A Slippery Party Boss

New York, 1895

His Peculiarities Pointed Out by a Republican Newspaper.

(From the Long Island City Herald, Republican.)

The interest which the Hon William J. Youngs manifests in county politics is, we fear, of that kind which has been felicitously described as "pernicious activity." Mr. Youngs not only wants a lucrative and important state office for himself, but he wants one less lucrative and less important, we suppose, for his protege, Mr. Charles L. Phipps. Owing to the mistake our two Republican assemblymen made in not voting for Mr. Fish for speaker, Queens county Republicans have got very few plums at Albany. Only two places — and those are of small value — have been given to Republicans from this county and Mr. Youngs has secured them for men who came from his end of the county. He has completely overlooked Long Island City. An effort is being made to secure the removal of Mr. Seabury as clerk of the board of Supervisors and have a Republican appointed in his place. The office is worth $2,000 a year, and the work is light. It is here that the "pernicious activity" of Mr. Youngs again asserts itself. He wants the office for his protege, Mr. Charles L. Phipps. A year ago he was willing that Long Island City should have it. If Long Island City was entitled to it then, why is she not entitled to it now, Mr. Youngs? Up to date the Republicans of Long Island City have not got within smelling distance of an office, either in the state or county government. For this slight, we must hold Mr. Youngs, who claims to be and is recognized as the party boss in this county, responsible and accountable. There is no use in mincing matters with Mr. Youngs. He is and always has been a very slippery gentleman, who thinks more of feathering his own nest than looking after the interests of others.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 1.