Tags and a String

New York, 1895

It is no wonder that disgust prevails in all parts of the county at the way in which William J. Youngs is lording it over Republicans. He is a more tyrannical Boss than Boss Platt himself. Nothing can be tolerated that Boss Youngs does not approve. Whatever he disapproves must be put aside. No man must seek office without his consent. He tried his hand at bossing the board of Supervisors and failed. Consequently the Supervisors are being attacked in the newspapers to which the Boss has access, and particularly in the Jamaica Standard. Boss Youngs has never forgiven the board for their refusal to put on his collar by making his friend Richensteen their clerk. The Democratic board of Supervisors could get no legislation last year because Boss Youngs said Democrats were not entitled to anything. The Republican board of Supervisors can get no legislation this year because they did not put on Boss Youngs' collar and make him the patronage dispenser. He is going to make another attempt to put his collar on the Supervisors. He says they must appoint a Republican as clerk, and that Mr. Phipps must be the man. The issue is clearly defined. The people will await the result with much interest. THE FARMER does not believe that the Republican Supervisors will consent to be led about at the end of a string and wear tags in their buttonholes. They are all honest and courageous men, known to be such the county over.

Fair play requires the statement to be made that such Republicans as Congressman McCormick, Senator Childs, Hon. Benjamin D. Hicks, and many others are not in sympathy with the political methods of Boss Youngs.


Short Editorials

If the Republican Herald of Long Island City is correct in its statement that Boss Youngs is back of the job to increase the number of arrearage commissioners and add $4,500 to the expense, then it is proper to ask why Assemblyman Vacheron becomes the tool of Boss Youngs in such bad business.

What induced Assemblyman Vacheron to write a letter to John Doty Van Nostrand of Flushing that he would make him an arrears commissioner? The question hardly needs an answer.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 5, 1895, p. 4.