The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-03-20
MAKING THR MACHINE WORK
FOR G JOD.

A political refor mer, prominent in a
certain Western State, not long ago
worked hard to control a Campaign
he ~succeeoed in getting control OF the
balance Of DO yer by g EdIDg out work
ers Who secured pledges from voters 20
oppose the Candidates blacklIateo Oy a
certain com mItCee. When The list of
taboOed ones appeared it vas fuund TO
told the names OF certain canoIda ges
VINO had oeen looked upon as clean,
honest men.
When asked why those men had
been blackiIsCed tie retormer replied
that they were mem bs's of a comb
nation" that a 'cOmbiuaJion" was q
political "machiue." and that his or
gang atom vas radically OPP ,sed TO all
polIUlcal IN achInery TDen he
launched his vores and won a victory
The org4nuz 4UIon he had perfected was
a political ''comoinaGion" aDd a polItI
cal ''machIne Yet the reformer dld
not realize that he had been IncCnsIsG
enG.
This condemnation OF the political
mac line" by Gne reformer Is part OF
a general tendency OF the mind to mis-
take the par Gicular for the general, to
condemn the general system because
specific instances are worthy of con
dennRJiOn.
YsJit much desired reforms IN poll
tics are ever co be BROUGHT aoouG, the
usefulness of n ''machIne" method
must be r cJgu z d by ret0rmers. Let
Us suppose a c5rtaIn element c ontrols
the politics OF a great Safe THIS e,e
menu Is kno 20 as the 'mAcnine." R.
formers denouOce iG as C Jrrupt. They
are des- rmined o throttle 1t and purify
the SCare administrator. They be
hey cAn 90 this at the p lis, and
get to WORK. They fnd hat 8 DeakeTs
be sent to enlIgnten me pc o q
To do this money must be furnished
eX expenses, since not even reformers
Gan Ofsen pay hotel bills out OF their
OWn pockets. 81 a com nit ee Is ap
pointed TO lOok after funds. Now it Is
sen thAJ there must De some one TO
look after the press notices, some one
alse to organize a house 60 house can
Vass, a force - get out the voCe,"aod
score OF OTner committees and moi
to co vzTI5u- necessary par :
If che Campaign YORK Taase wants
are met as tn y arise. Some one 8
a-eigDed to eacn detail, anu Ena or
~sau1SA5lon becomes "a rougn aud 5ffe =
ave But chs oTg4ni7tIpu Is a ma
cnlce " Tea Jre refJruners 80 an: they
viii gEooa0Iy shake their heals at frs.
Cnen they wall say q:
Perhaps 10 Is a machine, but it is a
,OOd machine IG I5 not ike th8 one
We arc working 80 destroy
Nov they sre RetJIDg at tn p0inE.
c was not mschlnts" n Y were fk15
ng, bus b4d machines. t. uverGnrow
ne Dad ''maclIn4," whlca they had
n mind, they Org9nrz 20 a good one
Thy cell you they ( uud is absolutely
LO0O . uey uhN5 uOu6 OQ6
t the tonnes they comp aiued aoouG 10 {
be old machine; they nave to a Ger
ain tx eat gwen up their ind viduAl 1
~, for ali nrganIz IIiOn ca al q a sacri {
Ice of individuality. Bu5 tn y are &
to accomOlE b heir purpose and /
hey bless their ''macnine" {
Luther complained that the devil had c
toe god 80 may good PEG t
IL complain Cnat the demagokues and '
'lItrcaI vul4ln1 tave aG least more
trelr share of tGe good political G
letnOds. IC has been a mistake for C
ne goo Poop e TO allow his. Il will b
, Will for u # We STOP t4lkiUg agains 2
OH 81 organ'z All n and political O
machiDes Let us be sOeclhs, and {
~ Gu against a machines. II VT t
2 the value of IN &C 1lnery" in 6
ding good aud bringing ab ut reform, a
II we mskeu use OF 1t, we will hasten q
1e millennium -LeonIdas Huooard. q
{ , IN 5a urday E ,enlng psf. t
L rave been investigating the mat f