RICHARD CROKER SAYS HE IS NOT OPPOSED TO BUSINESS MEN

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 10---Richard Croker, Thomas F. Grady, John R Sexton. and John F. Carroll, well-known Tammany men, who have been in Florida since last Sunday afternoon, arrived here to-day from Rock Ledge, on the Indian River, where they have been since last Tuesday.

When THE NEW-YORK TIMES'S correspondent met them at their hotel Mr. Croker was looking at a cartoon in a New-York illustrated paper, in which, among other things, appeared the words, "Politicians make better city officers than business men," with his name attached to the sentiment.

"I never said the words attributed to me," remarked Mr. Croker. "I have seen the misquotation in several forms, one being to the effect that I have said that business men do not make good public officials. I'll tell you what I did say. It was this: That if business men when they go into public life would pay one-tenth part the attention to their official duties that they do to their own business affairs they would make much better office holders than they do.

"Now, the fact is that a business man may pay lots of attention to politics and never be called a politician, but the moment he accepts public office he is known at once as a politician, no matter if he still devotes much more time to business than to politics.

"No, I am not opposed to the appointment of business men to public office and never have been. I have simply been misrepresented, that is all.

Mr. Croker was asked if he had seen the reports as to the probable appointment of Isidor Straus of New-York as Postmaster General in Mr. Cleveland's Cabinet

He replied that he had read all that the New-York papers had said about it.

"What do you think of Mr. Straus for the Cabinet, Mr. Croker? Would such an appointment be a good one in your opinion?"

"It would, indeed. I can surely and conscientiously indorse Isidor Straus for Postmaster General. His appointment would suit me. It would not be displeasing to Tammany Hall as an organization. Mr. Straus is a business man---a first-class one, too. Now, if I were opposed to business men as public officials, I wouldn't favor Mr. Straus, would I? Of course not. I'm not opposed to business men in political offices. As I said before, I have been misrepresented.

''I've known Mr. Straus many years. He is an able, successful merchant, and a good Democrat, too--one of the finest. I know the whole family---lsidor and his two brothers. They have been for years in the chinaware trade In New-York City. They are very extensive importers. Either one of them would make an excellent officer for a business position in the new Democratic Cabinet.

"They are all New-Yorkers, bred there and thoroughly familiar with the business and the political situation there, and in all parts of the country. I repeat I would most heartily indorse the appointment of Isidor Straus, if made."