The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-05-18
campaign there will be little use Of
states booming their favorite sons.
DOWNFALL OF A BOSS.

DOWNFALL OF A BOSS.
Abraham Ruef, for many years the
political boss of San Francisco, has
pleaded guilty to the charge of extor-
ton. His action comes as a great sur
prise to those familiar with the San
Francisco situation and the character
of Ruef. He has been considered one
Of the brainiest and nerviest men. He
constructed a political machine that
was almost perfect for the purpose for
which it was built. He was able to
take up, without the aid Of any politi-
cal party, poor, inexperienced band
leader and place him twice in the
mayors chair in the city Of San Fran
cisco. Both the great political parties
We're powerless against the planning
of Abe Ruef.
Ruef himself is a lawyer. When
first admitted to practice he gave
promise Of making a name for him.
self in his profession. He was re-
sarded as honest and he was a hard
worker. He soon became interested
in politics, and from the time of his
first participation he gave almost his
entire time to political planning. He
displaced both the Democratic and Re-
publican machines with his own, and
so careful had he planned the whole
matter that it was not generally ex-
pected that he could be convicted of
any wrong-doine.
San Francisco has been in the grip
Of political machine for so many
years that people became accustomed
to its extortions. Corporations seek
ing privileges and all classes of people
engaged in questionable pursuits paid
their tribute to Abe Ruef. No one re-
ceived political appointment without
his approval. Even judges of the
courts were, in some instances his
creatures. When the graft investiga-
ton commenced it was thought that
Mayor Schnitz might tell all in order
to save himself, but Abe Ruef was
counted upon to fight to the last, and
to win somehow. His decision to plead
guilty in a case where the state itself
had little hope of conviction is a
strange end of an interesting, if not
a creditable career Ruef gives as a
reason for his action, the desire to
save his family from the worry Incl
dent to a long trial. He says that he
can spend a term of years in San
Quentin with as much comfort as he
confession, but he pleads guilty to
the charge in order to put an end to
the investigation. Ruef is an example
of the political boss who started out
with honest intentions and with the
ability to organize and build politi-
cal machine, succeeded in creating an
organization which finally destroyed
him. In his statement to the court he
admitted that he was guilty Of con-
the machine together, but he denied
that he ever took a dollar from the
public or accepted dishonest fee. In
his statement he condemns Mayor
schmitz for his weakness and severely
condemns the labor union leaders who
surround him. They" referring to
the labor leaders, he says, will eat
the paint off house."
The corruption disclosed in San
Francisco is the worst that has been
revealed since the days of the Tweed
reign in New York Ruef's surren-
der will enable that city to clean out
corruption with comparative ease. His
downfall proves that there is no sys-
tenn Of corruption so skillfully plan
ned that it can Withstand the assault
of public opinion.