The news., 1882-12-12
LEADERS AND BOSSES.

AHSic - q very DfOau line OF ulstlnctlO0
between political leaders and political
hosses. The mental and moral character
tics ofthe two classes are SO different
and withal SO incompatible with each
other that il is hardly possible for the
samc man to be both at the same time.
A political leader is one who influences
and controls public opinion by the power
Of his thoughts. He makes himself mas.
Ter Of The sundry questions which arise
for popular consideration, and, by the
strength Of his intellect and his diligence
10 the study Of these questions, he becomes
an expert in handling them. He knows
more than most men in regard to them,
and can. consequently, teach and influence
others by the fnllness and supremacy of
his own thoughts. He has opinions, and
also the courage Of uttcranc e, not only as
to what ought to be done, but as 10 what
in the circumstances can be done He is
a man Of plans and measures, many of
which are born in his cwn brain, for the
public good He digs the channels along
which popular thought runs, generally
keeping himself little in advance of
this thought, and always seeking to bring
itup TO his own level His main business
is not 10 manipulate men, but to originate
shape aud advocate policies. He judges
sonndIy, cautiously, and, for a rule, cor
recllY US TO the effect Of causes, and, hence,
anticipates the probable futnre with, At
least, a tolerable certainty.
One who has theae characteristics is
naturally leader of others, and, if he
lives long enough, he is quite sure to make
his mark upon the community. When
he dies, he leaves behind him the mon
nments of his power. Alexander Ham
ilton was such a man. Henry Clay was
another William H. Seward was anoth-
er, Lincoln and Garfield we're leaders.
Men Of this stamp are strong in the pow
er and strength Of what they think, and
they think so much better than the aver
age man that the latter instinctively pays
obeisance to their thoughts. The poll
cies of governments are shaped by such
leaders Of thought. The service which
they render in human affairs is of the
first consequence to the country in which
they live and not infrequently to the gen.
eral interests Of mankind. There certain
ly can be no objection to such political
leaders. No country ever had too many
OF them, and no country can get along
very we'll without at least one genuine
leader Even q political party without
great leader, to supply it with controlling
thoughts and shape its policies, is like an
army without general. 1t wants at
least one who is wiser and knows more
than any other man in the party, and
whose supremacy, for this reason, will be
recognized.
A political boss" especially If of the
modern type, is very diaeren! sort Of
article. He has no conscientious scruples
about anything and is controlled in every
thing he does by intense and cold-hearted
selfshness. He is equal to any sort Of
trickery. What he wants is the patron
sge of the government, as the means Of
his own power Give him offices, either
Cor himself Or 10 dispose Of 10 those who'll
obey his will, and he is content He calls
himself practical politician" by which
he means that, with plenty of patronage
to help him and an army of ofice-seekers
dependent upon his favor, he can run the
system of machine politics-elect dele
gates at primary meetings, manipulate
conventions, nominate candidates, and in
general, conduct the proceeds Of an elec-
tion campaign. As to principles, ht
cares nothing, and as to public policies
he cares nothing. All he wants is to ge
his men elected and to get The Offices fol
himself and his favorites. The right
and the interests of the people are to hin
matters of no consequence. His own in
terests as political boss constitute III
one supreme question. Here all hi
thoughts and plans begin and here the.
end. A Statesman he is not. An origi
nator Of measures for the public good h
is not. He is purely party man, am
the party to which he belongs is Of n
consequence TO him, except as he cal
use il for his own selfish purposes.
This is not an oyerdrawn picture Of
certain class OF men who have made shei
appearance in the political history of thi
country and have figured in the politic
of the country some on a larger am
others on a smaller scale. They are no
leaders Of thought or originators OF put
lie measures; ia the tricks and msnipula
tions Of party politics. John Kelly il on
of these bosses, and so was Tweed in hi
day. In almost every city We find suc
politieal bosses. Ex-senator Conkling
with his more than twelve years 10 tn
Senate, was more distinguished as po
litical boss and patronage dispenser thai
for anything else. Where are his speech
es on the great questions that concern til
public good? If published in a volume
they would make very poor show il
comparison with the speeches of Nh
Seward. or Henry Cisy. or Daniel Web