The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-07
BAD FOR BOSSES.

BAD FOR BOSSES.
Whoever else suffered or profited last
Tuesday, it was everywhere a cold day
for bosses. The fate of the political
boss is so certain. as all history and
experience tell US, that the wonder is
that there are people who can still
seek for that bad eminence, as if the
distinction could be permanency. The
people of this country tolerate good
many things politically which they
should not, and their political stand
ard is not yet sufficiently high to as
sure the success of men who appeal to
them for their suffrage solely on the
ground of fitness and honesty, with
out the compact power of party or
ganization behind them. They do,
however object to bossism, and when
ever a man gets too notorious in that
respect he is turned down monument
". no matter to which party he be-
longs. Last Tuesday, for example, the
voters dealt a stunning blow to three
notorious bosses, two of them of the
Republican persuasion, and one call
ing himself a Democrat.
The vote in New York city and state
was intended as direct rebuke to
Boss Plat. Fe has offended the moral
sense and the decency of every honest
American, and has turned the stomach
of all, except the most resolute parti-
sans, even of his own organization.
Since the people of New York city were
not sufficiently developed to choose the
best man, just because he was the best
man and without a party to back him,
they showed good sense in preferring
Tammany to Platt. Bad as the record
Of the former may be, it has reached
lowers have sunk to. The Republicans
of New York. both city and state, look
ing at matters simply and in the
rough, saw that there was no way in
which to reach the Republican ma
chine. no means of making the Re-
publican party hereafter anything but
the mere tool and mOuthpiece of Plat,
except to beat it. SO they did beat it,
although to accomplish that end they
had to make change of over 100000
votes in the state from the polling of
q year ago. The turning of a major
ity of 26S,000 into a minority of $4,000
achievement in American politics, and
a fair measure of the disgust, loathing
and hatred for Plat and his methods
which the people of the state have come
to feel.
Proceeding one step farther west, we
find condemnation quite as severe,
although not as distinctly marked,
dealt out to Boss Hanna. Mr.. Hanna's
prominence in national politics is Of
fensve 10 friends of good government
and opponents of bossism Nobody had
any particular reason to complain when
Mr.. Hanna, as personal friend of Mr.
Mckinley and an apt business man,
took hold of the campaign last year
Everybody expected that he would
claim and receive a political reward.
But he has carried matters a little too
far. 1t is a good deal for any Amer
lean citizen, without any commission
whatever from the people, to dictate
the appointment to the highest position
in the presidents cabinet solely in or
der to make vacancy for himself in
the senate. 1t is good deal for him,
then, to have turned over to him the
entire state patronage, to piece out his
check book in having himself chosen
by legislature. 1t is a good deal for
him to sit in the United States senate
and engineer deals and trades in other
states in the Union. The hand of
Mark Hanna has been felt all through
the farther West, and wherever a SEN
ator was to be chosen directions went
cut from his office to his party and
his personal lieutenants. He carried
through the dicker by which the Ding
ley abomination was passed by the
votes of the free silver men, without
whom it must have failed
This newcomer in politics, this uncon-
cealed power behind the throne, propos-
cd to put himself as completely in pos
session of Ohio as Plat is of New
York. The answer to him is a stun
ming reverse. With a majority of
some 10000 votes in the state for
The Republican candidate for governor,
the legislature is so close that nothing
but the official count can decide it's
political complexion. On the very same
day on which the voters cast their bal
lots Tor Republican executive they