistoworkwiththatsomeoneelseforthegoodofbothofus——anymanwillspeedilyfindthatotherpeoplecanbenefithimjustasmuchashecanbenefitthem。

NeitherJoeMurraynorInoranyofourassociatesatthattimewerealivetosocialandindustrialneedswhichwenowallofusrecognize。

Butwethenhadveryclearlybeforeourmindstheneedofpracticallyapplyingcertainelementalvirtues，thevirtuesofhonestyandefficiencyinpolitics，thevirtueofefficiencysidebysidewithhonestyinprivateandpubliclifealike，thevirtuesofconsiderationandfairdealinginbusinessasbetweenmanandman，andespeciallyasbetweenthemanwhoisanemployerandthemanwhoisanemployee。OnallfundamentalquestionsJoeMurrayandIthoughtalike。WeneverpartedcompanyexceptingonthequestionofCivilServiceReform，wherehesincerelyfeltthatIshoweddoctrinaireaffinities，thatI

sidedwiththepharisees。WegotbackagainintocloserelationsassoonasIbecamePoliceCommissionerunderMayorStrong，forJoewasthenmadeExciseCommissioner，andwas，Ibelieve，thebestExciseCommissionerthecityofNewYorkeverhad。Heisnowafarmer，hisboyshavebeenthroughColumbiaCollege，andheandIlookatthequestions，political，social，andindustrial，whichconfrontusin1913frompracticallythesamestandpoint，justasweoncelookedatthequestionsthatconfrontedusin1881。

TherearemanydebtsthatIoweJoeMurray，andsomeforwhichhewasonlyunconsciouslyresponsible。IdonotthinkthatamanisfittodogoodworkinourAmericandemocracyunlessheisabletohaveagenuinefellow-feelingfor，understandingof，andsympathywithhisfellow-Americans，whatevertheircreedortheirbirthplace，thesectioninwhichtheylive，ortheworkwhichtheydo，providedtheypossesstheonlykindofAmericanismthatreallycounts，theAmericanismofthespirit。Itwasnosmallhelptome，intheefforttomakemyselfagoodcitizenandgoodAmerican，thatthepoliticalassociatewithwhomIwasonclosestandmostintimatetermsduringmyearlyyearswasamanborninIreland，bycreedaCatholic，withJoeMurray’supbringing；justasithelpedmegreatlyatalaterperiodtoworkforcertainvitallynecessarypublicneedswithArthurvonBriesen，inwhomthespiritofthe“Acht-und-Vierziger“idealistswasembodied；justasmywholelifewasinfluencedbymylongassociationwithJacobRiis，whomIamtemptedtocallthebestAmericanIeverknew，althoughhewasalreadyayoungmanwhenhecamehitherfromDenmark。

IwaselectedtotheLegislatureinthefallof1881，andfoundmyselftheyoungestmaninthatbody。Iwasreelectedthetwofollowingyears。Likeallyoungmenandinexperiencedmembers，Ihadconsiderabledifficultyinteachingmyselftospeak。Iprofitedmuchbytheadviceofahard-headedoldcountryman——whowasunconsciouslyparaphrasingtheDukeofWellington，whowashimselfdoubtlessparaphrasingsomebodyelse。Theadviceran：“Don’tspeakuntilyouaresureyouhavesomethingtosay，andknowjustwhatitis；thensayit，andsitdown。”

MyfirstdaysintheLegislatureweremuchlikethoseofaboyinastrangeschool。Myfellow-legislatorsandIeyedoneanotherwithmutualdistrust。Eachofuschosehisseat，eachbeganbyfollowingtheleadofsomeveteraninthefirstroutinematters，andthen，inaweekortwo，webegantodriftintogroupsaccordingtoourseveralaffinities。TheLegislaturewasDemocratic。IwasaRepublicanfromthe“silkstocking“district，thewealthiestdistrictinNewYork，andIwasput，asoneoftheminoritymembers，ontheCommitteeofCities。