The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-21

cuOus effort 20 raise TINS iiuA'f t4N'-' -
individual citizen who has certain views
he wishes formulated into legislation l7
impossible TO begin with, and II IL were
possible 90 raise the money this way. by
so publicly advertising the urpose' mat
very purpose would be fOrestalled ana Gee
feated But 81 IS o. comparatively easy
thing when q few great ramifying corpo-
ratiOns take from their contingent or
emergency fund sufficient cash 20 make
this beginning
But the practical machine man. was
finely typifed in Cassus remarks quoted
above. said he 20 Mark Antony when he
invited him to join hands with them:
Your voice shall be as strong as any
mans
Tn the disposine of new dlgnities."
Now, "a new dignity does NOT always
mean q seat in the American Senate or
a place on the Supreme Court bench. To
some men it is just as effective by way
of securing their support 90 offer them
the place of a road overseer or q guard
I'm the pauitentiary Others may want to
teach a public school, be "a member of the
Legislature, run l0r county clerk get an
appointment I'm the regular army, bee a
postmaster. or a hundred and one other
things among our ofiice-ridden people
The only point Is 10 divide the thing up,
% have a potent "voice I'm the disposal
OF new dignities' Hence. the falling
over-cach-other style of the practical poll
t'cians IN their efforts TO get ON the VIM
ming side. These motives are In men.
They are as inyariabe as the laws Of
gravitatiOn. They have always been
prominent and powerful motives In repub-
lies and VIII always continue so; and
good men, as well as evil men. are forced
20 reckon with them in any effort they
may make 90 continue I'm public life.
A moro dangerous phase Of machine
politics than anything referred TO before
is the outright, brazen and unblushing
use OF money directly 10 influence cleo
ti0ns and the public will. We all remem-
Der what a distinct shock ran through
Virginia many years ago when IL was
known that Malone was using money
in elections Whispered horror stood on
the faces Of men when certain mysterious
packages on the eve of an election came
70 town In the care Of certain well known
local politicians-and il was known that
men were being bought Now, We have
an become apt pupils. we treat II
lightly, We laugh at IL, We make II a
matter Of secret glee and Of public joking.
Instead Of handing out fifty cents or new,
crisp dollar bills, good Virginia farmers
VIII go 10 their smOke-hOuses and cut
or a side Of bacon and give it 70 man
with the distinct understanding that ne
Is TO vote his way; or, will give him am
order 10 the mill or 20 the store; but they
do not always hunt such "small deer.
Sometimes they viii "wh9ck up
and buy the judge OF an election.
Sometimes a member Of the Legislature
may have unusual funds layished upon
him. At any rate. a man is a child and
a simpleton who does not know that
money IS used In machine politics as q
large part Of the mechanism.
But this Is not ALL There IS n lower
depth still Deceit. trickery. cheating.
false entries. swapping ballot boxes and
a dozen other ways are devised by smooth
and professional artists in this direction
10 bring about their control OF public
affairs. This IS nothing new. Philip OF
Macedon's gold found its way into
Greece. False returns were made In the
ballot boxes at Rome. Virginia in our
own Union IS not alone. Ohio and In
diana have been known as rotten hor-
oughs; New York and PENNSYLVANIA like
wise. The South was the last part OF the
Union 10 become infected. and she was
driven 70 it by the presence of the Afri-
can in her affairs.
The machine" does It all now. There
are no more days Of "Cincinnatus az the
plow." The young man may learn ora
tory and go forth 10 speak On yes. he
may speak and keep bright glow Of love
burning IN his heart for the"dcar people. .
but he must always first "see somebody
who has put him on the track, He must
first get that open sesame and be guided
by that magical invitation
"Your voice shall be as strong as any
mans
In the .disposing OF new dignIties"
What Il the cure here In Virginia? In
the FIRST place. constitutional eonven.
ton which Will remove the threat OF
negro domination from us. When that is
once removed then we are In position 20
deal with machine" politicians. As II "a.
good citizens sit back. IL may be an sell
nshness or il may be In ease. IL may be
ont OF Difference TO "a fearful wife at
home or I'm a search for domestic feIici-
ties. or Il may be from a desire 10 make
more money at their private business.
But. be this az II may, they sit back and
do not concern themselves with politics.
they are never on hand when they ought