The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-26

germs of dishonesty and graft in
order to check the epidemic which
seems to have spread and become gen.
eral throughout the entire country.
People are realizing that the only
way to prevent general bad conditions
is to turn on the light, and to turn
it on the local dark places, and clear
up local conditions on the theory that
IL local conditions are made satisfac-
tory, general conditions will become
satisfactory as logical consequence.
Political Ring Rule
All over this country are towns,
cities and counties which are domi-
mated and controlled by close 20
litical ring. The object of this ring
is to control local politics. It's object
Is to keep the dominant party in
power, not in the interest of the tax
payers, nor yet in the interest of the
ordinary members of the party, but
in the interest of those who hold life
membership in the ring known as the
"Handshakers' Mutual Association Of
Perpetual Officeholders.'
this means. 1t means rotation in
Office, but it does not mean the kind
of rotation that passes the offices
around to the ordinary members of
the party, but passes them around
among the life members of the "Mu-
tual" An active member of the
Mutual is entitled to an Office.
When he gets the Office he is entitled
to a second, third or fourth term,
provided the directors of the Mutual
feel that the public will stand it. If
there are signs of revolt on the
part OF the general public the plan
is, not to dismiss the Office holder
from Office entirely. but simply to
change Offices and let him run tor
something else. Or If he gets too
rank maybe he will have to depend
on being appointed, rather than take
chances on election. 1t is one t the
fundamental principles OF the ass0-
citation that the members are entitled
to hold Office, either by election or
appointment. When member" be-
comes too nauseating to be swallowed
by the public they cease to ask for
his election but take care Of him by
appointment. Let the readers OF The
Independent test the accuracy OF these
statements by comparing them to
their own local conditions.
A Local Illustration
Take Lancaster county, Neb., as an
illustration. The Independent refers
to this county because 1T is quite
familiar with the conditions tere.
Conditions here are a fair sample of
conditions elsewhere, where one party
has been too long in power. Graft
partisan. When CRATER takes a
dollar which does not belong to
him. or to which he is not en-
titled, the dollar is non-partisan
dollar. 1t is one that the
partisan dollar 1t is one that the
people have to pay independently of
party. In this county the same party
has been in control continuously
since the county was organized. The
opposition has made an occasional
breach, but the breach has nor been
large enough to admit much light on
conditions in the court house. There
are some dark places there which
need lighting up. The members and
directors OF the Mutual assure us
that everything is satisfactory, and
we presume that conditions are salts
factory to them. but the people are
commencing TO worry little bit
They remember how Ii used To be with
the state house. For twenty-five years
the public was assured by the men,
beers of the Mutual that everything
was proper and satisfactory In the
a1afe honga hut "A ehanga eama and