The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-09

are acquainted with practical roiltics. ID
the entire State there are about one dozen
men who are politicians Of the nrst class
OF this dozen. some six control the poIlti
cal forces, within and without the state,
OF the six millions who constitute the popu'
Until recently, with fortunes varying
slightly during recedlng years, one man
nid down the Law 10 practlcal politics
Quay. Now United states senator, as his
7 habit Is, he may he regarded as leader
emeritus, with possibility OF renaissance
| OF power In those deNterous old nanis
/ Of his until death takes hold OF him and
! ends him finally. The PENNSYLVANIA taN.
/ payer may rest assured that, like his
! taxes, his Quay will remain always With
him,
I But other leaders, 10 the past two years.
! have risen up. They have risen In the
/ way that Quay rose through adroitnpss
J far seeing, shrewdness; through LOYALTY 10
! ruling politicians in the beginning AMI
through the measurement Of strength
| with their patrons when crises came aud
] through, also, that growth Of reputation
| for power, until the ambitious politician
STANDS up, strong and influential the factor
/ TO be revkoned with.
To my upon these men. or to Law upon
senator Quay any wholeneSs of blame for
ihe putrescent condition of politics In the
| state of PENNSYLVANIA would be unjust 10
| the leaders, and would bc too Kind to
the population whom they control Eyefy
political evil finds its origin Ia the body
ate, not in the functionares. one must
look into the Industrial aud political status
OF the commonwealth Tor The underlying
causes which haze made possible the con
dittons that prevail
There Is no dire poverty ON scale 40
extensive as TO become OF political lmpor.
lance in the state Of PENNSYLVANIA In
| 1926 the republican plurality was SO4 9ll
votes; In 1900 this plurality WAS gSS Ar
This was the strength of the republican
party: aud, all other issues uotwthstand
ing. IL was the strength Of the policy OF
/ protection among the electorate OF the
commonwealth Rock ribbed iron bound
unShakable In It's confidence that It's pros
pertty was dependent upon the power or
the republican party, the State became a
community where the democratic minority
had little voice Whether or not tho
states prosperity be dependent upon the
power of the republican party Is here II
matter of no moment The major cousid-
that the population Is content with the
political tenets, aad that II PAYS to the
tull penalty of indifference TO the details
Of party management We're the popula.
tion driven by the spur ct necessity, or
We're the two parties evenly balanced In
numbers, every citizen would feel either
sharp need OF concerning himself In
practical politics, or v oud be imbued AZ
least with some active interest IN recurring
political disputatlons.
But in PENNSYLVANIA the average citizen
has absolutely no real cgrc for the well
fare of the State. He eats well enough
he sleeps wen enough, he dresses weu
degree, comprehend CIV much better he
could eat and sleep ana dress Il the ru
sources of the commonwealth In hch
ne lives We're honestly administered, or
OF Its truly great possibilities for power
IN the congress of the United States were
commensuratey utilized He calls him
Industrious the average PENNSYLVANIA a.
and fairly law abiding aud moral But
au entire generation has grown up aud
MaNed prosperous since the pussiunatply
loyal days OF the civil war, and has learned
TO take It's politics ready made.
The consequences in the past ifteeu
years OF an attitude such az this toward
civic duties on the part Of the great ma
Jotlty OF the entire electorate have heeu
as deplorable IN thrir rtsnHs 3y tAt ~
were discernible to thinking men There
was, besides, reflex action upon the
minority. Hopeless OF over attaining any
real strength, the democratic party became
the common veal than We're the repuhii-
cnnsi and speedily from quantity negIipi.
ole az party II came to be body pu,
ehasable, through It's leaders by the me
Tons among the opposition which from
time 20 time required its aid
throughout the entire State the true
This spirit, which Is an active thing has
manifested itself from time 10 time I'm
States adjacent, In New York, when really
grave danger threatened the mnnlcipality
or when abuses became too fragrant cor.
pofate bodies of men Joined In protest
IN cash outlay for campaign funds and
party methods. In the state OF Della
ware, during The Addlcks strife, the de.
mocracy fought its fight hercely, whole
somely and With every attribute of trne
political honor. In Pennsylvania, when.
ever either party needed comfort or MS.
slstance arangements were made with tho
democratic leaders, We're dyulged Ia the
open, public prints and were carried on,
with as much complacency as If the trans.
actions were the most commonplace bar.
sturdy, honorable, unpurchasablc demo
cratic party ia PENNSYLVANIA at any cleo
ZION where National policies were not III
rallNing corps for all SELF respecting re
pupncans. hut the democratic party. spir.
itless, could he no more than a mere agent
chiefs. = VIZ D'''' u us seil-seekihs
The name politician became by-word
WIN singular meaning. With resources
he. was a man 10 be dreaded With nd
voice raised to call him sternly to nccount
ne was a man TO be treated with respect,
Win favors-corporate and political, il not
socihl-he was a man 10 bc chiulcd And
with almost any unconvicted thief able
TO influence him, he was a man to be de.
For years a few citizens Of Pennsylvania
nave coveted the political honors the CON
monwealth afforded
me republican party Itself. and the fac
lions controlling It. became repeatedly tDi,
heavy. Leader after leader felt that tbe
time mad come for him to aspire to sue
Quays lleutenants. and the lenders. join.
Ing forces, sought the veterans over
throw. The struggle was inevitably a |
conflict Of individuals, with the electoral 1
body standing idly by, Its own duty wholly
forgotten AMI Its mdet profound emotion I
cynical amusement.
As events have shaped themselves the
political power of the State ig- vested 4
apart from the greatly iessened intiu,
pnce Of Senator Quay, in q CONTRACTOR
two officials of the commonwealth d
professional politician and the mayor Of /
the metropolis, Tho contractor James |
McNichoi. had the ordinary political he.
ginnings and succeeded other contract. I
ors, who had been powers In the sordi- 4
nary political way. The State nfnelnls3
ere the attorney general. John T.. M /
kin aud the governor William A. stone
men whose affllatlon With the demi- \
nant faction OF the party gave them their 4
positions, and through their positions
genuine patronage aud influence The ]
politician WAS Israel Durham, who stead 4
liy climbing from the post Of leadeE In (
his ward IN the city OF Philadelphia. I
fought for long time the battles u |
Quay, grew 10 be the Quay representa- 1
tive In Philadelphia politics. and at length 4
was able 10 meet bis old chief on terms I
of equality as ruler OF the republican \
masses The mayor was Samuel H. Ash i
bridge, executive of the city in which Z
two OF the others had thclr political I
growth. and personality at present ~ I
more than passing interest