The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-03-16
Gertrude.

but the day from business; the prac-
teal politician found it profitable TO
give it his entire time. The proceed
ing was new to the majority; the prac-
teal politician understood eVedy detal-
The majority was embarrassed with
multitude of counsel; the practical pol
iticians obeyed one voice. The major
ity was as inefficient as mob; the
practical politicians were as effective
as the old Guard
"Again and again, season after sea-
son, the majority went out blindly to
defeat the practical politicians, but al
ways with the same result. For
long time the business of manipulating
the caucuses and the conventions had
been left to the practical politician,
and he had become very expert he
matured and perfected system. lt.
produced results with mathematical
certainty. It was always in operation.
It had acquired the trick of perpetual
motion.
The Modern Political Machine.
oThis is the modern political ma
chine. 1t is impersonal, irresponsible,
extra-legal. The courts. offer no re-
dress for the rights it violates, the
wrongs it inf1icts. 1t is without con-
science and without remorse. 1t has
come to be enthroned in American pol
itics. 1t rules caucuseS, names dele
gates. appoints committees, dominates
the councils of the party, dictates NOM
nations, makes platforms, dlsp8nSes
patronage, directs state admln1Stra-
tons. controls legislatures, stiles op-
position, Furnishes Independence and
elects United States senators. In the
states where it is supreme. the efI4cG 81
the machine is the only sound hoard,
and outside is easily mistaken ior Tie
voice of the people. If some part1cu-
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. Ii
public opinion be reused to indignant
protest, some scapegoat is put TO- ward
to suffer vicariousl7 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 it's hold on party organization,
control conventions and nominate it's
candidates threats and prom
Uses fail-the barrel is not wanting
and the way is cleared.
Agencies by Which 1t Controls.
''The agencies by which it executes
it's will are many. The types of its big
wheels and little wheels, it's pinions
and cogs, are only too familiar and
recognizable. The sharp, shifty man
whose absence of other occupations
gives leisure for anticipation and eX-
ecution of necessary details-the man
ager for a county or congressional
district, as BELTS the measure of his
abilities; his pay, promotion either
within the machine or as enc of it's can
didates for official station; the local
agent who disburses the campaign
fund and takes out his own tithing;
the heller who expects only 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 it's
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
'CrooK 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; to an
other the artful mission OF posing as
the leader of the opposition; to 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 automatically 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-