The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-09
The Political Machine

President Hadley. Of Yale, recently DO
livered an address in Chicago. in which
he handled the political machine in a man.
ner which. according to the Times-HeraId
Of that city, was both thoughtful and
scholarly" The occasion was the convo-
cation exercises OF Chicago University.
and 1t was emine7tly fitting that the off,
cial head Of the venerable and great New
England institution OF learning should
thus manifest kindly interest in the
young giant which. under the guidance OF
President Harper and by the grace OF Mr
Rockefeller's muniheence, has developed
TO such proportions that age is the only
thing lacking to its greatness.
lnasmuch as our government is based on
suffrage, It's character determined by the
people. II is well that politics are not
sighted BY our educators. And any in
telligent ard fair discussion Of politics In
ciudes a study of the political machine
the machinery of party government Pres
ident Haley, according 20 the Times
Herald, showed, in an analytical and con-
vincing review. how the political machinery
which should be the tool OF the people
had become it's master. l. began amid
conditions which were not favorable to the
tyranny Of organization. The country was
thinly populated. there were few great
cities. A feature Of the times was an all
pervading democratic spirit, which would
have resented the very idea OF bossism,
and there was an intense concern over
local interests which did not permit them
to be minimiZed in the general scheme Of
government But the town meeting has
been suppianted Ivy the organized munich
pality. The old federation of States. with
strong traditions of home rule, has become
a centralized nation, reaching out beyond
its own borders TO rule over other nations
less civilized than itself" As the people
have increased in numbers until they are
now brought together in great masses
there has been more and more of the dele
cation Of power, until, President Hadley
AYERS, it has finally been usurped by the
skillful manipulation of primaries and con-
ventions
There is some force in Dr. Hadley's con-
tention that the machine is not represent
alive; that 1t exists to perpetuate itself,
and thrives by that public apathy which
has come about from the habit Of COM
hitting the care Of politics TO the machine
leaders and from the increasing difficulty
of driving them out of their intrench-
ments.
II is undeniable that political rascality
sometimes flourishes and political rascals
wax fat in communities where there is a
high average Of intelligence and personal
integrity. In such cases-and any we'll
informed man can call to mind dozens of
them-it is evident that the machine does
not represent the people. There is, it is
safe to say. not city or State in this
country a majority Of whose voting eiti-
zens do not reprobate ballot-box stuffing
and bOodling. But that Reproduction, be-
cause it is not made effective by organiza-
ton, is of little use And when an organ
ization for reform is effected and wages
successful fight for the overthrow of the
machine the reformers rarely succeed in
holding the respect and confidence Of the
community. In some instances the ele-
ments of the new alliance. as soon as the
old machine is routed, set up another
one with few If any Improvements. In
other instances the reformers quarrel over
the spoils of victory, with the result that
the old machine soon finds itself restored
with little Improvement in manners and
greatly augmented appetite. DR.. Hadley
thinks there has been a decline of stand
ards to the level Of the bosses and that
there is no escape from the bad situa ton
except through a return of the people TO
their responsibilities and the vigorous as
sertion of higher ideals:
Until there is a fundamental reform In the code
Of political ethics which the community imposes
upon its members. public trusts will be no more
adequately controlled than private ones Nay, they
are likely TO be less adequately controlled be-
cause public official, holding his power as a tool
Of ring, and acknowledging allegiance to stand
ards higher than those which have made his organi-
cation successful, is as a rule more firmly in
renched in authority than the representative Of any
private corporation. however extensive and power
full. Until such change IS made the social ideal
Of reforming abuse Of private trust by the substl
tuition Of public trust will be but substitution OF
one set Of masters for another
The press, as the molder, and also the
expounder, OF public opinion, can serve the
country more beneficially in urging upon
good citizens-upon those men Of high
character and large influence who keep
out Of politics-the duty and necessity OF
going into politics and staying IL than in
any other way. That is the only reform
movement needed, and until that is ac-
complished. the political machine will lack
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