t remember his name without looking in the
almanac. And poor old Plattt He's down and out now and Odell is in the
saddle, but that don't mean that he'll always be in the saddle. His
enemies are workin' hard all the time to do him, and I wouldn't be a bit
surprised if he went out before the next State campaign.

The politicians who make a lastin' success in politics are the men who
are always loyal to their friends, even up to the gate of State prison,
if necessary; men who keep their promises and never lie. Richard Croker
used to say that tellin' the truth and stickin' to his friends was the
political leader's stock in trade. Nobody ever said anything truer, and
nobody lived up to it better than Croker. That is why he remained leader
of Tammany Hall as long as he wanted to. Every man in the organization
trusted him. Sometimes he made mistakes that hurt in campaigns, but they
were always on the side of servin' his friends.

It's the same with Charles F. Murphy. He has always stood by his friends
even when it looked like he would be downed for doin' so. Remember how
he stuck to McClellan in 1903 when all the Brooklyn leaders were against
him, and it seemed as if Tammany was in for a grand smash-up! It's men
like Croker and Murphy that stay leaders as long as they live; not men
like Brutus and McManus.

Now I want to tell you why political traitors, in New York City
especially, are punished quick. It's because the Irish are in a
majority. The Irish, above all people in the world, hates a traitor.
You can't hold them back when a traitor of any kind is in sight and,
rememberin' old Ireland, they take particular delight in doin' up a
political traitor. Most of the voters in my district are Irish or of
Irish descent; they've spotted "The" McManus, and when they get a chance
at him at the polls next time, they won't do a thing to him.

The question has been asked: Is a politician ever justified in going'
back on his district leader? I answer: "No; as long as the leader
hustles around and gets all the jobs possible for his constituents."
When the voters elect a man leader, they make a sort of a contract with
him. They say, although it ain't written out: "We've put you here to
look out for our Interests. You want to see that this district gets all
the jobs that's comm' to it. Be faithful to us, and we'll be faithful to
you."

The district leader promises and that makes a solemn contract. If he
lives up to it, spends most of