The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-16
ORGANIZATION ~ POLITICS.
Mr. Croker Tells why ~ IL Necessary
90 Have ''ssachine."

New York. Sept 14-Organizatlon In
politics r. just as essential TO the moral
welfare OF the community as organiza-
organization. there would be no govern
ment Anarchy would ensue In an auto
cratic country. where the people have no
rights and no voice in the government,
there Is no need OF political organization.
but where there Is anything approaching
popular government, there must. Of uecca-
sity. be parties. ana II there are parties
there must be fundamental organization.
Theorists and a certain class Of uewspa-
pcrs are perpetusliy crying out against
the Organization" and leaders" The
practical man and the truly thoughtful
citizen takes no part in this clamor. Hc
knows that the Organization" Is the true
representative q the people. good or bad,
as they choose 90 make T.. And right here
let me say, there can be no bad organ
ixation" for any length OF time Let Il
b. shown tsi=: ;ss Organization"
whether II be Democratic, Republican.
pOpuistic. or what you will. IL corrupt.
and Il will he overthrow SO quickly and
completely that the most rabid orEani-
zation man must be satisfied. The .'eople
are never miss ed Tor any length Of time
And. on the other hand. they are not 90
ba fooled into q condemnation Of organ
izafion By the absurd clamor Of theorists
nor yet by the chicsnery OF the people
on the other side.
! know of no better illustration Of this
than we have had ia New York. Tam
many Han has been the subiect'of ''in-
vestiga,lon'" and attack from "a dozen
quarters. All sorts OF efforts were made
10 prove that there was corruption. There
was a great throwing OF dust, but ihc
ewes Of shc people remained wide open.
They could see nothing Of the bugaboo
raised by the opposition. and By the men
and the publications who are against the
organization" on general principles. who
want 20 tear down. hut have nothing bet
Ter that they can build up Well. then IN
the face OF all this clamor. the great body
OF the people remained cool and critical
when election time came, she time when
the question went before the jury Of vot-
ers, the Tammany ticket was elected ny
an overwhelming majority Now. that
would have been impossible, ~ absolutely
impossible as a flignt to the moon. u the
organization had been corrupt. No poll
tician on earth no set OF politicians can
influence the great body OF people on
vital issue. When such issues rise. the
people do their own thinking. and they do
their own voting all the Time. bad or
ganizatlon Is csrtsin Of death and 'annlhi-
lation. How many organizations that were
not truly representative have come and
gone In New York. Those thingH reEn-
late themselves Just as certainly as the
ttaes regulate the rise and fan OF the
buoys thas mark the shoal places IN our
harbors
II il mere matter OF detail The great
underlying principle. the necessity for or
ganIzation. Is not disturbed nor affected
by the coming and going Of any particu-
lar political body. no matter what is fh
name Nor d the principle OF true popu-
lar Representation affected. on the contra
~ the passing away Of political body
merely proves this principle for u Is only
when II ceases 20 ho representative that
an organization dies.
And az for the leader he cannot live
an hour after he ceases 70 be truly rep
rescntaiive. after be ceases TO act for the
whole body % the people represented by
MS organization. Such power a. he wiclds
r. dependent entirely on his representative
qualities II a man IS elected or appoint
cd 20 an ordinary political Office his ten
ure q absolute. his status fixed. lie can
not b. disturbed no matter what he does,
MS long as he obeys the law, and per
forms the duties Of his ONCE. But me
political leadeIs or boss. u you F"iii,
holds by IA Intangible power. re must
represent his people or they put him out
az once. Let him cease to be ace sDtsble
10 his organization. and he ceases 70 live.
politically Gladstone was boss"
Reaconsneid was boss" a. they rep
resented the desires of their people they
remained Ia power. 50 Il b. with as here.
our leaders amount 20 something just as
long as they represent the peoples wish
as. v hen they don't. the people kill them
of
This being 70. the 20 iticol organization
and the political header Represent ln the
most concentrated form the great body 81
paople what would become Of our poiiu-
cal freedom n We did away with party
organization How would We maintain
uopular government WHAT machinery
could we substitute for our present or
eanizntione They are the foundation Of
our entire system. The thing for good
citizens 20 do Is not 60 clnmor aaainTi
organizations but 90 become part Of
them The scheme Is thoroughly eauiia-
BILE and under our primary laws. the mo
chinery Of the organization may be con-
troIIed absolutely by the people. Every
good citizen ought TO b. a politician.
without tho politician AFFAIRS with as
would soon develop into woeful condi-
ton. Chaos would result y al enc poll
ticians would drop all Of a sudden. Moth
ing more serious could possibly happen.
Just imagine. Il you can. tho result The
orrautxation starts the whole machinery