The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-16
WHAT WINS.

The low moral ebb to which politics
has been brought in this country cannot
fail to startle the philosophic student who
has no object in perverting the truth or
in wilfully closing his eyes to the facts.
There is no morality in politics. Success
is the test of worth and any means no
matter what their nature or tendency,
which contribute to success, are justified
by the end in view. Craftsmanship is
no longer valued in Offices whose duties
are national; qualifications are not con-
siderered in local public positions. Pol
tics has degenerated into low, disreput-
able scramble, in which cunning, intrigue
and effrontery win, and merit, modesty
and honesty are discarded. Politics has
become profession and has fallen into
disreputable hands. 1t has become a
calling similar to that of the gambler.
It is business which can only be prose
cuted successfully with capital OF insin-
cerity, deception, mendacity, dishonesty
and low demagoguery. 1t has fallen
into bad hands and has been 80 cast as
to be repulsive in feature to men of re
spectability. The successful politician,
as a rule, must be corrupt. He must
devote more time to iattery than to those
duties which he cannot neglect without
prejudice to the public good. He must
be an adept at Justification. He must
have SO little honesty that his conscience
will not be shocked by the employment
of corrupt means. He must assume the
duties of a boss. He must figure a long
ways ahead and bring the people to
frame of mind favorable to his schemes.
The politician needs pliable material and
he interests the indolent and venal in his
cause.
Blaine owns the state of Maine, because
he owns the few who manage politics.
On election day when the people assert
themselves, the boss, in shaping the
party course is as powerless as the peo-
pie were silent, when he assumed to
speak their wishes. Coukling was boss
of New York because his ieutenants
were bosses IN sections of that state. -
But Conkling finds it difficult to get a
sufficient number of votes for u. ). SEN
ator to make his candidacy respectable.
The men who boss, ignore the people and
do their work during that period of a
campaign which by fatal neglect is
left wholly to politicians. Party devotion
is relied upon to prevent any remon-
STRANGE, in the guise Of opposition, against
| the work of the boss and his crew. Conk-
ling knew that there was an intense OPP
position to Grant, but he trusted to that
allegiance which the convention always
| demands and receives.
1t is thus the boss wins and it is this
| blind devotion to the boss through the
party which makes the dictator possible.
If the people fail to ratify his acts unless
| they accord with propriety and fitness,
| the effort will be to so act rs to silence
criticism and not so as to defy public
opinion. The professional politician is
fast becoming a grievous burden. He
is too prolific of schemes and too devoted
to his profession. He loves the people
too well and is too diligent in keeping
| tI.a-c.jafr,5nad-Gf his raac55ifira or-and
proceeds on the theory that the mind of
the public is engrossed solely with poll
tics and that no other subject can be dis
cussed which will prove equally interest
ing. If the politician was well estab-
lished institution when litanies were pre-
pared, there would certainly be q sup
plication for deliverance from this plague.
None Of his performances are postponed
on account of the weather. He is always
on hand, always willing end anxious to
| entertain.