The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-11


Of the bosses.-Tme..
~ n THE BENCH in this county
n is Hon. II. NJ. Edwards. He
~ is neither rich nor "a iavofitc
ct the bosses. Yet he got
there under the present domination OF
The Republican party, In the court
house Offices are Messrs. Scranton,
Lewis, Copeland, Daniels, Bonn, Nor
liS, IcnmHn and Stevenson. None of
these is rich man nor q favorite oi
the bosses. Yet all got office under the
present domination Of the Republican
part%. AS Il rule. the Republican cam
diiatcs for ollie" in this county have
financially been poor men. The cN-
tent Of the favor they have received
rom the bosses has been earnest sup
port whit" candidates and honorablu
treatment after election.
The charge Of systematic dcbauch-
Ing of voters is a familiar one in
Amcrican politics, but is very greatly
exaggerated. As applied to The pres
cnt domination of the Republican par
tE' III l.ackawaun,L we know it is
laisc. Election expenses are heavy
,ild money is used, but the great bulk
of it is used lcgitimatcly. Instances
OF IFS unlawful use are few, unauthor-
.ed, and confined to no one party. For
example, III the recent campaign in
New York city, it il; said that Tam
llanN spent S9U0,000 and the Fusionists
S9Vo.0oJ We cannot voucf for the fig
'res: but il the Fusionsts spent less
than Tamrany it was because they
had less. 1t is human nature when
one is in Il fight to use the weapons at
hand for all they are worth. This
ruth is not limited to politics. II is
equally true i'll business, in the conpe-
1itions of social life. even in the rival
lies that develop in the field of re-
'iSlon. Ntt if the Fusionists support-
Ing Seth Low spent the sum they arc
credited with having spent, it does not
necessarily imply the systematic de-
bauchinS of voters. Bad as Tammany
Is, and no doubt it is better than
painted, we don't believe. that Tam
many put much OF its money into tht.
purchase or attempted purchase OF
voters.
To organize the innulnerable activi-
ties nowadays brought iu;o play in
political camraiSn-'to assure thatevery
voter shall be studied and, if possible.
induced by any one, ar more than one.
"i hundreds Of possible influences, To
Vote in the way that the campaign
manager wants him to votc--costs
money. as wei! a. time ana talent, but
as II matter OF fact, comparatively lit
Tie Of this money is used in the form Of
hriheS. Practical politicians of all
parties know this. but it has become
the fashion to cry doodle" and
'barls,' and those who follow this
fashion Invariably locate the alleged
corruption in the ranks of the opposi-
lion though usually one side is as
guilty as the other ana both are fay
less guilty than might be inferred
from the newspaper and cmbstone
talk.
The same Thing is true in relation to
the alleged Wholesale Justification, or
attempted Justification of election rc-
turns. There are. now and then. cleo
tIon officers willing to make frau,iu-
lent returns and party workers none
too scrupuious TO connivc at such per-
hdy. But the percentage which this
form of crookcdncss bears 10 politics
ms whole, is not greater than is the
percentage OF SrOcerS who aiulteratc
lheir goods ana sell at short weight, OF
n .pious deacons who preach purity
IN Sundays and on other days cheat.
lie and youSc. The world is not per-
feet, and the devil is still busy; but
human nature is not worse in politics
than in the other relations Of life, and
those who try To make people believe
hat it is are either unsophisticateu
or dishonest,
The Scranton Times is not unsophls-
ticated; it is dishonest. Its editor is a
lar.
'rbc. i.l