The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-12-08
IL There One Hers7

What is a boss, anyway? We may
know some concrete example and hear
more or LEGS about him, but what under
the skin is the nature Of the beast? To
what general classification does he be-
long?
In the first place, the name boss is
badly chosen. 1t is a Holland Dutch
word, implying master. In South Az
RIGA II is used extensively among the
Kaffirs in referring 90 the big Dutch
farmers II comes down from slavery
days, when the Dutch farmers owned
the Kahirs
Now, the political boss Of today does
actually own certain number Of peO-
pie, but ii he depended merely upon
those he owned, he would not control
enough votes TO elect dog catcher.
The boss owns those 10 whom he has
paid down for support; he owns those
he has permitted 10 bride him, 80 that
both he and they are parties 10 "A Grim
inal relation; he owns those he has H.
censed 20 commit crimes, and he owns
men who, for office, influence, pclf,
franchises or immunities, have delibcr-
ately put on his collar,
There are good many Of these
slaves, unfortunately, but the whole
number Of them IN not sufficient 10 keep
any boss in power week.
A boss keeps power by a device a.
old "a human shame; by practice Of
which Judas lscariot and Benedict Ar
mold were notable eXemplars. He keeps
power by treason
In the sordid treason Of bOs8dOm We
miss the dark background Of the Mount
OF Olives, where Judas, with thirty
nj . all f,lt a. in t.i i.,,r
palm, advanced To- kiss the Christ. We
miss the lonely road where Benedict
Arnold conferred with Andre to sell his
country. But when, with clear vision,
we study the plain rules Of treason, in
all cases IL is alike.
II is pity that the real victims Of
this modern crime are not always the
first TO expose and damn IT, So many
OF the prOtestants against bOssism are
so obviously never fooled by anybody
but themselves; they are SO often Of
the professional rcfOrmcr, superior per
son type, who protest more through |
irritation than convictions They do no !
harm, but after ALL in the affairs of |
plain men, they are negligible guam |
tity
The aim Of bossism is to gain the con |
fdencc of wOrkingmcn and the common |
people, and then 90 sell them out for |
money TO their natural enemies.
This IA "a strong saying, but study it |
and analyze Il IA you will, you will find |
that IL is true
BY the easy devices Of appearing
Democratic, by giving to the poor, by !
help here and favor there, boss IL |
able to fool the working men and the |
common people into Keeping him in
power.
Then what does he do with his power?
To be- sure, he throws TO the public
few and insignificant sops to continue
the fooling, but what does he do with
his real power, his Big power?
His really close friends are not Of the
common people. They are Of those
who want something that belongs to
the public. They can get what they
want more quickly and cheapIy by 90
ing directly to the boss than they can
by openly and fairly approaching the
people themselves. II Is in these
friendships with illionaire exploi Is
that can always be traced the sources
Of the boss income
He sells out the poor. whose conf
dence he has gained, to the predatory
rich.
Would Il, therefore, not be more !
frank and fair, IN your thoughts at !
least, 10 substitute the word "traitor" /
for the word boss? And when you !
meet "A man from another city do not .
ask him II anybody bosses his town,
but II anyone sells out his town And .
when he asks you If you have boss in ,
your city. tell him that you have no
boss, but very rich and successful .
traitor, who, however, has been found .
out by those he has betrayed the
and the common people.
Tampa Tribune.
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