The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-01
Machine Politics.

There is a squabble among tho regular
Republican candidates for President to get
control OF the political organizations OF
the several States. For public opinion rs
manifested in the usual independent and
unorganized way they do not care the
snap Of n finger. 1t does not touch their
prospects or their future votes; at least in
their opinion; and n well-fouuded opinion
II is Votes 90 by, with, for. and under the
direction OF party organization. Control
certain men In State, and you control the
State Committee. Control the State Com
mlttee, ana you control the county commit
tees. Control the county committees, and
YOU control the town committees. Control
the latter, aud you control the votes.
This IL the rule In all organized politics.
The great body of the people have no hand
IN the business. They are just as much in
the hands OF the train bands of politics rs
the people of IA country invaded by an
army, are in the hands of the regular
soldiery. Obey or be shot. is the motto in
both cases; and us people don't IKE t0be
shot, they obey. Some say this is not so,
because anybody eau resist who has mind
to. But the unorganized multitude are
powerless against the regulars. Lord
NAPIER, the historian of the Peninsular
war; remarks that of all the cruelties that
can be practised upon an invaded people,
the greatest is that which induces an un-
disciplined multitude TO think they can
successfully oppose numbers against mill
tary organization and discipline. 1t IL, no
says, TO put sheep against wolves. II can
only end in Wholesale butchery and de-
| struction.
The remark is just rs true in politics as
| in war. The regulars have il all their own
way. They take control of the party chest.
theparty fortresses, the party cannon they
| officer the divisions, the battalions, the
regiments the companies, and the squads.
| With all the wires in their hands. they 20
! forth conquerlng aud to conquer. They
rope in everybody, enlist everybody, and
suppress everybody's squeals and groans
who don't like the discipline applied TO
them. The chaps who object to the train
ing are dragooned into submission. They
are refused rations, and threatened wi h
the loss of all share in the plumber of the
victory. They must even cheerfully sue
cumb, or they can have no chance at any
kind OF delicacy that may be going. No
one can be constable, or road surveyor, or
have n job, or be tidewaiter, or postmaster,
or alderman, or councilman, or assessor,
or surveyor, or Jumper, or be on q commit
tee, or have money to buy votes, or belong
TO the engine company, or be IA policeman
or u sub, or go to the Legislature, or have
a clerkship or an agency, or IL fact be any
body or anything anywhere, unless he
| knuckles and goes in with the crowd, and
keeps step to the music of the party drill
and never snifiies nor whines. That is
political discipline. Is IL supposable that
the leaders who have baen running this
machine for yeaQ. and years and proaung
by il, don't know the benefit of itf And
don't they know that those who get and
keep control of it are bound to make their
calling aud election surei Talk TO them
about independent votersl
But there IL another thing. The great
majority of these leaders being on
the make" they viii have nobody at the
front who isn't lively IN the distribution
of tho pickings and stealings. The Boston
transcript noted the fact the other day
that when BRIsTows name was mentioned
recently at one OF the gatherings of Bos-
ton local organization OF the Republicans,
II was received with derisive laughter.
BRIsrow was no machine man. what did
they want of him2 He could neither hold
nor drive in the kind of ploughing they
had TO do The Transcript derides in its
turn, and says the rejection of his name
was q feather In DRIsFow's cap. Ali
friend Transcript, we fear that remark
only covers an aching void. II may be O