New-York tribune., 1905-11-11
poPULARIzING GOVERNMENT.


the country show at least one thing clearly.
Tne people for the moment are tired OF what
are called "bosses" There is doubtless good
deal of exaggeration and humbug in the denun-
citation Of bosses" The people are great myth
lovers. and as from time to time they are fired
with enthusiasm for certain traits and see only
heroism and genius In all acts wise or unwise
of man possessing them, so in turn they may
be led to call a boss and everything
he does, no matter how disinterested and saga
cious, at once becomes wicked. 1t would be
difficult to say Just what "boss' is. There are
many BOSSES" and few of them have many
traits In common and not infrequently men
who are bosses" while living and active be-
come leaders" or "Nestors" or "sages' when
dead or retired
No sane and practical person supposes for an
instant that we can get on In politics without
leaders, or without leaders who will make
business Of politics. We have right to demand
that these leaders be clean and honest, that
they use their power for something very differ
ent from their "own pocket all the time" We
have a right to ask that they take their trus-
teeship seriously and lead in the shaping of
wise measures or, at least, If legislation and
administration be not their talent, that they
lend their influence to the carrying out OF good
public policies rather than to the service of
the selfish ends Of any combination Of 1ndly1d-
uals. Yet even the best Of 'bosses, one who,
were this not an age of fighting by epithet,
would even by opponents be treated as repu-
table leader, is likely to find his authority
challenged by the popular antipathy to BOSSES
good or bad, without much regard for the steps
to be taken after he is dethroned.
The "boss," however, is the product of politi-
cal conditions, and is not to be abolished by a
mere electoral upheaval. An individual may be
killed Off but the species will persist so long
as fundamental conditions remain unchanged
The example of Mr.. Jerome, helpful as it has
been in arousing popular interest in the ISSUE
offers no precedent of general usefulness 1t
is an old story that under exceptional conditions
the people will rise up and sweep away the
most strongly intrenched political powers. What
we want is not a recipe for revolution, but for
healthy normal activity In the really popular
conduct of government. Year in and year out
honorable and efficient men cannot hope to get
up and call every political spade q cursed old
shovel and on that platform win an election, or
even command a respectful hearing. 1t takes
man with exceptional personal magnetism to
rally enthusiasm and make audacity not seem
impudence. Daniel Webster could arise and
say "If you break up the Whig party, where
am to go?" and the people held their breath
and wondered where he would go; but if he
had been a little fellow, as Wendell Phillips
said they would have asked: Who the devil
cares where you go?"
The peoples reserve power for emergencies
is ample. What we lack is everyday work
ing democracy; and the lack of it is what not
only invites but even necessitates the boss if
we hold that term to mean primarily not cor
rupt pirate of politics, but merely a despot in
the conduct of affairs The people who have in
vited despotism are tired Of it, whether it is
good or bad in its practical results, and their
problem is to find a substitute for what they
would abolish Perhaps the most attractive
method of substituting leaders of the people for
bosses Of machines is to abolish the nomi-
mating convention and secure direct nominations.
That Is a method open to abuse and sure to
result in disappointment but it would bring
the government more Immediately home to the
masses of the people and diminish the Opportu-
nifty for manipulation offered by a small body
of delegates Politicians would continue to shape
nominations and generally would have their
own way but they would hold an ear closer to
the ground than they have been accustomed to
do and they and their candidates would cult
vate the arts of popularity. That would be,
perhaps, not an unmixed blessing. The ear
close TO the ground has become symbol of
cowardly leadership, and the line between the
search for popularity and downright demagogy
is often indistinct. Yet the danger is incidental
to ali democracy and, If the cure for the evils
of democracy be more democracy, then there Is
no reason to hesitate on that account Ger
tainly 1t must be evident, even to the BOSSES,
that the end, at least for a timGA Aof the present
system is at hand that the popular determine
ton to exercise a more direct control over gov
ernment is fixed and that delance VIII cnly swell
the tide