The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-10
THE POLITICAL BOSS.

We take from the New York Journal
Of Commerce the following most pointed
and incisive essay upon the political
boss" under the caption what Is d
party BOSS
He is a compound Of craft, cunning
doception. assimilation intrigue Ter
eiversation. sccrctveness, moral deDaSe-
mont AMI unmitigated inipudence. w I'M
ont these qualities, the boss IS lmposaiDio'
They are the working forces OF ms cIal' y
tbev are the essentials of the malehc
Genius of which he is an embodiment. ne
work of a boss calls for instincts NHiNi
are slibversiVe Of every high quaHiy oi
character. and cor an inversion OF what
ever Is pure In strategic morals hlS
principle OF action is that the end Jusu-
hes the means" the means lying. raise
pretence. bribery, the falsiicatlon OF
votes the sale of principles, or the barter
nj the elective franchise, be the end
nersonal ACCOMPLISHMENT. the defeat OF
the public WILL the robbery of the people
or the overthrow Of popuar rights lie
j. an organizer OF the worst elements
Of society. for the worst ends that an
easv-goimg society Will tolerate. lie is
always in opposition 20 the pubic con-
science. The rank and file of his FORCES
is recruited from the ignorant vicious, ana
ur2rincipled masses. Society may 90 10
the dogs provided he and his mcrcenailes
can be cared for at the pubic expense.
His followers are groVc!!hg slaves vulgar
and aggressive towards others. but the
most a5icct lcksp!.tlcs towards their
chief. lie is the most dangerous form OF
tvrant known to modern civilization. His
w0r,, is 20 control or defeat. by every
conceivable corrupt method. the exercise
Of the highest privilege Of citizenship, 'he
elective franchise. That power once won,
81 is used for the cXactiOn Of piundcr I'm
reward for the foalty of his retaincrs;
and thus the boss becomes the dcspot.
with the revenues and his Wel.-paid
army. and his throne has thus easily
denod overthrow 10y any OF the methods
known to free government
And vet how shall we condemn TINS
Meiphistophelian rule? Parody though
/: 5e upon popular government and
tyranny worse than crowned dcspotism.
do we really deserve anything better? By
whose consent does the boss rule? With
whose permission does this laurelled de-
mon man our Offices. appoint our lcgisla-
tors, select our congressman, nominate
our President and dictate the personnel
OF his Cabinet We, seven-eiehths of
the voting citizens of this so-called free
country. have tactly sanctioned all this
we have systematically accepted the
boss's organization of politics, his nomi-
nations, his policies, his impuGent dicta-
ton from beginning 20 end We have
meekly submitted our .nccks to his yoke:
we have strengthened his power by CO.
operation within his organizations we
have given him standing and character bv
associating with him and his iieuten-
ants, by buying his favors. by parading
under his banners and by contributing
support TO the campaigns While hating
bossism. we have thus given il the moral
sanction land the material aid without
which IL could not have lived. For the
luxury OF having a boss. We have paid
away our independence. our liberty. our
manhood. Who. then is responsible for
the existence of the boss?
That is the man whom ring rule. ma
chine politics and fraudulent elections mn
into control Of society. The Journal OF
Commerce is perfectly right to say that
society may go to the dogs. provided he
and his mercenaries can be cared for
at the public expense" The boss"
cares no more for the public interests
than the eagle cares for the lamb which
IL carries of in its talons. The lamb Is
for the eagles food-society is for the
bose's food Equally correct is the
Journal OF Commerce. when 1t saws Of
the boss's followers. His followers are
groyellmg slaves, vulgar ard aggressive
toward each other. but the most abject
nckspittos towards their chief" This Is
absolutely true. The followers OF the boss
Was TO those OF a master. The boss has no
friends He has slaves. and slaves only,
and yet there are persons who say that