The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-15
DEsPOTISM OF IMPERIAl.ISTs
Arrogation and Abuse of Power In
creasing IN the Republican
~ Party.

Ex-Secretary Cortelyou's transfer to
the postmaster g~enerashlp serves anew
to emphasize the curious workings Of
the great federal machine erected by
the republican party, which has for
years gradually been concentrating po-
litical power in the heads of government
departments and particularly has made
the post Office the center Of party con-
troll.
Most people, says the st. Louis Repub-
lie, respect Mr.. Cortelyou, the secretary
to two presidents, as a reputable and ex-
tremely intelligent and capable man,
and there has been at no time, even ur-
ing the campaign, an effort to disparage
him personally wen OIL the part Of the
most narrowly partisan newspapers but
his case is the extreme illustration of
the inherent %iniquity of the imperalistic
machine encroaching upon the country's
democratic institutions and threatening
to override popular will.
Mr.. Cortelyou was put into a cabinet
position specially created in aid of the
machine - the department of COM
merce, a position of official vantage
bringing the party into intimate rela-
ions with and giving it a stronger pur-
chase on the giant corporations Of the
country; a post em%inently qualifying the
holder for the place of campaign man
ager and collector Of contributions.
Graduating from the department Of
commerce, Mr.. Cortelyou was made ma
tional chairman of his party during the
campaign. Much unpleasantness arose
from criticism offered against Mr..
Roosevelt for taking a man out of the
cabinet-out of the public service-to do
party work of this kind; but it would
have been strange indeed if the Ameri-
can people had not regarded C%ortelyou's
position and campaign collections in
the light Of his former employment. 1t
would have been stupid in the people to
have regarded his collections from the
corporations as anything other than fat
fryings deliberately planned in the party
mind. 1t was a sheer disarmament and
extortion from the protected monopO-
lies.
Precisely as the department of COM
merce fitted COrtelyOu for the chairman
ship, so did the latter place qualify him
for the postal department. 1t is the big
political department. However clearly
he may conduct it, Notwithstanding his
personal prObity, be will inevitably
have the great corporations and pro-
tected industries at his mercy-at the
mercy of the machine, in any event. The
post office department must powerfully
strengthen the machine, under the man.
agement of men like Payne and COrtel-
you, trained in party affairs, both in its
relations to the financial and industrial
powers and in its relation TO the coun-
try generally the post Offices of the cOun-
try being the principal political feeders,
as seen especially in the last campaign.
The postal department is the source of
perquisites, enter of distribution and
nucleus of control.
Imperialism's worst form is exhibit
ed in the machine despotism, arrogation
and abuse of power increasingly mani
fest in the republican party. With its
growth in power and perfection of Or
ganizatiOn the party's necessity for pre-
tense fades. The succession of appoint
ments through which Mr.. Cortelyou has
been brought into the postmaster gen.
eralship marks the limit of party and
machine daring.