The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-22
ABOUT BOSSES AND RINGS
KENT CLUB LECTURE BY HON.
 CHARLES J. BONAPART,

CHARLES J. BONAP4RT.
 Delivered at College Street Hall Last
 Night-He Says That Public Policy De-
 mands That the Coming War Shall be
 Short-"Bossocracy" in New York. The Hon. c. J. Bonaparte of Balti- more lectured upon Bosses and Rings" at College street hall last night. The lecture was one of the Kent club course and drew good audience. The speak CT used manuscript, speaking rapidly and distinctly. He said in part:
 There are various reasons leading some of us to look with misgiving up- on the coming war. It furnishes great hindrance to public advancement and improvement. History has shown | us that while war lasts it is difficult to make anything else of interest. Never | theless whatever may be thought of the interests which have brought on war, everyone of us agrees that since the sword must be drawn it must be drawn effectively and the war finished as soon | as possible. Public policy demands ! that the war should be short. For in war time vicious methods and incom- | petent offiials are more harmful to the | government We shall soon have more reason to lament that our public off, cials are inefficient and under the | bosses of rings.
 "It has been said that new and nov | el form of government was establish ed in New York last fall. The name given to it, 'bossocracy,' is at least ex- pressive, if not correct in usage But ! the government is not novelty. It is only development of the old type. l Bossism is at home all over the coun- try It has become the normal govern ment. The undoubted interest in the subject arises from it's familiarity and not from novelty. We can not go long without knowledge of our disease We need to know an available remedy. l What then is a 'boss?' When Theo- | dore Roosevelt was asked last fall what he had to say about the election he an- swered: Nothing fit for publication. The general community knows boss when it sees him, but Is unable to de. l fine him or his position.
 l ITO understand the character and purpose of a boss we must first under | stand the great political parties. The United States is governed by two large corporations. Many men in these par | ties mask schemes of self-interest un- der affectation of working for the pub lie good. In times past the end of a party has been to defeat or promote some interest more or less valuable l The whole aim and existence of our parties has degenerated into hunt for offices. Each party is trying to get or | to keep office Therefore, since human nature is so changeable there is no reason why they should not exist for | all time. There will never come a time | under existing conditions when those who wish for office shall despair of ] busting those who are in. The two powerful parties have reduced the pow
 CT of the people to a spectacle of ma | jectic impotence. The successful can didate is conscious that he owes his
 office to the political managers. It is true that the primaries choose the can- didates, but they choose only those
 who are proposed by the bosses. The
 cities are outwardly ruled by the off,
 cers of the majority. But the force of
 the rings are behind the majority. The
 rule of the bosses is sustained by
 force and it is immaterial whether or
 not it is armed force.
 "A boss is he who determines the re-
 suits in the primaries. A boss is al-
 ways surrounded by ring, at times
 by several concentrated rings. Then
 again there may De a ring without a
 boss. The type of government which
 then results is an oligarchy."
 The speaker went on to describe at
 length the boss rule which had control
 led Baltimore for twenty-five years ur
 to 1895, when the reform element secur-
 ed control. This boss rule was sustain
 ed by small standing army of city
 employees who drew salaries for SUD-
 porting candidates of the bosses.
 Tn closing he pointed out ways in
 which the power of the bosses may be
 successfully broken.