The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-10-25


ETERNAL VIGILANCE rs. THE
PRICE OF LIBERTY. p.
Il fs324E GIGANTIC RING SYSTEM
az il not generally known that from
@ patronage system which, for years
IIl,as existed in the United States there
has grown up, independently of S|politi:
cal parties, an organization which IS ex:
tremely dangerous. Its power has been
used for base purposes, the object Of the
organization being to carry on a system
Of legislative and political brokerage. =
For a. consideration, q, commission,
they will undertake to secure appoint
ments, 6 overnment contracts, ETC.: =
2 The Smaggiers d Ring, the Whisliey
Ring, and other extensive frauds, are
branches Of this association. 1t is so
well Organized, 50 well calculated to
WELD influence over members, heads Of
different departments, the people even.
, =.
that it generally succeeds lin; carrying
any project which it undertakes to put
through. '."" ''$ :, - #''"tA .:,'.!. 80
~ Through the workings, Of their order
the Ring do, in q great. measure, con
troll not only the Congress of the Uni
ted States, but also the Legislatures :of
the different States, and also the people
to \ great extent. =" Vi. Rag: .'t" Z:
The modus operandi is substantially
as follows: one person in each Senate
rial District is initiated into the PRIV
ate workings of the order, who is to be
the managing, controlling genius of po-
litic;.l affairs in his district. The men
so appointed are invariably plausible,
pleasant fellows, who can readily adapt
themselves to circumstances, can make
themselves agreeable and at home iii all
kinds of society, and can advocate Ell
ther side of any question of Importance
which agitates the public mind. AS /.
rule, they hold Federal and State ap-
pointments onlarge salaries and can
afford to spend time and money to fur
tier the interests of the order. In
they make up from fifteen to
one. hundred in each State. These are
called among themselves "Local Man.
ayers" Those OF each State meet once
i'll each year and select a State chief,
who, with several assistants, resides ut
the State capital. They manage the
business and control the movements Of
the order in their respective States.
The chiefs of the different States meet
once in each year and appoint a Nation
al Sachem, who, with u corps of assist
ants, resides at the National capital,
and has the management of business
there III which the order is Interested
and has absolute authority over the en-
tire association. Fabulous amounts of
money pass through their hands annual
ly, Of which every member is entitled
to Il share.
The business of Local Managers is,
first, to manufacture and mould public
opinion in favor Of any project which
their chief has contracted to carry
through. They make up the plan Of
each political campaign, name the call
didates in their respective States and
and artfully direct the drift
of public opinion III the direction they
wish to secure their nomination and
election. Every candidate so elected is
made to feel that lie is indebted to the
Local Manager for Ills position, and of
course they would be very ungrateful if
they did not do everything in their pow
er for the man who had placed them
there. They could not well refuse to
recommend appointments or to favor
the passage Of bills Which he had re-
The local politicians are rarely if ev-
er initiated into the private workings
of the order. They naturally fall into
the way of supporting these movements
because the perfect working Of the Or
der insures success and gives them To-
cal positions that are remunerative.
If by these means they can secure a
large portion of the members of Con-
gress and Of the State Legislatures, it
gives them an immense power over leg
isl,tion. When they can set the en-
dorsement of such members, it gives
them strong backing when they ask for
for their patrons. Add
to this the influence of the entire staff
of State and county officials, and it
gives the order; prodigious power
These things were brought to light in
the investigation of the Union Pacific
Railroad swindle.
They levy tribute for securing the ap-
pointment of Revenue Collectors, etc.,
who will allow the stealing to go on
Then they claim and receive large
share of the stealings. Since these
things have become known they have
created considerable alarm i'm high Off
cial circles. This combination, which
can be concentrated and controlled by
Il few Inscriptions men, is extremely
So far, however, it is
thought that this power has beef used
only to put money into their own pock-
cts. Even in this sense it is a reproach
and a disgrace to American politics.
President Hayes aimed Il heavy blow
ut this organization when he decreed