Middletown transcript., 1911-11-25
xTDDLErOwN. DEL, nov. IS, 1911
PARTY BOSSES DOOMED

"For the last decade pollslcai Co"
ventions have had difficulty in con-
structing platforms which clearly ex-
pressed the position Of their party on
politicaI issues, and most OF them
have been compromises Of the varied
opinions of the different elements OF
the party. These platforms, instead
Of being q statement Of party prln-
ciples, have been constructed for the
purpose of batting the public.
"The drift Of public opinion 10 IN
one direction. The revelations made
in the investigation Of the great 10
surance companies Of New York, the
lifting Of the lid in various municI-
paIities, and the investigation ana
prosecution OF the trusts, have coh-
vinced the people ofthc necessity o. US
ing their power at the ballot oox 10
correct these evils which have oeen
thus made known to them, and secure
common justice to all.
Machines Control the Parties
"PoIitical parties are controlled oy
their organizations or political ma
chimes. These organizations, consist
ing of the respective committees, i'll
stead of being creations OF the party
membership for the purpose Of effect
uating the principles which it main
tains, HAVE BECOME THE 70
LITICAL ORGANIZATIONS OF
AMBITIOUS INDIVIDUALS and
politicians to maintain and extend
their power over the governmental
machinery Of the body polite for the
purpose of using them to advance
their own selfish interests. These
committees or organizations perpet-
uate themselves by selecting their
own membership, nominate csndi-
dates for Office, and induce the public
50 elect them sas public servants.
Such offieehelders, when nominated
and elected, are in fact the servants,
not Of the people who elected them'
but of the political committee or boss
that nominated them"
The above extract is from an
article written by Robert g.
Houston, editor of the SuSSeT
Republican for the Sunday Star
of September 10th, at the request
of it's editor.
That this shameful picture OF
the stolen sovereignty of a once
free and self governing people,
is true, only the / lindest, uncan'
did partisanship will even at
tempt to deny.
1t is, moreover, an evil which
striking at the foundations of
government, threatens the very
life Of the Republic itself.
A yet greater peril lies in the
fact that this evil is non-partisan,
for there are Democratic as well
as Republican machines" and
'sbosses. But the gravest dan
ger of alias THE TRANSCRIPT
has heretofore pointed QUITS a
bipartisan combination as a mere
pEunder league of the worst ele
ments of both parties when one
party machine" or "bo s"issnOt
strong enough to carry to a suc-
cessful issue its schemes of spoil.
alton.
But ali over the land there is
an awakening to the danger that
menaces our institutions, and
every election tells of some once
omnipotent boss kicked out and
his machine" smashed by the
indignant people.
1t is well that this is so, for
this usurpation would at last
bring chaos - possibly a mon
arshic coup d'etat by some am
bilious ''man on horseback, or
what is worse, bald, levelling
socialism.
To tell the truth, there is left
in either of the two great parties
but little of the genuine priuci'
pie that of old inspired them.
They,have both long been "groan.
ing for burial" and are to-day
little else than hungry partisan
camps-''the ins" and "Lhe outs"
fighting 80 sometimes combin'
ing-for the spoils of Office.
Patriots in both parties are
hopefully awaiting some great
reformer to lead in the formation
of a new party composed of the
best blood of both the old ones,
and animated anew by a wish
to serve the people instead OF
the bosses
Mr.. Houston is to be compli-
mented-not less for the ssgacity
of his views than for their cour-
ageous statement.