The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-10-03

ways. And reform politics may be
classed as of two kinds the counter
felt variety and the genuine.
Independent, or reform movements
in political camraigns, are intended to
be the breaking away Of members Of
the old parties and a consolidation of
these "bolters' for the purpose of
electing a ticket which is supposed to
be better than either OF the Old-line
party tickets. Sometimes an indie
pendent movement mean this. Some
times it means that a Democrat or a
Republican who has failed of the regu-
Jar party nomination has been per-
suaded to make the race on the
ground that he has been deprived OF
he nomination by unfair means. But
the basic element Of independent
movements is always a claim toward
IL lettering of conditions, and there
fore arguing a reform, politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibit
tion movement to be reckoned with,
and this is strictly founded on reform
principles. Or there may be an edu-
c~ational feature in the campaign
which will prove to carry the balance
of power as to votes, and which may
he adopted in the platform of either
Of the parties. with a view to secure
votes for the whole ticket. Politics
is largely a game of expedients, and
as the only things that count, in the
last analysis, are the votes, it follows.
therefore, as the night the day, that
votes are the prime necessities, and
any %expedient to catch votes is consid-
cred justifiablo.
Other phases of reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam |
paigns, and may influence local condi-
tons enough to swing victory to a
side which may be weaker on paper
than its antagonist.
In every large city and ~noticeably
IN my own city. l found two we'll de-
fined types of the political reformers, |
with a smattering also of what were |
known as "cranks," "dreamers' and
Missionaries" One of the two types
referred to waS the ~hard-headed citi-
zen who. regardless of ridicule and dis
w ioSCLiOhI 1tSouiy = LIS " |
work to better the class of official
selection. Without caring anything
for party affiliations, he associated
with organizations which went
after weak or unfit candidates, and
supported and encouraged good candi-
dates for all Offices, whether state,
county or municipal.
This p1oCc ri mon nconop1ichn |
with the aid of decent politicians, a
great deal of good. In the beginning,
like all men actuated by really high
motives, they we're derided and lam
pooned, and their lot, like the police
mans, was not a happy one But al
time went On they became a force
which had to be reckoned with, even
excepting in what may be classed as /
strictly saloon wards"
In the saloon wards, where the al
dermen for instance, were saloonkeep-
ers, or where the saloon influence pre-.
dominated overwhelmingly, the boss
.es" did not mind reform politics any
more than a r~hinoceros would mind
the bite of a mosquito. l never could
understand, knowing the absolute
hopelessness of it, why the reformers
would sometimes try to break into"
such a ward in an aldermanfc cam
paign. / remember very well the oc-
,easion of a gentleman calling on me
and endea voring to enlist my services
a speaker in a campaign Of this
sort.
You know the disgraceful condi-