Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-06
TAXES RAISED
BY BOSS RULE
FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW
MEXICO SPEAKS
GEN. SHELDON MAKES ADDRESS
BEFORE CITY CLUB
Tells of Growing Burden on Citizens
Due to Their Neglect to
Overthrow Party
Machines

Lionel A. Sheldon, former governor of
the territory of New Mexico, now a
resident OF Pasadena in an address de-
livered at the luncheon given by the
City club at the Westminster hotel yes
terday afternoon made a plea for con-
centrated responsibility as opposed to
diffused responsibility in government,
and took occasion to pay his respects to
the system of government by bosses.
Several hundred members of the City
club were present and they frequently
applauded the sentiments expressed by
the speaker. Judge John ID. Works,
president of the club was master of
ceremonies. After Gen. Sheldon had
concluded his address. which was or
dered printed in pamphlet form by the
club, Judge Works told of a bill that
had been drafted and sent to the legis-
lature, which proposed TO carry out
some of the reforms mentioned by the
speaker, and he said it had never been
heard of from that time up to now.
"The thing TO do is to eliminate the
influences that can prevent such legis-
lation," said Judge Works. He made
special reference to the consolidation of
certain city and county offices, and
closed by saying: "The amount eXpend-
ed to carry on the affairs of this city is
simply outrageous, and the city gov
ernment can be administered for one
The theme of the speech by Gen.
Sheldon was Taxation a Growing Bur
den." He said:
Taxation Rates Increase
Being a self governing people, it is
supposable that the taxpayers, having
a voice in public affairs, would be more
alert than people not thus privileged in
protecting themselves from exploitation
through the imposition of taxation by
enfo~ ing the strictest economy in each
and all branches of the system
Unfortunately, of late years espe-
cially. such has not been the case; GER
tainly not to the extent it should have
been, a fact established by our expe-
riences; for rates of taxation have in
creased in percentage as population
has grown and wealth has been devel-
oped to an unprecedented and phenom-
email magnitude.
Though enigmatical it seems gener-
ally to be true, that public expendi-
lures in a popular government are
greater than under other forms where
the powers of the people are restricted,
as in a monarchy, aristocracy or oil
garchy, and especially is it enigmatical
when it is considered that our army
Is small in contrast TO the armies of
other countries whose population is in
"Office seekers are in proportion to
the number of offices provided, and
these Office seeking politicians do their
utmost to enlarge the number of places
in the public service. A large element,
and at times 1t almost seems to be in
the majority, is apparently content to
leave the management of government
to the few active and personally inter-
ested parties, trusting to luck In hav-
ing the public interests safeguarded,
and luck generally turns against
them.
Await Chance for Graft
There are classes constantly watch
ing for opportunities to graft from the
public through attainment of Offices
fat contracts or special privileges
There are hordes of such in all our
cities of considerable magnitude. 1t
is the bane of a free country that par
tisanism is apt to engender dogmatism
or a kind of fanaticism to gain and
maintain an ascendant position. 1t is
when party feeling runs highest that
machine politics and boss rule reach
the climax of their domination and
popular control is most fully surren-
dered. All associations for political
purposes are necessarily under some
kind of leadership. The real leader is
one possessed of high motive, consid-
erable mental strength, who holds the
public welfare in highest consideration.
Without these qualities no man can
rightfully be said to be a leader. The
political boss is not a leader, he is a
distator; not of measures for the gen.
eral good, but Of caucuses and cOnven-
tions or primaries for the purpose of
putting into the public offices men
who will work in the machine harness
and obey orders.
THE political boss rallies to his
standard all those who would exploit
the public revenues through achieving
political power, fat contracts, privileges
that assure advantages over competit-
ors in whatever business. and particu
larly in respect to public utilities.
THE boss and all his cohorts are ext
gent in developing an intense party
feeling, as through it the people can
the more easily be blinded and misled
as to the mischief public officials may
do.
THE stronger the spirit of PARTISAN
ship the more readily will the masses
submit to discipline and take the lock-
step to the voting booths, and the more
autocratic does boss rule become.
Corruption in Majority
Machine politics and boss rule are
always more prevalent in a majority
for the reason that to the majority
party the selfish and corrupt flock, for
it affords the best opportunities for sue
cess in their schemes for plundering the
government and people. The stronger
the machine and the rule of the boss
the less just, efficient and economical
the government is, and the more are
extravaganza, profiigacy and corruption
practiced.
THE machine is constructed and the
boss is installed for the purpose pri-
marily of putting men in Office who can
be handled in performing, as directed
ir granting favors to special interests,
such as will finance the machine and
the boss. Men in pursuit of fat con-
tracts and privileges profess intense
party attachment, not for the sake of
principle or wise and just measures of
government, but for personal profit, 1t
is important to perpetuate control by
the machine and boss that provision
should be made for obedient and eff
cient workers in politics, through a
liberal system of rewards from the
public treasures, and those who do bid
den work are compensated as far as
possible in proportion to the measure Of
their achievements.
Machine Enhances Taxation
"Taxation is enhanced more through
measures that will assure effective par
ty work and add strength to the boss
and his machine than By anything else
If there is superhuity Of official posi-
tions charge it up to the machine and
its boss; If in contracts exorbitant
prices are paid, or inferiority In quality
EXISTS, If the public is oppressed by
those granted special privileges, charge
them also to the influence Of the ma
chine and the boss The same NAV he
said in respect to excessive salaries or