The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-08-24
RINGS IND BOSSES.

4eANoo -kAND IL oCSAS'
1t is certainly an indisputable fact
that all governments should be ad-
ministered in and for the best interests
of the great masses of the persons
governed, and it should also be kept
in view that minorities should not be
oppressed. 1t was undoubtedly the
belief of our fathers, who threw off
the tyranny of British oppression, and
WHO established our republican form
OF government, that the people who
were to gain or suffer by the privilege
of self-government, knowing that they
should work for their own happiness
and prosperity, would at all times do
so with carefully studied knowledge
of what would be the best policy to
lead to this good result. If it could
be so that the people, or a majority of
them, could make the laws them
selves we would perhaps find that few
of these laws would be oppressive to
the best interests of the masses of the
people But, unfortunately, the will
of the people does not always become
the law. Too many of our laws are
dictated by rings and bosses and the
will of the people is not carried out
This is disappointing and discourag-
ing to those who have commissioned
certain officers to carry out a policy
which has been endorsed and called
for by the people. 1t is then no won
der that hard words and ugly insinua
tions are frequently INDUCED in con-
corning those persons who have fail
ed to provide for what the people have
demanded.
But what are we going to do about
it? The natural suggestion would
be to put down these bosses and rings
but that is more easily said than done.
If we put down one boss another will
immediately arise in his place. A
question was once being debated in
backwoods community as to the
equality of mankind and one of the
rural orators in the heat of his ar
gument exclaimed that one man was
just as good as another and sight
better. We might alter this little
and say that one boss is as bad as an
other and frequently worse. 1t is
stated that in years past, when vast
herds of buffalo roamed over our
western plains, there was in every
herd giant bull that tyrannized over
his brothers. Frequently fights would
occur for the proud position held by
this car, but the old tyrant would
probably hold his throne for some
years. Nevertheless the time would
come when some giant youngster
would overthrow the old boss and,
perhaps, become a greater tyrant than
the deposed monarch had ever been.
So it is in a great measure in our poll
tical affairs. We have bosses who
are in and would-be bosses who
are out. Sometimes the people get
tired when the bosses cords are drawn
alittle too tightly and with squirt of
independence they rebel. An indie
pendent or fusion party is generally
formed which may be successful and
the reigning bosses are dethroned.-
But the people are again disappointed
when they find that they have merely
changed masters and that their
new masters are perhaps much
worse than their old ones. 1t general
1y happens also, that the new master
who receives the benefits of the change
is one who had first seen the great
shortcomings of those whom he had
helped to overthrow.
But the boss is not always entirely
selfish Sometimes he will summon
kind of cabinet about him and form
what is generally called ring. All
that could be said about the boss ap-
plies just as well to the ring. Another
ring will be formed in opposition and
the success of one ring would be about
as prolific of evil as the success of the
other. 1t is difficult to see a remedy
for this state of affairs, unless it be
that every voter should constitute
himself a boss, at least of his own
vote, and depend on his own judg-
ment in regard to how he should cast
it.
But in justice to the bosses and
rings we might say that they are not
probably as bad as they are said to be
by their opponents nor as good by any
means as they ought to be. This
bossism is peculiar to no particular
party, but it pertains alike to Demo-
Gratis, Republicans and Populists, and
whenever there should be any chance
of success, it would no doubt be equal
ly as prominent among the Prohibit
tionists also. 1t has been strongly de-
veloped among the labor uniens of our
country. The late strikes and the
troubles attending them show how
little the boss cares for the welfare of
his followers when trying to increase
his prestige and power.
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