Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-15
The OFFICE OF THE BOSS.

Inc disclosures maze by tne puDI1catlon
of the now celebrated Dudley letter, and
the discussions of that letter, have thrown
into clear relief both the opportunity and
the use of boss in politics. 1t may be re-
marked in passing, that Dudley at first
denied the authorship of the letter, claim
ing that it was forgery, and brought suit
against certain newspapers for the publica-
ton of the letter and the allegation that
he was the author; but he has not, and
will not, press those suits. The worst fea-
ure of this whole case is that there are
people to apologize for the contents of the
letter, and among those is to be found the
United States District Attorney for Indi-
ana, who says that the letter was honor
able, and indicated only patriotic interest
in the election.
The object of this writing, however, is
not to discuss the letter, Mr.. Dudley's re-
lation to it, nor the subsequent action of
the Administration in giving him an Office,
but as at first indicated, to call attention
to some disclosures of political methods, as
common in California as in Indiana. An
individual of the corruptible element in
Indiana is called foater, and political
parties have made careful estimates of the
volume of this floating vote. A foater is
one who must be paid for his vote. They
organize themselves into clubs of fifty or
hundred. In some instances, in closely con-
tested municipalities, few Of these clubs
constitute the balance of power. They
thus work up high price for their votes.
The boss's man, who handles the money of
a precinct, organizes these voters, and sees
to it that they vote the Republican or the
Democratic ticket, there being no differ
ence whatever between the two parties in
their disposition ouse this corruptible ele-
ment. The estimated volume of this venal
element, according to poll-book makers,
varies from minimum of twenty to a
maximum of thirty thousand; striking an
average between these two estimates, we
have twenty-five thousand. Thus the use
of very large sum of money in politics
In Indiana will make difference of fifty
thousand votes; that is to say, twenty-five
thousand off from the Democratic and on
to the Republican side of the contest
opens margin of fifty thousand, or vice
versa, as the case may be. Any wealthy
scoundrel, whose scheme of rapacity and
plumber requires that he shall be elected
Governor of a State, may put money enough
into the hands Of boss to control this
venal element, and thus the Office of boss
is brought into clear relief He is one
who has, through numerous lieutenants,
made business of ascertaining who con-
troll the venal element, how much it costs
to handle and control it, and through
whom this work may be done.
In the city of San Francisco this foater
vote is estimated at seven thousand.
Hence the control of that vote is equal to
a margin of fourteen thousand, or very
much more than the difference between
the relative strength of the two parties.
Here in Sacramento, if the purchasable
element equals five hundred, it would
constitute the balance Of power. Through
the instrumentality of this unpatriotic,
vicious and venal element, money can
place itself in the control of the Govern
ment, ard this means far more than the
control merely of legislative enactments-
it means eventual control of the Courts.
A third-rate lawyer desires to be Superior
Judge of county, or a still lower grade OF
lawyer desires to occupy seat on the
Supreme Bench; they will at once ally
themselves with the money power in con-
troll, for the same power which can control
the ballos-box can also control the caucus,
the primary election, the convention, with
each and every instrumentality in control
of public opinion and in the direction OF
public affairs.
Is it any wonder, then, that Brice, cit
izen of New York, finding a vacancy in
the office of United States Senator for the
State of Ohio, goes down to Columbus and
purchases the unanimous nomination OF
the Democratic caucus? The members OF
the caucus are the creatures of the Demo-
cratic County Conventions, in the elections
to which the foater vote was directed and
controlled by money. Officers chosen in
this way are themselves necessarily cor
rupt and corruptible. Having in their
hands the great dignifed function OF
choosing United States Senator who may
have marked influence on the destiny of
the nation, these venal scoundrels find it a
favorable opportunity to sell it to the
highest bidder, and thus Mr.. Briee became
the choice of the legislative caucus, not
withstanding he is not even citizen of
the State he aspires to represent Nor is
it true that he will misrepEesent the State