The state herald., 1908-10-02

"A not always. He is also
sometimes actuated by mo-
GEE tives entirely impersonal
SSy and unseifsh. But not al.
ways. And reform politics may be
c,assed rs of two kinds the counter
felt variety and the genuine.
Independent. or reform movements
n political CAMPAIGNS. are intended TO
be the breaking away of members OF
the old parties and n consolidation OF
these "bolters' for the purpose of
electing ticket which is supposed 10
be better than either OF the old,llne
party tickets. Sometimes an indie.
pendent movement means this. Some.
times II means that Democrat or a
Republican who has failed OF the regu.
lar party nomination has been per.
sunded TO mako the race on the
aground that he has been deprived Of
the nomination by unfair means. But
the basic element of independent
movements is always claim toward
u bettering OF conditions, and there.
fore arguing reform. politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibit
tlon movement to be reckoned with.
and this is strictly founded on reform
principles. Or ;here may be an edu.
cational feature in the campaign
which will prove 10 carry the balance
of power as TO votes. and which may
be adopted in the platform OF either
Of the parties with a view TO secure
votes for the whole ticket Politics
Is largely game of cxpedients, and
ms the only things that count, In the
last analysis. are the votes. II follows.
therefore. as the night the day. that
votes are the prime necessities, and
any expcdient to catch votes is consid.
cred iustifablc
Other phases OF reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam.
paigns. and may influence local condl
tions enough TO swing victory to
side which may be weaker on paper
than It's antagonist.
In every large city and notlceably
In my own city. | found two well de-
fined types OF the political rcformers,
with n smatteriGg also OF what were
bHbNu hh 'ltHhHs ul'hHltIF anu
Missionaries" One OF the two types
referred TO was the hardhcadcd citi.
zen who. regardless OF ridicule and dis.
couragement. steadily set himself 10
work 10 better the class OF offlciai
selection. without caring anything
for party Affiliations. he associated
with organizations which went
after weak or unit candidates. and
supported and encouraged good candi.
dates for all Offices. whether state,
county or municipal
This class ci men accomplished,
with the aid OF decent politicians. n i
great deal Of good. In the beginning.
like NIL men Hctuated by really high
motives, they we're derided aud lam.
pooned, and their lot. like the police
mans. was not happy one. nu, m
time went on 'hey became fore.
which had 10 Ne reckoned with. ev.n
by the most hardened ~ the BOSSES"
excepting In what msy be clnuncd Ms
strictly saloon wards"
In tho saloon wards. where the nj.
dsrfncn FOR instance. were Haloonkecp.
ers. or where the saloon influence pre-
dominated overwhelmingly, the boss.
cs" did not mind reform politics any
moro than n rhinoccros would mind
tho bite Of n mosquito. never could
understand. knowing the abnout.
hopeiesrness of n. why the feformefH
would sometimes try 10 break Into"
such = ward In an nidermhnic cam.
paigp. remember very well the 90.
ranion Of gentleman calling on me
ana cndcpyorins 10 enlist my services
as speaker In campaign Of this
sori.
You know the dirgraceful condi