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.