The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-29
THE GREATEST BOSS.
Haxen s. Pingree, of Michigan, Can
Give Pointers to Them All.
Chicago Times-Heral

Chicago Times-Herald
Tazen s. Pfngree, governor of Michigan. is
the greatest political boss that the country
has seen. There has never been his equal
in the running of a convention and in max
ing the people do absolutely what he wants.
That incidentally ne does what they want
does not alter the case. Politicians today
admit that Quay, Plat and Croker, able
as they are in the control of organizations
and the mastery Of the people. are not his
peer.
Today H. S. Pingree is the absolute mas
ter Of Michigan. His will is law and the
people not only follow him wherever he
leads, but they are proud Of ii. There is.
to be sure, a difference in the methods he
employs. Pingree is honest. One of the
that he is incorruptible This is an I'M
usual charge to make against boss. But
Pingree is an unusual boss.
The election held last Tuesday in M!chi-
| gan illustrates the contre! which Pingree
! has over Michigan politics. The boss HIM
self was candidate for governor. He
Won the nomination after the hardest kind
OF fight Then he ran $1,000 or more ahead
of his ticket. He named most OF the Re
publican legislative candidates He mere
ly sent word to the convention that he
tons usually did his bidding. In those cases
where the conventions did not obey him.
Pingree came out openly and fought the
nominees or his own party. He did not
political bosses, who make professions Of
loyalty and then pass the word along the
/ Inc to knife the man whom they profess
to support. Pingree announced that such
and such candidate on the same ticket
with himself ought to be defeated. And
he was.
Never has there been seen such a case Of
bossism as there was In the Detroit legis-
lative districts. Pingree sent down to the
convention a printed list OF the men who
were to be nominated. He admitted 1t and
zIn ta1 Ia.
nominees 1.-THE o. K.'d ten" and the
branded slaves" They were held IN to
ridicule as being owned by Pingree The
nominees did not resent it. They went on
the stump and publicly announced that II
they were elected they would have no
| higher ambition than TO do exactly what
Pingree advised them to do The result
was that they ran away ahead of their
ticket.
Can Croker. Quay or Plat show any
parallel to that?
Pngree has his own methods. He is orig
inal In the first place We came into poll
tics by accident. Before his nomination as
mayor OF Detroit in 1889 he did not know
the first thing about politics. He was
Republican because he was bern in Maine
Beginning life as iourneyman shoemaker,
he had become proprietor Of shoe fac
tory. and his political duties consisted in
sending check each year TO the cam
paign committee.
Pnsree was nominated for mayor in 1889
because Cleveland had carried the city a
nobody
else wanted what was considered an empty
honor. As soon Pingree realized this
he became angry and announced tina, no
would be elected And he was. by sea
aiorsty. after hard fight, in which he
pledged himself 20 redeem the CITY from
corporation rule II elected Workingmen
supported him In spite 81 the fact that he
was a millionaire. During the campaign
he showed his genius for Organization and
knowledge Of The wishes az he neor,e
Elected, he fulfilled his pledges He made
fares 20 cents improved the streets. had
the gas rates cut IN half taxed big con-
Germs twice as much as they paid before
and. indeef. reformed so mu>h thar when
ne came UP for nomination again the poll
ticlans were against him Bnt The peonle
were with him ard he wor. Four times in
succession he was elected mayor Of Detroit.
and each time in spite Of the politicians
and The corporations. Each time his ma
iority was inerea SD.
Then he made his tight for the governor
ship. promising that II elected he would 10
for the state what he had Hone for the CITY
Opposed IN him were al Of the veteran poll
ttcians. Ike Senator Mcmillan, Aiger Bliss.
burrows and O'ponnaH put he beat them
al ard got the nomination
Election as governor followed as mat
ter OF course. Mckinley carried Michigan
by 500 plurality. Pingree's plurality was
Pingree set 70 work TO reform the state
He found that Indiana secured about
s2.5on. year IN taxes from railroads
age. has been getting about t7eo0a from
the same source. Piagree hal bill intro
9ured IL The legislature giving the various
counties 81 the stata the power % local tax
alton over the railroads ana allowing them
70 assess railroad proDeTty ihs same as
other property and collect taxes from the
corporations Independently The railroads
opposed this. bu1 the people approved and
IT, result w5< tbe massage Of rOfurrc-
mise bil Increasing the taxation on gross
earnings and doubling the amount Of taxes
-ecoive3. FSut This Mas not satisfactory %
Pjngree and in the campaign Jus, closed
he made his fight chiefly IN favor Of fur
ther Increase.
3ernag0Z1rs These who know him DO n1s
believe this. Tfs Is man ~ high ideas ana
waited sr.nC.Qlez. Eis reforms have al
WIS succeeded. None q them have been
&c inlsras In bringing fhsTs sSOut ne has
ssd the methods q TTact4cai politicians
ard has proved himself tAeir master. He
has a wonderful kacRie5ge % human IA
tfsr@- ans ne has Used i 10 hx,rg ABOUT me
ends - has sought
II every way b. hRs shown himself ;;.e
-r~Ts-r~ ret'f.cta- - me AK Quay 4o%S not
own fss0uSv wanna as thoroughly a. Pcng-ee
3wns Msch.gau. Judging By results. ae IS
me greatest boss or all.
Had Done Pretty Wen.
r rever VAS ,aurh or fiction" sai5 ;hs
rcGne man
My h.sv o. ~srl5as ~. .x5sa <sreav .snava