Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-11-04
IN UNION THERE rs STRENGTH.
Theodore RO1sevelt ON the Power of
the saloon in Politics.


Theodore Roosevelt ON the Power of
the saloon In Politics.
Theodore Roosevelt contributes an
article to the November Century on
"Machine Politics in New York CITY,"
from which the following is quoted:
THE strength of our political organiza-
tions arises from their development as
social bodies /; many of the hardest
workers in their ranks are neither office
holder nor yet paid henchnen, but
merely members who have gradually
learned to identify their fortunes with the
party whose hall they have come to re-
gard rs the headquarters in which to
spend the most agreeable of their leisure
moments. Under the American system il
is impossible for man to accomplish
anything by himself; he must as
sociate himself with others, and they
must throw their weight together. This
is lust what the social functions of the
political clubs enable their members to
do. The great and rich society clubs are
| composed of men who are not apt TO take
much interest in politics anyhow, and
| who never act as body. The immense
effect produced by social organization
| for political purposes is shown by the
4 NhIbbA VI ll0 NLiOu 1IDhRud SluD anu
| equally striking proof can be seen by
every man who attends ward meeting.
There is thus, however much to be re-
GREETED it may be, constant tendency
| towards the concentration of political
power in the hands of those men who by
taste and education are fitted to enjoy the
social side Of the various political organ.
izntions.
l 10 khfe kbnk r,tr H.
their enormous influence in politics.
Preparatory to the general election of
1854 there were held in the various dis
tricts of New York / ,007 primaries and
political conventions of all parties, and
of these no less than 633 took place in
liquor -ssloons--a showing that leaves
small ground for wonder at the low
average grade of the nominees. The
reason for such condition OF things is
perfectly evident; it is because the liquor
saloons are places of social resort for the
same men who turn the local political
organizations into social clubs. Bar.
tenders form perhaps the nearest ap
proach to leisure class that we have al
present on this side OF the water. They
naturally are Oh semi intimate terms witt
all who frequent their houses There il
no place where more gossip is talked thar
in bar-rooms and much of this gossip il
about politics-that ia, the politics o
: the ward, not of the nation
The tariff and the silver ques
ton may be alluded to, but the rea
interest comes in discussing the doings o
the men with whom they are PERSONAL
acquainted why Billy so-and-so, til
; alderman, hos quarreled with his forme
1 chief supporter whether old man X ha
really managed to fix the delegates to
given convention; the reason why on
faction bolted at the last primary; and
1t is true that great downtown Dos
/ who has an intimate friend OF opposit
. political faith running in an uptown dii
9 triot has forced the managers of his ow
Q party to put up o man of straw again
him. The bar keeper is a man of muc
local power, and is, of course, hail-felloy
well-met with his visitors, as he and the
a, can be of mutual assistance to on
another. Even if Of different politics, the
1. feelings toward each other are influence
81 by personal considerations purely; an
G indeed, this is true of most of the small
a. bosses as regards their dealings amor
In themselves, for, as one of them once T
marked to me with enigmatic truthfr
ness, there are no politics in politics.
+ the lower sort--whioh, being inberprete
s. means that professional politician
I'd much less apt to be swayed by the fact
q mans being Democrat or aRepublici
ss than he is by his being personal friei
or foe. The liquor saloons thus becor
the social headquarters of the lit
, knots or cliques of men who take me
II interest in local political affairs; and
N. an easy transition they become &
On political head quarters when the time I
X preparing for the elections arrives; an
IL of course, the good will of the owners
is the places Is thereby propitiated--an Il
20 portant point with men striving to cont
10. every vote possible"