Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1900-07-05

convention. The civil.aervlce plank
In the platform takes prize for
case hardened cheek. 1t commendi
the party for "maintaining the EN-
cheney Of the civil SERVICE" In face OF
the fact President Mckinley has
thrown 10000 classified places to the
spoilsmen and says: "The Admin
istration hss acted wisely In its effort
to secure for public service In Cuba,
i Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philip
pine Islands only those whose fitness
has been determined by training and
experience And this within q
month Of the Neely embsszlement and
the Rathbone crookednessI The au-
thor of that plank should confine his
talents to poker. His bluffs are too
magnificent for politics.
Democrats in the East are very
much In earnest and feel as though
they would be able to carry New
York and all get into line once more.
Somehow I feel 1t In my bones that
we are going to win sure. You know
II 10 our turn and we must not lose It.
Boss Hanna is like all other bosses, q
great buffer, but those who ought to
know say he is very much ratified
about the prospects.
ALL BOSSES CORRUPT.
SOUTHAMPTON, LII NY, June 25.-
! started to tell you a fish story, but
iind that my catch OF fifty in one
hour is small, so viii cay nothing
about 1t. think fishing is fine fan
and ocean bathing is now at its height,
although IL 10 very cool here. Have
to sleep under blanket every night.
We hear great deel about politics
here and the Democrats are all very
much encouraged. The Republican
party is so boas. ridden that the masses
are dissatisfied. Bosses drive In
dependent men from the party and
the Democrats should see that bosses
are kept In the background. Bird 8.
Coler, who will likely be nominated
and elected governor Of New York by
the Democrats, speaking Of bosses,
sayss
"Thsre is vast difference between
= DOCS, VINO ~ rns reprosoutasfvs m
public affairs, and q leader, who is for
the peoples interests.
"TiIden was q leader.
"a boss represents his friends, while
leader represents the welfare Of all
the people who have given him their
votes. The two are no more alike
than black lie like white.
"Any man may become boss on
small scale who can gather few
voters In the back room Of a saloon.
"When he has welded the IN together
by appealing to their selfish interests,
their race prejudice or dislike of some
individual, he becomes a politician
who has to be taken into account
"Whether he has five votes or 5000
the principle is the same.
"He obtains his influence by
persuading others to combine their
votes into marketable commodity
and give this commodity into his
keeping.
"Year by year the number of his
followers increases, until his word
goes forth as the fat of monarch.
1.-THE motto of the boss is, friends
first, taxpayers afterward.
che regards politics as the art Of
obtaining public money as legally as
possible for himself and the members
OF his clique.
"His code Of morals will not allow
him to steal money from the city or
State treasury, but he takes care that
every contract is awarded to one of
his political allies, no matter what
price the public has to pay for his
touching exhibition friendship.
"As the number of his satellites In
crease the power Of the bose becomes
greater. He begins to dictate public
policy and TO Overshadow the exscu-
tive.
"He controls not only the majority
Of office holders but the immense
army Of office hunters ae well.
"Hs becomes the gate keeper OF
political preferment and no nomlna-
tIon Is valid until indorsed by him. He
forces even reformed candidates to
compremiss with him.
"In this way 10 becomes possible for
one man who may never have been
elected to public office Of any kind 10
hold the AFFAIRS of an entire city or
State in his hands. When this occurs
the people may we'll fear for their
rights and property.
"The boss lie not = necessary part of
partisan politics, as some social re-
formers suppose. Neither is ii
necessary that . political organization
should become privately owned ma
chino by means of which few poll
ticians secure offices.
"In political system such as ours,
parties are not only necessary but the
very means by which Democracy is
maintained.
"There is no stronger guarantee OF
stable or popular government than
the dividing Of voters into parties.
No human institution is 50 perfect
that 1t lacks faults Of some kind, and
bossIsm is probably the most con-
spIcuous blemish Of our political
parties.
"The party boss is like typhoid
fsvsr-he Is the natural product Of
political neglect and uncleAn condi-
tionB.
"The men who are most responsi-
bic are those who say that they have
no time for politics and who fall to
attend the primaries.
"After the professional politician
has accomplished some gigantic feat
Of corruption, every one joins in the
babel Of condemnation that follows
biz exposure.
"But the crime, Whatever ID was,
would never have been attempted II