The sun., 1912-07-14
wilson ON BOSSES AND
POLITICAL MACHINES
Praises Commission Form Of
Government and Says We
Must Unity to Control.
M1SGOvERNMENT OF CITIES
Most Of the Best Governed Are
Abroad and the Worst in
-.
This Country.

-the hopes OF America nave been Ols-
appointed In American city govern
ment." He says that most Of the we'll
governed cities are abroad and we have
here many Of the worst governed cities.
Taking up this subject as we'll as
others, Gov. Wilson discussed them at
length In yesterdays EueninO Post.
After considering the disagreement OF
American cities the Democratic candi-
date praises the commission form Of
government The evils of machine con-
troll II dealt with and there IL reference
10 the necessity for responsible action
In response. not to special interests or
TO parts of public opinion but to the
whole opinion of the nation" In char
acteristic fashion Gov. Wilson refers to
the political boss as one of the "inevi-
table fruits Of American politics" He
cannot be put out OF business as our
city governments are organized. Gov.
Wilson says. and the question is. Are
you going to boss your governments or
ere you going to make 1t necessary that
somebody else should boss them" ON
the subject Of misgovernment Gov. Will
son says:
"The hopes Of America have been dis
appointed In American city government.
There was time-you do not have tn
be very old to remember it--when there
was q universal complacency In America
about our success in matters of politi-
cal organization. No American would
admit that anywhere in the world there
were to be found governments organ
ICED more successfully than they were
organized In America. But We have
got over that complacency. We have
had to admit the fact that most Of the
we'll governed cities Of the world are
ON the other side Of the water and that
many Of the worst governed cities Of
the civilized world are on this side Of
the water.
"I take It that the problem that we
have set ourselves Is the problem OF
responsibility. We want governments
which respond TO public opinion and
we have not been able to get them.
The explanation you can hang on your
wall II you choose II you will only take
the pains to buy a copy of that old car
toon by Tom Mast which represented the
Tweed ring in New York as an actual
circle of men. each with his thumb to
his neighbor. the title Of the picture be-
Ing 'Twan't Me- We have invented or
stumbled upon 'Twan't Me- system Of
government and what We are In search
Of 10 It's you system Of government.
I'VE cannot fix responsibility because
responsibility depends upon certain
In the process of government. 1t de-
pends upon intelligibility in its meth
DDS. 1t depends upon openness In the
counsels Of governments"
OF the machine and the boss Gov.
Wilson said:
I'VE want to unity in order to con-
troll. do not understand the reason
ing Of those persons who say that
unincaticn Of this sort In undemocratic.
] do not know anything that IL un-
democratic except that which prevents
the people from controlling. And I
stand for the proposition that anything
that secures control by public opinion
IL fundamentally and radically demo-
cratic. do not have to argue that.
It IL too obvious.
1.-THE machine Is in one sense an
essentially uD-American thing. mas
much az II is in many of its aspects a
secret and despotic thing but I cannot
agree that II was not natural growth
Of American politics. We have got 10
have the machine under present con-
ditions or 40 out of business. I do
not mean that we have got to have
q corrupt machine. but We have got
to have a machine. an outside organi-
zatiOn. an organization outside OF this
complicated piece Of machinery. whose
single command shall bring order out
OF chaos. whose united will shall unity
and control the governments We have
set up.
"The American boss Is one OF the
most characteristic and inevitable fruits
of American politics. You cannot put
him out Of business as your govern
ments are at present organized. You
can get disgusted with particular
boss. and you can put that one out Of
business; for You can see to II that
some one more honest or more in ac-
cord with your principles takes his
place; but whatever the kind Of boss
there will be boss. That is the reason
WIN! We have special political or
Ranixatton and machinery In this coun-
try which exists nowhere else. No
where else has 1t been made absolutely
necessary that II should exist.
You have this problem therefore.
Are you going to hoss your govern
ments or are you going to make II
necessary that somebody else should
boss them? They have got to he super
Intended. they have got to he given a
unity and coordination Of purpose and
the choice is with us as to the source
from which these forces will come be-
cause We know that they do not stop
with the machine. What troubles us
10 not that the machine controls the
action OF our government so much as
that We see shadowy shapes behind the
machine.
"But when I know that these men
may he in the pay Of those who are
working for their own profit and
special interest. and who do not care
q peppercorn for the general interests
~ society, I know that the most dan
erous oligarchy that could possibly be
set up has been set up in the United
States.
How do you explain It that there IA
no politics between machines? How do
you explain the fact that the same men
often give money both to the Demo-
cratic and TO the Republican machines?
Why 1t all goes back to that absolutely
true but cynical remark attributed to
q politician In New York city, who said
There amt no politics In politics.
Machines are not divided by principle,
they are divided by opportunity.
II want You to distinguish, as I try
TO distinguish In my own thoughts, be-
tween the machine and party organlza-
tton. They are absolutely different
things. A machine Is a little coterie Of
capable and designing men who are
using the party organization for their
own individual purposes. No man
should be ignorant or stupid or unjust
enough to bring into condemnation the
legitimate organization Of our great
parties. but every man should be In.