Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-02
The Liquor Seller In Politics.

Theodore Roosevelt contributes an arti-
Gle TO the November Century on Machine
Politics in New York City" from which we
quote the following:
Tne strength OF our political organiza-
tiOns arises from their development as So
cial bodies; many of the hardest workers in
their ranks are neither Of1icehOlderS nor yet
paid henchmen, but merely members who
have gradually learned 10 identify their
fortunes with the party whose hall they
have come to regard as the headquarters in
which 10 spend the most agreeable of
their leisure moments. Under the Amer
lean system il is impossible for a man to
accomplish anything by himself; he must
associate himself with others, and they
must throw their weight together. This is
just what the social functions of the pOlit-
ical 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 rs a
body. The immense effect produced by a
social organization for political purposes i
shown by the career of the Union League
club; and an equally striking proof can be
seen by every man who attends ward
meeting. There Is thus. however, much to
be regretted il may be, q 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 OTganlZi unS.
Ii is this that gives the liquOr-SellerS
their enormous influence in politics. Pre-
paTatOTy TO the general election of 1854
there were held in the various districts of
New York ten hundred and seven primaries
and political con SentionS OF all parties. and
of these no less than six hundred and
thirty-three took place in liquor saloons
showing that leaves small ground for
wonder at the low average grade of the
nominees. The reason for such 3 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 pnlit-
ical organizations into social clubs. Bar
tenders form perhaps the nearest approach TO
leisure class that We have at present on this
side OF the water. They naturally are OF
semi-intimate terms with all who frequent
their houses. There is no place where more
gossip is talked than in baT-roOms and much
of this gossip is about politiCS-that is. the
politics of the ward, not Of the nation. The
tariff and the silver question may be al
luded TO, but the real interest comes in dis
cuSSifg the dOingS of the men with whom
they are personally acquainted; why Billy
sO-and-So, the alderman. has quarreled with
his former chief supporter; whether old
man y" has really managed to fix the dele
gates to a given conventions: the reason
why one faction bOlted at the last primary :;
and if il is true that great downtown boss
who has all intimate friend of opposite pO-
,itical faith running in an uptown district
has forced the managers of his own party
10 put up a man of straw against HIM. Tie
oarkeeper is a man of much local power
and is, of course. hail-fellow-well-met with
MS visitors. as he and they can be Of mu-
tual assistance to one another. Even if Of
different politics. their feelings toward
each other are influenced by personal con
sdeTations purely; and, indeed. this is true
Of most Of the smaller bosses "a regards
;hciT dealings among themselves. for. a.
one of them once remarked tO me with
nigmatic tTuthfulneSS. there are no poll
tics in politics of the lower surt-whiCh,
being interpreted, means that profession
NJ politician is much less apt to be swaytd
ty the fact of mans being a democrat or
a republican than he is by his being per
sonal friend or foe. The liquor-saIooms
thas become the social headquarters of the
little knots or ciiqueS of men who take
most interest in local political affairs: and
by an easy transition they become the pc
litical headquarters when the time for pre-
pairing for the elections arrives: and. of
course. the goodwill of the owners of the
places is thereby prOpitiated-an important
point with the men striving TO control ev-
cry vote possible.