The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-03-18
DR.. SMYTH ON CORRUPTION
ARTICLE ON CONNECTICUT IN
OUTLOOK.

City Machine as a Powerful Factor
Shall Money Falsely Made Become
Also a Money Power Falsely
Crowned
Rev. DR.. smyth, of this city, has an
article in this weeks number of "The
Outlook" which was issued yesterday.
1t is entitled Political Corruption in
Connecticut" and occupies six pages.
Extracts are as follows:
The chief corruption now is in the
control Of the caucuses and primaries.
The traps are set for the feet of good
citizens long before they reach the poll
ing-places. The innocent public knows
little of the large use of money and
other valuable considerations for per-
sonal ends or for large commercial in
rerests long before a legislature con-
venes. Al poor man. has little chance
for high Office under the conditions
which ordinarily prevail. Senator Bulk
eley has not seen fit to comply with the
low of Connecticut which requires a
candidate for the United States senate
to make a return of all contributions or
disbursements, if any, for his campaign
and election. In the absence of any
sworn statement from the candidate,
one can only take as conjectural the
moderate estimate of well-informed
politician that it cost him $68,000. If
add together the sums eredibly reported
to me as having been sent into several
towns, and strike therefrom an average
for other towns, that amount would not
seem at all incredible. Ii l take the
average of the most trustworthy state
lnents made to me, a much larger sum,
at least $4,000, during the late sena-
torial contest was scattered abroad
over the countryside. For instance, in
one town Of less than eight hundred
voters the local political agent of one
political interest was intrusted with
over a thousand dollars, which was
used mostly in connection with the ex-
penses Of the primary. In another case
a delegate to a convention held for the
nomination Of candidates for the state
senate was offered fifty dollars as
retainer for his vote; he afterwards
found ii best to return it; or, as his
own story goes, after a visit from GER
tain political friends he found five new
ten-dollar bills accidentally left in his
overcoat pocket, which he returned /
have this written statement of another
delegates: I'VE Were offered $500 for
the delegation, and two others
were offered $500 and $500 for a single
vote - * IS 4
Another powerful factor to be consid-
cred iii relation to Connecticut state
politics is the city machine and its ext
gcflcies. IA description Of the New Ha-
ven machine. with which am some
what familiar, will best show how such
machines have to play a considerable
part in the larger field of state politics.
The present boss Of the New Haven
combination might more happily be
called the head coach In the game. He
controls the players. sending one In,
taking another out Of the game, as he
sees fit; but he is In 1t himself for the
fun Of it. He is one of the princes of
the house OF Israel, who, apart from
his political activities, by hard toll,
clear sagacity and personal integrity
has risen to a prominent business posi-
tion and won for himself good name
among those who know him. The same
industry and talents which have rem
6ered him prosperous in business have
contributed to his success as political
manager. Irrespective, however, of the
personal character of its driver, the
machine has its own necessities. It
cannot escape, even If it would, from
tile compulsion of it's own service. In
this respect the story Of the needs of
The present New Haven machine illus
trates the exigencies Of all similar or
ganizations. 1t came into power from
the successful conduct of ward poll
ties; 1t dictated the nomination and Sc
cured the election of the mayor and
other city officials; but it could not stop
there. Its own momentum compelled
it to- drive farther and harder. 1t laid
It's hands upon the county offices; It
guessed correctly what faction would
be dominant In the legislature, and
made a deal which would enable 1t to
gain control Of the local judicial ap-
poiritments and the accompanying pat
ronage. In the lower courts the seat Of
Justice is now machine made. 70 look
after all these contracts the city organ
ization had its hand in the nomination
OF the governor of the commonwealth,
and besides that became party in in
terest in the choice of a United States
senator And, still further, since be-
sides the debts of the past to be paid
the business of the future has to be Sc
cured, the city machine now has its
man for the next governor in readiness,
and the successful candidate for COVER
nor will not be likely to forget the po-
Iitieal pit from which he has been dug.
Thus It happens that the exercise and
tho love Of political power by a single
man, not himself an aspirant for any
Office, cornpels him, in order to make
good what he has got, to reach donli-
natingly up to the Judiciary. the gov
ernorshop and the United States SEN
ate. - .".~.-.
These influences together could not
work 50 extensive mischief were it not
for another ,contributory cause; that is,
THE decentralization sometimes of good
men through their ambition fori some
immediate political success. s.
lii Connecticut, as in other states, the
methods are to be destroyed which are
destroying democracy; the men are to
be politically exterminated who are
laying our heritage waste. In every
fo1x,,, a. nd village fhasa mon mo 7,