National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-27

blackguard phrase, intended to create
prejudice against and jealousy of every
recognized party leader. The men who
use it know very well that leader
ship is the result Of popular selection.
They know that the masses of party
gravitate toward the support of II man or
of several men who seem to them most
capable of giving direction to party or
ganization. They try to exercise inhu-
ence themselves upon the action of
the party, and thrust themselves
forward for honors, but the voters of
the party do not want them. Then
they cry out that the very people
who snubbed them are being cheated by
bosses. The voters no sooner select
leader than the weak and uninfluential
fellows, whose egotism prompted them
to enter the race, but who have been
contemptuously set aside by the ma
Iority, cry out that "boss" has arisen
and is running machine" The news
paper press has connected with il many
who delight to coin phrases like these.
They are men who have no influence
in their communities, and they hate any
body who has. They insult the people
by insulting their leaders. How can
man lead ifhe has not followers? How
can he exercise influence if others do
not take his advice? Why should it be
cause for bitter denunciation of man
that his counses are honored, his ability
admired, and his leadership acknowl-
edged2
Worcester defines the word Boss as
used in the United States to mean "a
master, or master workman among me-
chanics; an employer of mechanics or
laborers." He defines it as used in Eng
land to mean "a master, orhe who can beat
or overcome another" 1t was political
designation given to William NJ. Tweed
the former Democratic leader ofthe city of
New York, by the "boyA" element, who
recognized his word as their law in DEM
ocratic polit;ts When his downfall
camsthe word "boss" was taken up as
IA reproachful epithet, to be hurled
at any leader in politics by those
who could not take his following
away from him. But of course only the
frothiest of demagogues have applied it to
men of high character and real claim to
popular respect. Public journals of the
baser sort, edited by cockneys, cranks,
deadbeats, and Bohemians have adopted
vocabulary in which "boss," and ina
chine" and "ring" are the principal
words. Many of these blackguards have
been given q university training, which
gives them and others an exaggerated
idea of the value of their opinions. Con-
ceit that is educated is entitled to no more
consideration than when ignorant. Malig-
nifty enveloped in estheticism is as foul
as when scowling from under the BAN
dts hat Base stabs at character are as
criminal when couched in the fine
phrases of our average sham reformer as
when given from the witness stand in
court by hired perjurer. The air in our
time is murky with the vaporings of the
basest of creatures solely bent on evil
while pretending to monopoly of virtue.
The public ear is now being vexed witha
constant stream of abuse from these vile
sources of all who choose to think well
of President Arthur. He is "boss,"
and all who do not traduce him are for
"the boss system"
If to be an honored and successful
leader is to be Il boss" worthy of reproba-
ton, let us commence to rewrite history
and anathematize Boss Clay, Boss Sew
ard, Boss Webster, Boss Cass, Boss
Benton, Boss Calhoun, Boss Wright, and
Boss Marcy. If Republican politics have
been corrupted by boss system, let
us blot out our eulogies of those of
its great leaders who are dead, and, bor-
rowing the elegant phrases of the mod
ern essayists, wrathfully denounce Boss
Fessenden, Boss Sumner, Boss Chase,
Boss Wade, Boss Collamer, Boss Buck
ingham, Boss Stevens, Boss Morton, and
Boss Chandler, each of whom had in
his day to encounter the same class of
enemies as are these who now hate the
men they cannot destroy.
If we are to abolish the boss system
and have general slaughter of leaders
why stop at Boss Cameron? Why not go
on with the good work and demolsh
Boss Mitchell, Boss Sherman, Boss Har-
rison, Boss Logan, Boss-all the other
Senator's? Why leave boss alive to tell
the tale? If headless party is the
strongest why leave for Vermont Boss
Edmunds, for Connecticut Boss Hawley,
for New Hampshire Boss Rollins, for
Rhode Island Boss Anthony, for Maine
a Boss Blaine, or for Massachusetts Boss
Hoar? Let us shoot our captains to
crafty the camp-followers. This is the
proposition of the newspaper generals
the men who undertook to make Horace
Greeley President. Shall we doubt their
wisdom?
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