Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-08-18
rossism in State and Church.


Calfornia:
One of the prevalent and lamentable tenden-
ces in political life in America during the last
quarter OF century is boss rule in politics.
Twenty-Five years ago, it was manifest only in
New York. Boss Tweed was unique figure,
condemned by all parties and papers outside of
those under his immediate control. Now we
have bos les in national politics, bosses in state
politics, bosses in municipal politics, and often
times bosses in ward politics. 1t is no longer
in New York only, but ih nearly every town
down to 1900 inhabitants, and lower. So,
everywhere present is the Boss, with big
"B," that even decent men feel they must
reckon with him if they are to achieve success.
Men bow to men, and the evil is increasing.
Not merit, but money and the boss, win elec-
ton now. And in this we are not discriminate
ing between parties nor referring to recent local
elections. We refer to the boss in politics, ir-
respective of party, as one of the excrescences
of the body polite, showing its innate corrup-
ton.
1t is not personal knowledge of bosses or
politics which we present. We know no boss
the testimony of one of the 'bosses." One of
the most successful and respectable of this
class in the Union is Colonel Dan Burns, OF
California, who does mining in Mexico for
business, and politics i'll California as pastime.
What we quote from Mr. Burns was written
about two years ago, in signed article shortly
after election. We clip from the San Francisco
Examiner:
"When the delegates selected by the one-man
power 60 TO. the.convention, do they express
their own wils2. Why, no. They await or
ders from the boss, and obey his bidding.
Take the municipal convention of two years
ago 1904 |, which controlled. never heard
of candidate going among the delegates and
soliciting their support. They knew better.
They came to me or sent their friends to me to
obtain my consent to their nomination. They
knew they could do nothing unless the master
hand was on their side. That hand was the
hand of the boss.
sThese methods are un-republican; they are
un-democratic; they are un-American. IL the
people do not wipe them out, they will see this
great government wane as have seen 1t wane.
Our institutions will disappear from the earth,
and another form of government will be estab-
lished Trhes that at the outset seem matters
of but little moment often determine the fate
of nations. Throughout the country, political
power is being centralized. In all trusts, pools,
or combinations of whatever nature, the power
finally rests in the hands of one man. He is
the boss"
Summing up the one-man power in politics,
Mr.. Burns thus forecasts the future:
"The United States will become another
Europe, witt, all the class distinctions of the
older countries. Before that time comes, tho,
blood will again have drenched the land. The
horrors of war will once more devastate the
country Even now the murmurings OF dis
satisfied people may be heard from sea 10 sea.
Soon these mrrmurs will increase to roar OF
protest against existing conditions. Then the
money barons will say: we can no longer
hear the rawlings of these rascals We will sup
press them The result may be foreseen
Money usually wins in war or in amy bitter
contest, because it last longer. Money
will be king and the people serfs."
Mr.. Burns, as boss in his party, engineered
# AGAIN to success in 1893. Verify there is
need for new Declaration of Independence.
IN THE CHURCH.
While in His church God designed that there
should be but one Head, and that head is not
TO be erring humanity. Zone is your Master,
even Christ and all ye are brethren" "For
the head of every man is Christ" And yet,
despite these and many other similer declara-
tions of Holy Writ it is patent fact that the
church to-day III most of its aggressive work is
looking to men instead of God. Many thou
sands, especially of the YOUTH are often large
" controlled by one man, and this not in Ro-
man Catholicism, where we look for such
things but in modern Professionalism. How
many times in the religious press is this man or