Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-08

Tt is patently absurd" I went on that you who finance politics and keep in funds these fellows of both machines should let them treat you as if you were their servants. Why don't you put them in their place servants at servants wages?"
 But I've no time to go into politics and I don't know anything about il don't want to know. It's a low business-ignorant, corruption, fllthi. ness''
 Take Dunkirk. for example," l pushed on. His lieutenants and heel. CTS hate him because he doesn't di. vide sQuarely. The only factor in his power is the rank and file of the voters of our party. They, I'm con. vinced are pretty we'll aware of his hypocrisy-but it doesn't matter much what they think. They vote like sheep and accept whatever leaders and candidates our machine gives them. They are almost stone blind in their partizanship and they can al. ways be fooled up to the necessary point. And we can fool them our selves, if we go about 1t right, just as well as Dunkirk does it for hire"
 But Dunkirk is their man isn't he? he suggested. :.. .-.
 Any man is their man whom you choose to give them. replied I. And don't you give them Dunkirk? He takes the money from the big busi- ness interests, and with it hires the men to sit in the legislature and finances the machine throughout the state. It takes big money to run a political machine. His power be- longs to you people. to a dozen of you, and you can take it away from him; his popularity belongs to the party, and 1t would cheer just as loudly for any other man who wore the party uniform"
 'I see," he said refiectively; "the machine rules the party, and money rules the machine and we supply the money and don't get the benefit. It's as if my wife or one of my employees run my property"
 Much like that" answered. Now, why shouldn't you finance the ma chine directly and do away with Dun- kirk who takes as his own wages about half what you give him? He takes 1t and wastes it in stock specu- lations-gambling with your hard, earned wealth, gambling 1t away cheerfully, because he feels that you people will always give him more" What do you propose?" he asked; and could see that his acute busi- ness mind was ready to bounce upon my scheme and search it hopefully if mercilessly.
 "A secret absolutely secret, combine of a dozen of the big corporations of my state-those that make the bulk of the political business-the com bine to me under the management of some man whom they trust and whose interests are business, not political"
 He would have enormous power" said Roebuck.
 l knew that he would point first and straight at that phase of my scheme, no matter how subtly I might dis guise it. So had pushed 1t into his face and had an but pointed at it my self so that I might explain 1t away. "Power?" said I. How do you make that out? Any member of the con- bine that is dissatisfied can withdraw at any time and go back to the old way of doing business. Besides, the manager won't dare appear in 1t at all, he'll have to hide himself from the people and from the politicians, be- hind some popular fgurehead. There's another advantage that mustn't be overlooked. Dunkirk and these other demagogues who bleed you are inflam- ing public sentiment more and more against big orporations-that's their way of fighting you into yielding to their demands. Under the new plan their demogogery would cease. Don't you think it's high time for the lead CTS of commerce and industry to con- bine intelligently against demagogery? Don't you think they have cringed be- fore 1t and have financed and foster ed 1t too long?"
 This argument which had re- served for the last. had all the effect I anticipated. He sat rubbing his broad. bald forehead. twisting his white whiskers and muttering to him self. Presently he asked: When are you and Lottie Ramsay going to be married?"
 Tn the fall." said I. Tn about three months"
 Well we'll talk it over again after you are married and settled. If you had the substantial interests to give you the steadiness and ballast, I think you'd be the man for your scheme. Yes. something-some such thing as you suggest-must be done to stop the poisoning Of public opin. ion against the oountry's best and strongest men. The political depart ment of the business interests ought to be thoroughly organized as the oth- CT departments are. Come to me again after you're married"
 I saw that his mind was fixed. that he would be unable to trust me until I was of his class. of the aristocracy of corpulent corporate persons. went away. much downcast: but two weeks aftervard he telegraphed for me. and when I came he at once brought up the subject of the con- bine