River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-03-11


teal politician found it Profitable to
give il his entire time The proceed
ing was new to the majority; the prac-
teal politician understood eyedy detal
The majority was embarrassed with
multitude OF counsel: the practical pol
iticians obeyed one voice. The MAJOR
ity was as inetfiient as a mob; the
practical politicians were as effective
as the Old Guard
Again and again. season after sea-
son, the majority went out blindly 10
defeat the practical politicians, but al
WAYS with the same result. For a
long time the business Of manipulating
the caucuses and the conventions had
been left 10 the practical politiciin.
and he had become very expert. He
matured and perfected a system. 1t
produced results with mathematical
certainty. Il was always in operation.
Il had acquired the trick of perpetual
motion.
The Modern Political Machine.
This is the modern political ma
chine. Ii is impersOnal, irresponsible,
extra-Iegal. The courts offer no re-
dress for the rights it violates, the
wrongs il .nfiiets. Ii is without con-
science ami without remorse. IL has
come TO be enthroneG IN American pol
itics. IL rules caucuses, names dele
gates, appoints committees, domlt ates
the councils of the party, dictates NOM
nations, makes platforms, dispenses
patronage, directs state administra-
tions, controls legislatures, STILES cp-
position, Furnishes independence and
elects United States senators. In the
states where it is supreme, rae ceie. "a
the machine is the only sound heard,
and outside is easily mistake Il IS the
voice of the people. If some particu-
lar platform pledge is necessary to the
triumph of the hour, the platform is so
written and the pledge violated with
out Offering excuse or justification. IL
public opinion be reused u indignant
protest, some scapegoat is pur 40 ward
TO suffer vicariouslv for the sins of the
machine, and subsequently rewarded
for his service by the emoluments of
machine spoils. If popular revolt
against the machine sweeps over the
state on rare occasions and the ma
chine finds itself hard pressed to main
tain its hold ON party organization,
control conventions and nominate its
eandidates-when threats and prom
Uses fail-the barrel is not wanting
and the way is cleared.
Agencies by Which II Controls.
THE agencies by which it executes
its will are many. The types of its big
wheels and little wheels, its pinions
and cogs, are only too familiar and
recognizable. The sharp, shifty man
whose absence of other occupations
gives leisure for anticipation and eX-
ccution of necessary detaiis-the man
ager for a county or a congressional
district, as BELTS the measure of has
abilities; has pay, promotion either
within the machine or as enc of its can
didates for official station; the local
agent who disburses the campaign
fund and takes out his own titling;
the heller who expects only q cash
per diem, and a friendly recognition
useful in the time of his occasional
collision with the law; a section of
the press with it's goal an Office and its
certainty a slice of the campaign
money; the broken down political
hack, whom not even the power of the
machine can force upon the people and
who must seek place by sycophantic
obeisance to the machine managers
and the whole servile, constituencies
crew who
Groom the pregnant hinges of the
knee,
Where thrift may follow fawning.'
They serve in a multitude of places.
To one is assigned the duty OF quietly
passing the word for the caucus work;
to another the important position Of
presiding at the caucus, Of recognizing
only machine motions and declaring
them carried at all hazards to another
the duty of moving with great alacrity
the election of delegates slated 10 an
other the artful mission OF posing as
the leader of the opposition; 10 an
other that he shall make the timely
motion to adjourn: to another the del
icate responsibility of seeing dele
gates at the convention alone: to an
other who is gifted by nature for the
service. the travelling comm -ssion of
visiting candidates for the legislature
and alphabetically Offering some pc
cuniary encouragement in their can
vass, as the party leaders consider it
very important that the Hon. Richard
Roe should be elected to the United
States senate; to another the pleasant
business of calling upon certain breth-
rem of the press. and suggesting about
what is likely TO men in the next