It was the old story--the conference of
that leadership on Mr. Nixon--the old story of the Wolf and Little Red
Riding Hood, with Mr. Croker as Wolf and Mr. Nixon the innocent who
was eaten up. No, no; he might have better guided himself. Mr.
Nixon--were all about the friendliest--was still unfit for the place.
It was like putting a horse in a tree-top; it gave the horse no grace
nor glory and offered a sole assurance of his finally falling out."
* * * * *
"Isn't Mr. Nixon himself an honest man?" asked Van Addle.
"Were it to be merely a question of honesty," replied Enfield, "Mr.
Nixon would make perfect answer. Broadly, he is an honest man. But
that, politically, is all. And there be enterprises, such as Tammany
Hall and the Stock Market, wherein to be merely honest is not a
complete equipment. Moreover, in this business of his so-called
'leadership,' Mr. Nixon might have carried himself with a more
sensitive integrity and been bettered vastly thereby. You will recall
that when Mr. Nixon performed as chairman of the Tammany anti-vice
committee, he discovered in its entire membership that combine of
blackmail and extortion which, standing at the head of Tammany and
doing its foul work through the police, fostered crime in the
community for a round return of four millions a year.
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