The Lamar register., 1908-09-30
| "A
Is S.

Nyy and unselAsh. But not al
why's And reform politics may be
Chased as OF two kinds the counter
felt variety and the genuine.
Independent. or reform movements
In, political camraigns. are intended to
10 the breaking away OF members of
THO old parties and n consolidation of
these "boiters' for the purpose of
eiecting. a ticket which % supposed to
be better than either OF the old-llne
V9rty tickets. Sometimes an indie
pendent movement means this. Some
tipes Il means that n Democrat or n
Republican who has failed of the regu-
iar party nomination has been per-
siy,ded to mako the race on the
ground that he has been deprived of
the nomination by unfair means. But
the basic element of independent
movements is always claim toward
~ ,bettering OF conditions. and there
fore arguing a reform. politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibit
tiQn movement. TO be reckoned with.
and this is strictly founded on reform
principles Or there may be an edu
caionai feature In the campaign
WIZ PspfO W vail thC bhiantt
OF ,powar as to votes. and which. may
be- adopted In the platform of either
Of. the paTties. with a view to secure
votes for the whole ticket. Politics
IN largely game OF eypedients. and
as, 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 expedlent TO catch votes is consid-
cred justifable.
Other phases OF reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam
paJgns. and may influence local condi-
tions enough 10 swing victory to
side which may be weaker on paper
than its antagonist
In every large city and noticeably
In, my own city. found two well de-
fined types of the political reformers.
with smatteriEg 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
enlargement. steadily set himself to
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 class 81 men accomplished.
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 derlded and lam
pooned. and their lot. like the police
mans. was not IA happy one But as
time went on they became a force
which had to Ne reckoned with, even
ey the most hardened Of the BOSSES"
excepting in what may be ciassed 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 rhinoceros would mind
the bite OF a mosquito. l never could
understand. knowing the absolute
'hopalessness of 1t. why the reformers
would sometimes try to break into"
such ward In an aldermanic cam
patxp-r remeinber very well the oc-
casion OF n gentleman calling on me
and endeavorins TO enlist my services
as speaker In campaign of this
sort.
You know the dlsgraceful condi-