The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-22
EPISODES IN POLITICAL WORKER
NECESSARY VOTEs-AN
Al

.sPRACTICAL POLITlCS"
Some interesting revelations OF the in-
side workings of politics are made In an
article entitled THE Confessions of
dependent. The editor accompanies the
article, which is without the name of the
author, by note in which he says the
career Of the writer was passed In the
most boss-ridden city of the most most
boss-ridden state in the union"
am asked to write 1.-THE Confessions
OF a Boss. BY "a man less practical and
more sensitive than myself, such an invi-
wording Of the. subject is unfortunate. It.
assumes, without a scintilla Of proof, that
I am to make admissions Of guilt, and
that in my sphere of life Z am 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 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 1t, be In
the church, in society, in business, or sin
politics. There will always be superiors
and subordinates and the man with the
greatest force of character and the lar
gest amount of gray matter in. 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
business boss, the political boss is the
meekest and most considerate of men.
Consider the conditions that surround
you in your own circle of life, and l feel
confident that you will agree with me.
But everything depends upon the point
Of view. I am satisfied that the editor,
who is SO often theoretical and SO seldom
practical, had, in selecting a caption for
his article no willflM intention of injur-
ing my feelings or Of holding me up to the
seorn and ridicule Of his public. So ac-
cept the invitation in the spirit in which
1 conceive tito nave been rendered, and
partially lift the veil that conceals the
| mysteries of politics. OF course, even
were I disposed to do so. 1t would be
manifestly impossible to tell the whole
story of my political career in the short
| limits of an ordinary magazine article.
will simply relate few OF the more
striking episodes of my life. From them
the remainder may be Inferred
T want to say, in a general way, that
the fair-minded reader should not be de-
| ceived b. the distorted and exaggerated
stories of politics he may discover in the
partisan and factional newspapers. They
are misleadirg-and intended to be so.
| The man and the paper in power speak
respectfully of "the organization The
disappointed as2irant on the outside be-
comes blue In the face in denouncing what
| he calls, "the machine" The victorious
politician proudly refers to his leader.
The army of the defeated join in ONE
mighty howl against the boss
He Began as Reformer.
Il made my entrance into politics as
reformer attended the common schools
| Of nv native city-whiGh glories in being
the most American of all the cities in the
! Unicn-and was graduated from the Cen
trail High School-the peoples college. MY
father destined me for commercial life;
but my inclinations were in another d.
| rection "A strong desire. to enter the
legislature took possession OF me. Wen
to the political leaders who controlled the
district in which 1 lived, ana stated NY
! ambition: They. treated me In patron1z-
4 ing way ard advised me ITO wait.
| called again, and told them that was IN
1 dead earnest and could not wait, and
| was laughed at for my pains. 1t was mere
| that NV predominant traits-courage ane
| Observation-Disclosures into .,lay. Don
| think am vain in saying this: l am Try
| ing to let you see me as see lnyseli
1 had $500. l used every penny OF ~ -
paying the. legitimate expenses o. -; = oa tht
vassl There were thirty delegates IN tne
district, and it required majority te
nominate. The nomination was equlVal
| ont To an election. When the count was
made, on the night of the primary ~ "as
! found that my opopnent-the slated can
| didate-had fifteen delegates, and that
too, had fifteen delegates.
Both sides were surprised. IN the con
fdence Of youth / had counted upon I
majority. The veterans on the otneL siu,
were amazed that beardless boy shoule
| come out of the contest with tie. Iner'
was, CONSERVATION in their camp II was
midnight The nominating convention wa
| 10 meet at 10 o'clock in the morning. Tel
hours in which to win the one wanting
vote. A caucus Of my champions wa
hastily called. Lo and behold, only 1our
teen Of them responded. In less than al
hour one of my delegates had been stolen
| R11t this was not time for crying owe
spilt milk. The fourteen were as true
steel What was to be done? The ansWe
was simple, Try and break into the rank
| of the enemy The whole strength OF tn
! opposition was concentrated on the Oh
weak kneed delegate who had sold me OUT
They kept him in the upper room OF
hotel adjoining the convention hall, locke
in and guarded. No attention WnaceVe
was paid to the other fifteen delegates.
+. The possibilities of the situation wen
through my brain like a flash of lightning
Unjust fight fire with fire. Before dayligh
two of their delegates were closeted wit
me in my room. They said they admire
my pluck and perseverance. They int
mated that they would like to vote for N
in the convention, but if they did so the
would be accused Of having accepted "
stake" &,
"Butn pleaded i, "the accusation woul
be false
.@,.Yes," responded one. speaking for bot
of them. that would be the worst of it
to get the name without the game
'fWhat," / said speaking slowly, 'woul
your friends believe you had receive
money for voting for me?'
mot less than $3.50 apiece was tn
quick reply. ii.
ton is called together" said.
& ran around town like mad. | SUI
ceeded in borrowing $500. i met the tW
patriots, as arranged, and, when the 70
was called was declared the nominee {
the convention by a vote of 16 to IA.
Did do right?
Isdoubt it, very much. indeed
I did about what the average man Woul
have done under similar circumstances.
wonder what the average business ma
would have done under the same cond
\ tions?
The episode, however, made" me, s
far as political leadership was concerne
The head men in the party took me
their arms. was told that the man WI
4 ..,,1d ~,o1,o n, iorifv ont of a minOri1