The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-07
LEADER AND BOSS.

There is much talk nowadays about polit-
ical leaders and political bosses. The
American idea is to elevate by education, TO
an extent, that every citizen shall be his
own leader and his own boss. This done,
the American people will be sovereigns, and
not until then will the divine right to shape
events shine forth in all its majesty; not
until then will the Government be of the
people, by the people and for the people.
The leader and boss idea is tribal, to be
traced back to savagery. In rescuing it from
itsjungle home designing men havecrowned
it and made it kingly in power. AS a
result the wsrld is cursed by the claim set
up by the few of divine right to rule
over the maryland the many, prefering to
live slaves rather than die freemen, crawl
in the presence of their selfconstituted su-
periors. The American idea is that all Isen
are born equal. Strike down that idea and
away goes the Republic. The American
idea is ineternal antagonism to man worship
and boss rule. To hear men designate GER
tain individuals as leaders, whose word is
law and who must be followed with blind
devotion that distinguishes the movements
of gregarious beasts and birds, is an insult to
grace to manhood, and can not be tolerated
without producing an ever increasing har-
vest of National humiliations In Russia
the emery is, what does the Gar say? He is
leader and boss combined. In Germany
Bismarck is leader and boss 1t would be
easy to extend the list of countries where
leader and boss are everything and the peo-
pie nothing in shaping the affairs of
government. In such countries the laws
create the leaders and the bosses, and the
people submit perforce. The people of the
United States often bewail the condition
of down-trodden millions who are crushed
and cursed by the despotic power of 'di-
vine" rulers and bosses while they them
selves are scarcely sabject, and of their OWE
free will fsH into line under leader and boss
domination, with an obedience as servile as
ever distinguished a serf Daily reference
is made to Leadership in the Congress of the
United States. In the Senate AMI in the
House certain men are designated as lead
ers. These leaders have their bosses. Other
their peersge, blindly follow the
leader, or if they give signs of
nobility of soul, Independence of thought,
then the bosses come to the front to bring
the recalc trating members to teens. There
ought to be, doubtless. recognized differ
enee between leader and boss, just as there
is a recognized difference between wind and
wisdam, gnat and graf, but the terms have
become interchangeable to large degree
and ~s now regarded az practically synony-
NOUS. As circumstances require the leader
gets do<n to the level Of the boss, and the
boss rises to the elevation of the leader; and
thus we have ceaseless reference to boss cule,
the effect of which is anything but
ereditable 70 the masses of the peo.
pie. Those who discuss educational
affairs tell rs that the hope Ct the country
is Ia the school; that rising generations
must be educated up to plane where indie
pendence Of thought will be the glory of ths
will disappear, II the theory is correct, and
we confess it appears plausible, the school
will be worth all it costs. III independence
is 10 be the Nations boast il must be an in
Of thought of notion, Of will. and /
Of vote. 1t must be above man worship. be1s
rule ard machine politics. Men required 10
,bey laws must be able to comprehendlsws.
md frame laws. IN country where all