The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-12
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respond to such sordid and unholy
considerations. For example, WHY not
bride, II it succeeds? Why not make
brokerage of offices, If II promotes
ambition? Why not make Illegal
registrations and return fraudulent
votes If they give public place? This
is success: this is doing thingsl Ana
why not affiliate with organizations
that do things?
Day of Organization.
This is day of organization in
business and in politics But organi-
! cations must be fair and just The
| monopoly in politics is more harmful
than the monopoly in business. The
contest in America is not against party
! organization, but against unfair and
! corrupt organization. which is known
! throughout the republic as q ring or
! machine. BY nature and necessity it
is trust or monopoly in politics. 1t
! wants all; 1t devours all; its appetite
is Unsuitable and morbid. 1t is con-
siously or unconsciously. the inevita-
bic foe OF the people 1t moves noise
lessly, and its agents are of the gum
shoe type. L; lives upon and not for.
the people. Its Instruments are money
and the ballot box, and its ends are
the Offices of the people. The agents
! OF the machine are often unknown,
and oftener deny their tribal afflia-
ton. They are the night riders OF
| modern politics: spotting their victims
| and then seeking their destruction or
their ignoble surrender
The machine generates foul mi
Gsma. milldewing here and there the
white sheet OF the press. and corrod-
ing and blighting Democratic faith. 1t
tempts the creditor to intimidate his
debtor into the machine fold It Sc
duces the friend to betray his friend
that additions may be made to the
tribe. 1t sets brother against brother
and son against father. while loudly
proclaiming the shibboleth of stand
ing by your friends This condition
of American political life Is openly
confessed in most of the States of
the Union.
Not Yet Victorious.
! But the machine is not yet vic
torious; the people still aspire. and
leaders from time to time come forth
to lead. In this city was born q man
now looming large. in whom we hope
for deliverance. He has the courage
OF the soldier. the philosophy of the
seer. and the sympathy OF the patriot
He has come from the scholars clois
ter. and by no secret passagaway. to
great place and power. where his
armor has been invulnerable against
the poisoned arrows of the machine
He has opened wide every public win
dow in New Jersey. and has flood ed
that State with the light of his con-
hdence and his plans. The machines
throughout the nation are already
| 81 N a 1ny %
sons ascendancy, pondering whether
they should foully puncture the tire
OF his morning chariot or to leap
thereupon in the dust of its speed
shouting that he Is their Original
choice for the machine Is a profess
sionaI victor whenever It knows how
to be.
"Democracys last and best chance ia
to win in the open. One victory under
machine domination is the victory of
oeath one victory by methods known
and approved OF all men In behalf of
the general good means the life OF
Democracy for years to come. What
an opportunity for Virginia. Will she
embrace the standards of plutocracv
or Democracy? If she side with De-
mocracy she must strangle her ma
chine: for the machine Is, in Its last
analysis. the secret agent OF 'plutoc-
racy' Seat Democracy at the victori-
Gus table OF the machine and
deaths head feast II Will be-
1T is said We have no machine. IN
Virginia And so said by men who
see monstrous machines in New
YORK and California. They see the
mote in their brothers eye. but not
the beam in their own
Proof at HIND.
But the proof is at hand. II IA
confessed and seductively urged In
secret. as the one method of securing
place and fame The head OF the Vir
GINA machine Senator Martin. for he
wns so declared TO 80 in the late Suf.
folk convention by his chief support-
! ers. proudly claimed kinsnip with the
machine and the boss before the
Association Of County Clerks, held In
| Norfolk some time ago. The Sena-
\ tor there lauded the boss and ths
machine and was delighted to be a
| friend OF the former and mer1her
OF the latter.
| But. confessions aside, examine the
| very nature OF the machine II al
ways strives to confederate all OF the
4 ofhceholders and employees of govern
! nent State city and county into
| compact union. No one is allowed 20
| hold place unless he openly or mas,
| sively consents to be member ~
| this factional union. Is not this the
| fact in Virginia? The number az ON
Gals and employees not within This
ring are negligible; they are the ex-
ceptions which prove the rule
y mean no reflection upon any Off
| cial or empioye bu, would warn tl.a
] people of Virginia that there is n,
graVer sign of danger 10 free gov
eminent than an Office holders trus.
n hA In -