his time chasm' after places in the
departments, picks up jobs from railroads and contractors for his
followers, and shows himself in all ways a true statesman, then his
followers are bound in honor to uphold him, just as they're bound to
uphold the Constitution of the United States. But if he only looks after
his own interests or shows no talent for scenting out jobs or ain't
got the nerve to demand and get his share of the good things that are
going', his followers may be absolved from their allegiance and they may
up and swat him without bein' put down as political ingrates.

Chapter 9. Reciprocity in Patronage

WHENEVER Tammany is whipped at the polls, the people set to predictin'
that the organization is going' to smash. They say we can't get along
without the offices and that the district leaders are going' to desert
wholesale. That was what was said after the throwdowns in 1894 and 1901.
But it didn't happen, did it? Not one big Tammany man deserted, and
today the organization is stronger than ever.

How was that? It was because Tammany has more than one string to its
bow.

I acknowledge that you can't keep an organization together without
patronage. Men ain't in politics for nothin'. They want to get somethin'
out of it.

But there is more than one kind of patronage. We lost the public kind,
or a greater part of it, in 1901, but Tammany has an immense private
patronage that keeps things going' when it gets a setback at the polls.

Take me, for instance. When Low came in, some of my men lost public
jobs, but I fixed them all right. I don't know how many jobs I got for
them on the surface and elevated railroads--several hundred.

I placed a lot more on public works done by contractors, and no Tammany
man goes hungry in my district. Plunkitt's O.K. on an application for
a job is never turned down, for they all know that Plunkitt and Tammany
don't stay out long. See!

Let me tell you, too, that I got jobs from Republicans in
office--Federal and otherwise. When Tammany's on top I do good turns for
the Republicans. When they're on top they don't forget me.

Me and the Republicans are enemies just one day in the year--election
day. Then we fight tooth and nail The rest of the time it's live and let
live with us.

On election day I try to pile up as big a majority as I can against
George Wanmaker, the Republican leader of the Fifteenth. Any other day
George and I are the best of friends. I can go to him