Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-09-14
NO BOSS" WANTED.

N SS -AA' A-~N'
Republicans do not need "boss." Ig-
norance must be directed, but intelligence
is always able to direct itself Organiza-
ton in political activity is absolutely nee
essary; it is requisite in order to prevent
frauds at the balIot-box, to prevent corrupt
men from casting illegal votes and from
counting them ont fraudulently; but or
ganization is not necessary to cast the vote
of the intelligent man, for the intelligent
man does not need to be member of a
club in order to cast his vote. Let any
one ask himself whether or not his mem
bership in club has any influence upon
his judgment as to the right principles in
government, and he will at once see that
organization is useful only as creating en-
thusiasm where there is absence of con-
yiction. Wherever there are convictions
Of right and duty, it is not organization
that has created them, but in the absence
of well defined opinions organization and
the parade, the demonstration and the
torch-light procession will secure adhe-
rents, because these are substitutes for con-
viction.
The Republican party embraces the in
telligence of this country, and hence does
not need to be led, or controlled, or directed
in its action; but ignorance does forever
need just such tutilage. 1t looks up to the
leader; it knows nothing that the leader
does not tell it; it accepts and receives
nothing that is not handed down from
leadership; but men of independent
thought are not influenced in that way.
There never was any necessity for "boss"
in this State, if perhaps we accept San
Francisco. Local politics in that city may
need to carry over to it q margin of ignor-
ance which would go 10 the other side, but
for the venal uses of the "boss." The
'bosses" worked with the veral element of
society, and directed and controlled it;
they furnished it money, they divided the
spoils with it. Now, men who look about
to convert their elective franchise into
pecuniary advantage Of some kind in
variably seek for a "boss." But
that condition can prevail only in
large cities. 1t is assumed that there
are 1000 votes in San Francisco in
duenced by men who belong TO the
criminal elements of society; ex-conyicts;
men who make their living by unlawful
means "lovers" of bad women, and keep
ers of dens Of infamy; the willfully I'M
employed and the vagrant classes of So
ciety. When election day comes they all
have something to sell, and will naturally
seek market for their wares. Ifthere is
shop open anywhere where such votes
are purchased they will carry their COM
modify to that shop. In State politics it
plays a very small part, unless parties are
evenly balanced, the work of the "boss"
being to distribute spoils, divide salaries,
sell the decisions of juries and Courts, and
to prevent Grand Juries from finding
indictments. All these are necessary to
the "boss," but none Of them are necessary
to the conduct of campaign. There are
100000 voters in the State of California
Parties must appeal to their reason and
their Judgment. A party, to succeed,
must invoke the intelligence of these peo-
pie; must show them that it will be more
likely to establish and maintain economic
government, and foster the general pros
perity and welfare of the State, and hence
mas right to expect their support. The
party that does this most effectively will
win the campaign, notwithstanding the
venal element that will be directed by
the vicious practices of the "boss."
In local politics in the city of San Fran
cisco it is quite likely that if the entire
1000 corrupt votes were cast for a single
party it would constitute balance power.
The party that was prepared to deal with
that element in the only manner in which
1t can be dealt with, by giving percent
age OF the offices, by paying directly for
votes and other vicious practices, would
have in its hands the balance of
power, so far as the municipal ticket goes,
save and except that the other side had
another "boss" and the fact was known.
The only reason why it has been necessary,
was that there we're two bosses" both APP
pealing to the venal and vagrant element
fsoeiety and each accomplishing some
hing through it.