The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13
CONFESSIONS OF A BOSS
EPISODES FROM THE CAREER OF AN
ACTIVE POLITICAL WORKER.
Politics Seen from Point of View
Not often NoUchsafed to the
Average Citizen.

Some interesting revelations of the inside
workings of politics are made in an article
entitled THE Confessions of a Boss" in
the current number of the Independent
The editor accompanies the article. which
is without the name of the author. by a
note in which he says the career of the
writer was passed i'm the most boss-ridden
city of the most boss-ridden State in the
Union
l am asked to write 1.-The Confessions
of a Boss" BY a man less practical and
more sensitive than myself such an invi-
tation would be resentfully declined The
wording of the subject is unfortunate. 1t
assumes, without scintlla of proof. that
L am TO make admissions of guilt and
that in my sphere of life l am a tyrant.
The first assumption may be pardoned
the last is ridiculous. The word boss
is used as a term of reproach only when
applied to politics; and 1 know of no word
in the English language in this connection
that is more misused and misapplied In
these United States all men are born free
and equal; but they do not remain equal
very long
Each one, in the very nature of things,
seeks his level. Some men are born with
the power of leadership, and this power is
bound TO assert itself, whether it be in the
church, in society, in business. or in poll
tics. There will always be superiors and
subordinates. and the man with the great
est force of character and the largest
amount of gray matter i'm his brain cells
is bound to be the leader and the guide
of the others. But the point L want to
emphasize is that compared with the
church boss, the society boss and the bus
mess boss, the political boss is the meekest
and most considerable of men. Consider
the conditions that surround YOU i'm your
own circle of life, and l feel confident you
will agree with me.
But everything depends upon the noint
OF view. | am satisfied that the editor
who is so often theoretical and so seldom
practlcal, had, in selecting a caption for
his article, no willful intention of injuring
my feelings of holding me up to the
scorn and ridicule of his public. So I ac-
cept the invitation in the spirit in which
L conceive 1t 10 have been rendered. and
partially lift the veil that conceals the
mysteries of politics. OF course. even were
l disposed TO do So ii would be manifest
~ impossible to tell the whole story of
my political career in the short limits of
an ordinary magazine article | will sim
ply relate a few of the more striking cpl
sodes of my life. From them the remainder
may be inferred.
L want to say i'm a general wav that
the fair minded reader should not be de-
ceived by the distorted and exaggerated
stories or politics he may discover in the
partisan and fractional newspapers. They
are mlsleading-and intended to be so. The
man and the paper in power speak respect
tuily OF the organization" The dsap-
pointed aspirant the outside becomes
blue in the face in denouncng what he
calls the machine The victorious poll
tician proudly refers TO his leader" The
army of the defeated join in enc mighty
howl against the boss"
BEGAN AS A REFORMER.
l made my entrance into politics as a
reformer. 1 attended the common schools
of my native city-which glories in being
the most American of all the cities in
the Union-and was graduated from the
Central High School-the Peoples College.
My father destined me for commercial life;
but my inclinations were in another di-
rection. A strong desire to enter the
Legislature took possession of me- 1 went
to the political leaders who controlled the
district in which lived. and stated my am
billion. They treated me in patrOnzng
way, and advised me ito wait" / called
again, and told them that | was in dead
earnest and could not wait, and [ was
laughed at for my pains. Ii was here that
sistence-came into play. Don't think
am vain in saying this. l am trying to let
you see me as | see myself
had $500. / used every penny of it in
paying the legitimate expenses of nv can
vass. There were thirty delegates i'm the
district. and IL required majority TO nomi-
nate. The nomination was equivalent to
an election. When the count was made
on the night of the primary. il was found
That my opponent-the slated candidate
had fifteen delegates, and that /, too had
fifteen delegates.
Both sides were surprised In the con-
hdence of youth l had counted upon a
majority. The veterans on the other side
were amazed that a beardless boy should
come out Of the contest with a tie There
was CONSERVATION in their camp. 1t was
midnight. The nominating convention was
10 meet at 10 o'clock I'm the morning. Ten
hours IN which TO win the one wanting
Vote caucus of my champions was
hastily called. 10 and behold, only four
teen OF them responded! In less than an
hour one OF my delegates had been stolen.
But this was no time for crying over
split milk. The fourteen were as true as
steel. What was TO be done? The answer
was simple. Try 10 break into the ranks
OF the enemy. The whole strength of the
opposition was concentrated on the one
weak-kneed delegate who had sold me out
They Kept him in the upper room OF a
Motel adjoining the convention hall. locked
In ana guarded No attention whatever
was paid TO the other fifteen delegates
The possibilities OF the situation went
through my brain like a fash of lightning
/ must fight fire with FIRE. Before daylight
two OF their delegates were closeted with
me IN my room. They said they admired
N.Y. pluck and perseverance. They init
mated that they would like To vote for me
In the convention. but il they did so they