River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-03-11
I !, hich the modern juggernaut is set in

lion of office. IL does not secure the
offices for salaries primarily. The sal
lry is merely an incident. Govern
nent by the machine is machine des-
potism. IL administers the laws
through its agents, after its own inter-
0retation. II is independent Of the
people, and fears no reckoning. In
extreme cases where it become neces-
sary to meet arraignment IL has its
own press TO parry or soften the blow.
| Having no constituency to serve, 1T
serves itself. The machine is its own
master II owes NJ oelieau0n and a
| knowledges no responsibility.
Its legislatures make the laws by
/ its schedule. IL names .neir commit
| tees IL suppresses ILLS inimical TO S
/ interests, behind the clcsed doc 0 s
committee rooms. IL suppresses de-
bate by a machine rule and the ready
gavel of plant speaker. IL exploits
measures with reform titles, designed
to perpetuate machine control. 1t
cares for special interests and takes
tribute from it's willing subjects, the
private corporations. There was a
time when the corporation lobbyist was
an important functionary, and the
mercenary legislator "a factor with
whom it was necessary to make terms.
The perfected political machine is fast
superseding the lobbyist. he cope :
alton now MAKES terms direct with the
machine and the lobbyist now attends
upon the legislature to look after de-
tails and spy upon the action of mem
bers.
THE private corporation is a source
of large income to the machine, for it
is everywhere present TO-DAY. The ia-
dividual is rapidly disappearing from
the business world, and nearly all Of
tho business Of the COUNT is
transacted by private corporations.
Artificial light, fuel, the food we eat,
the clothes we wear, the medicine
measured out to us in sickness indeed
nearly everything which ministers to
mans comfort or nourishes life, passes
under corporate control before it
reaches the consumer. And the cor
poration with it's special franchise, its
special power. it's special exemptions
its exclusive privilege. is ever present
and always well cared for in the ma
chine legislature.
Despotism Displaces Democracy.
! but it is not in its bad legislation,
! nor yet in its vicious administration of
the laws, that the political machine is
most to be apprehended. The work a
bad legislature may be undone, its
unjust laws be repea.Cd. the stain of
it's record purged from the statutes.
I'm so far as the public is concerned
with the individuals il may be of small
consequence what particular set of
men fill the offices this year or next.
/ individuals count for but little. The am
| billions of men contenaing for personal
supremacy vex the passing hour ami
are forgotten. But one thing. however,
does remain as a part of every victory
achieved for machine men by machine
methods. 1t goes to the very life of
! the state itself that it's laws shall be
made and administered by those con-
Istitutionally chosen to represent the
majority. Control by the machine is
without exception the rule of the mi
nority. Every machine victory is the
/ triumph of despotism over democracy.
/ Within it's reach ami scope every such
victory destroys representative govern
ment. It's acts are as essentially trea-
isonable to the fundamental principles
of this Republic as was the assault on
1 Fort Sumter. Grave danger lies not in
waiting for this Republic, to destroy its
4 life or change its character by force of
arms. The shock and heat of collision
will ever rouse and solidify patriotic
citizenship in defense of America lib
erty. Ii is the insidious. creeping, pro-
gressive encrCachment that presents
/ the greatest peril.
1.-The machine-this invisible empire.
/ does its work so quietly. There is no
/ explosion, no clash of arms, no open
/ rebellion. hut a sly covert nullllieation
( of the highest law of the land. II in
ours none of the risks of armed assault.
escapes the personal dangers and swift
public retribution provoked by organ
: lied violence and intimidation. So
/ long as the methods were the methods
/ of Boss Tweed was more notorious
but infinitely less dangerous. 1t would
( in time go down beneath the overpow-
ering weight of decent loyal public con-
/ defamation. But when adroit. skilled,
talented men, schooled in practical pol
/ itics, devised a system that had in the
/ beginning the semblance of serving its
party but mastered il instead; that
openly lauded allegiance to party prin-
eiple and artfully violated every prin-
ciple of honor: that had its secret
agents in every community and it's
cunning operatives in every caucus;
I that fooled the citizen by the tricks of
I in that with bfar dful IF