La Junta tribune., 1912-10-26
High Time for
Public House Cleaning
BY c. P. CONNOLLY

eTN tltt,.u
the appointment OF his deputies TO
Cox and his ring. often even the
KEYS TO his safe Other cities, with
not a quarter of the advantages or at.
fractions, finally surpassed Cincin-
nau In growth and in the larger
civic spirit The reason was not far
To seek. Thuggism had ruled the
city; business men of independence
found il hard TO thrive real citizen
ship was ou,lawed; servile judges
obeyed Cox,s will.
The business of these bosses was
20 rule their cities; but power EN-
boldened them. and they reached out
after the political control of their
states Undistinguished for any dig
nifty. usefulness or purpose except
that OF political headship. without re-
sponsibllity even to the people. State
conventions were wont TO wait on
their pleasure. The people, and the
representatives OF the people, had
turned over to them the prerosauve.>
OF their citizenship and they had
held these so long that II was impos-
sible to recover them by anything
short Of formal secession from their
power and their parties,
Thy nominated governors to do
their bidding IN y nominated judges
to do their bidding Of the financial
interests which supplied them with
the siuews OF warfare; and they
nominated comptrol'ers and taxing
boards who saw that the burdens Of
taxation rested lightly on the power
ful AID heavily on the weak and help
less
The greatest foe of graft. and the
greatest moral force today In this
country. bar none. is the national
leader OF the Progressive party. But
some will say Did not Roosevelt
accep, the aid of the bosses? And
the reply is that he did 1t was the
only way one could rise to power.
Governor Wilson accepted the aid
Of the Democratic bosses OF New Jer-
sey was present at the convention
which nominated him as the candi-
date for governor OF New Jersey, and
| saw two delegations refused en-
trance TO the hall In Trenton where
the convention was held because
they were known to be against VIII
son Not that Governor Wilson was
responsible for those conditions. But
the fact remains that he might not
have been nominated as a candidate
without such methods lie accept
ed the aid of the bosses. possibly
because he could not enter politics
through any other door. The boss
- at Chicago were against Roosevelt
personally II was the things h.
stood for. and the mettle with which
hc had fought in the past for the
things he then stood for. His nom
nation In the republican national
convention meant the gradual eman-
cipation OF the Republican party from
boss rule. and boss rule meant that
while public contracts aud public
printing went to the bosses person.
ally. larger rewards went 10 the big
interests behind them Had the boss
oE believed that they could have
subduod Roosevelt I, their purposes.
as Trey had mo!det Tat th're would
have ben an "o1en" convention In
Chicago. az there was al open" con
fel'iDn n Sara'ora a d nt Syracuse.
Il Is time f'r br ak.up IN party
lia.' More crimes have been commit
I'd and more ,rimi ais exalted In
'he name and by the talisnan Il par
~ devotion than T. good fr this
county WRshin ton In his farewell
addr So iny.ighcd n ainst the spirit
II party. Il hay. already intima'ed
70 YOU" h. said. the dan -ers of par.
ties IN The state. with particular ref
crencc to the founding Of them on
geographical diSer!mi a'lng lie, me
nov take a more comprehensive view
to warn you IN tn. most s,lcmn man.
mr. axain't the baneful effects Of
the spiri, 81 party generally"
The sane impu'sH. the rame unsei-
hshnes.. ~. sam. f-ryor which saw
the birth of the Republic an party
sees the birth - the Progressive
party. II 10 time for . hpuse-ci.sn.
Ing In the nation. We aim 10 carry
forth the ideals ~ Washington. the
filth of Lincoln. and the c,nstruc.
tive criticism Of jefferson. Any nan
Who wishes to achieve fame nova.
days has only so huri some fresh cpl.
hit or diatribe axainst Roosevelt
The graf metropoii'an newspapers
will Rtve him fr0ut ~ - .u.,. r..