Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31

can the evil be remedied by such
means? That both of the leading par
ties of this state are largely under the
domination of boss and corporation in
fiuence and machine politics no we'll
informed citizen can deny. But 1t is
just as certain that both of them could
and would be freed from this domina-
ton IL only the independent, disinter-
ested electors would do their duty as
such. 1t is one of the claims of these
reformers that the machine controls
the election through the caucus,
through which 1t names the candidates
for delegates who are sure to be elected.
But why? Only because the voters who
are not under the influence of the ma
chine are not there to exercise their
right and duty as electors. Who is
most to blame, the machine politicians
who are there, as they have the right
| to be. or the voters who are not there
at all? The opportunity Is given every
voter to be there. If he Is not he alone
| is to blame. He is probably not there
because OF the mistaken reform policy
of trying to impress him with the idea
that he would be helpless II he were
there. That is a sufficient excuse, In
the estimation OF many voters, for
neglecting entirely the chief duty of
every citizen and elector of republic
can government.
Reformers Make Things Worse
Now see how the new reform organ
ization within the party proceeds 70
remedy this evil. They have no caucus
at all. It's self-appointed committee,
without giving the voters any oppor-
tunity to act at all, names the candi-
dates to be voted for for delegates and
prints and puts out this as the ticket OF
the organization. Thereby this organ
ization, claiming to be working for re-
form in political methods, violated the
first and primary principle for which 1T
was, or should have been, contending,
namely, an open and free choice of can
didates for election for delegates. How
much better would it.have been to wage
contest of reason and education for
open caucuses and the duty of all good
citizens to attend them. Better. a
thousand times submit to temporary
victory by the machine than violate a
principle of democracy that should be
sacred to every good citizen. Say what
you may, no attempted reform can sue
ceed that does not reach the individual
voter and bring him to realization OF
his sacred duty as citizen of a free
republic, that must depend for it's very
existence upon the honest and inde-
pendent exercise of his duty by the in
dividual elector.
We cannot impress too strongly up
on those who seek to govern political
affairs the absolute, the imperative
necessity of educating the voters up to
full realization of the sacredness OF
this duty and the necessity of perform
ing 1t to preserve the country. Would
be reformers may abuse the bosses and
the corporations without limit, but it
profiteth nothing. They may think 1t
will bring popularity for them. 1t may
with the unthinking but not with the
reasoning, observant voter He will
estimate 1t for what 1t is, a hollow
sham. 1t is much better to let the poll
tical boss run his own advertising
bureau and not publish the. fact for
him that it may be profitable for the
dishonest voter, or seeker for office, to
apply to him for favors. The influence
of the boss might be totally destroyed
by letting him alone and using all ouh
energies to bring the voters to a true
sense of their obligations. and thus
dominate the elections by the power Of
good citizenship as against corruption
and self-seeking politics and political
methods. ssH aV
Sincere, but Much Mistaken
A conspicuous example OF this mis-
taken, but in this instance well-inten-
toned policy of making much of the
power of the political boss. machine
politics and corrupt methods in con-
trolling elections was an address de-
livered lately before the City club by
an ambitious young politician who
seems to, have fallen into this method
Of attempting to reform the politics of
the country. The good intentions Of
the speaker and the sincerity of his
position are not doubted. Many of the
reformers of this class are sincere in
their purpose to bring about better
conditions But such addresses as
these are fraught with evil and should
be discouraged by an organization that
is conscientiously seeking to advance
the public interests. II only good men
in sll political parties would cease the
abuse of political bosses. so-called. up
on which the latter fatten and increase
in power and turn their attention to a
concerted effort to bring good citizens
TO a realization of the fact that what Is