The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-11-20

Partyism Il to them more than patriot
Ism, more than civism-if there Is such
word; thev love their party more than
their city; they are OF a part. not OF the
whole. They have voluntarily disfran-
chised themselves and actually conspired
To throw away their votes: they have
done all this by belonging to parties. That
is II precisely-belonging- belong:
they are owned and hence cannot be free
America Is, or was. intended TO be. and
some day will be, democracy. A democ-
racy means the whole OF the people. not a
part OF them: a democracy means free
men. not owned men.
HELPS THE BOSS.
when the majority OF the voters In
city have got themselves I'm this frame OF
mind that is, when they have tactly
agreed not to consider municipal ques-
tions at all--for that Is what IL all comes
to-the opportunity OF the political boss is
ripe. and so inevitably and punctually the
political boss appears and establishes
himself as a dictator. Like the pirate. he
sails under that flag which best sub
serves his purpose at the time; he be-
longs to no party; he is too wise for that
he governs a party he owns a party;
and he, inevitably selects the dominant
party as his prey. He Is not In politics
for principle; he is not always In politics
for politics; he is politics for business.
He wants something to sell: something
for which In certain qarters there Is a
demand, something for which a certain
few will pay high-that is, privileges. He
sees I'm the unintelligent vote OF the
party man a tremendous asset and he
ulllzes II. He knows that as soon as a
sufficient number OF men have become
partisan, atomotic voters. who consider
straight ticket more important than a
straight conscience, they no longer need
be reckoned with. that they can be de-
pended upon 10 do the same thing every
time. and over and over again, like per-
forming bears. that is he knows that they
will always vote the same way. They
have Voluntarily disfranchised themselves,
eliminated their own personalities, and
they no longer count. Thus befogged by
party superstition. they forget the pres
ent and barter the future in order TO
worship the past: they become like the
dead souls In Gogois novel. and the boss,
like Tchitchikoff. can put them up and
sell them TO the highest bidder.
about the same time the boss. and
those he represents. devise a new and
most convenient form of ballot. a form
that is convenient for him and for the
party automatons. and. as II no oppor-
tunity for hypocrisy should be overlooked,
though II bears no resemblance to any
thing Australian except, perhaps, the
dodo. He prints the names Of the nomi-
nees In columns. and over each column he
prints picture of a bird, an eagle. or a
rooster. or some bird or prey, and there
after the party man need exercise no in
telligence whatever
But even this is not all. II Il were
there Nigh still be hope. The party boss
has laid a deeper. more sinister and a
far more effective plot II he Is the boss
OF the dominant party, he makes over
lures to the boss OF the minority party.
They effect an arrangement a working
agreement and thereafter the big boss
dictates not only the nominations Of his
own party, but those OF the opposing
party as well. The nominations on the
oppising ticket are always weak; they
are always defeated; and for his reward
the little boss receives a portion Of the
punder. Thus government passes wholly
into the hand OF the big boss and his
organization, Such Is the situation at
last in every city in the land where
the supplied partisans have enabled
bosses to build up large machines.
But I'm Importance and significance
beyond all ne economic and spiritual
cost Is the withering of character, the
wasting OF strength. the disintergration
OF personality, which is the punishment
that inevitably, inexorably and remorse-
lessly follows the VOCATION of law--that
Is, real law. not the printed statute.
which is oftentime something very diff
ferent from law, but the law of the moral
world. which no legislature need enact or
can repeal. which requires no executive to
enforce it."