Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-08-01
THE NEW MOVEMENT.

has been a persistent cultivation OF
party loyalty sentiment. II has been
pursued with a purpose. The boss
moulded the party policies with a
view to more firmly establishing the
special privileges he created for him
self without a thought of the general
good. In order to continue to do
that a strong ligament must be found
that would hold the party together.
The politician is wiser generally
than the rank and file of a party.
That is why he holds his political
power. He studied well the idiosyn-
cracies of the race. He found that
two of the strongest human traits,
two surest to be relied upon, were
institution worship and hero wor-
ship. Hero worship existed before
the institution came into use. The
institution was formed about the
hero. While the hero lived his per-
sonality formed the sinue that held
the institution together. After the
hero died, however, it was seen that
the race was more likely to rally to
later hero than to stand firm to
the traditions of the old The poll
ticians increased and leaders multi
piled, and with leader multiplication
a factious spirit developed, so that
the power of the hero began to wane.
The hero lived his allotted time and
died His individual character be-
came a tradition. 1t is harder to
hold a people to tradition than to a
living manipulating leader.
An institution could perpetuate it
self through the lives of many lead
ers. Moreover, it could be made to
furnish vent for the ambition OF
many men, thus somewhat allaying
the spirit of faction. The politicians,
for the politician has been a factor
since the organization of society, set
about to enthrone the institution in
the minds of the people, to take the
place of the hero. So the institution
was set up as the sacred thing and
the politician has since busted him
self cultivating and augmenting in.
stitution worship.
Thus our parties come to us to.
day, sacred political institutions
and the rank and file are kept in line
by the bosses because party betrayal
is firmly established as the cardinal
political sin. AS this sentiment grew
there was less and less of criticism
regarding party manipulation be-
cause the kicker was usually ostra-
cised from party favor If a man
! hoped for party preferment it was
only because of his loyalty to the or
ganiation, and the spoils system af-
| forded sure mode of rewards foI
| party service. AS the institution
grew more corrupt it became neces.
sary more and more to create new
sources of reward in order that party
service be stimulated. This has sc
| developed that for the past twenty
years party organization has been lit
tie less than a gigantic spoils ma
chine rewarding the faithful and de
stroying the recalcitrant.
Thus the system of the peoples
rule in theory has been inverted into
the rule of the bosses in practice
For long time thousands of citi
zens have realized that the average
person had little to say in the gov
ernment. At first this discourage
ment had only the effect of causine
political lethargy-the average mar
was loath to antagonize the powers
that might destroy him-and he sc
lost interest that he seldom attended
| the polls and never his party caucus
! That left the party machinery en-
tirely to the politician whose aim was
spoils, not good government In this
situation big business found the
party organizations. AS big business
! could profit most by manipulation in
legislation and administration, il
found it most profitable to control
the party machines. Party contro
was expensive, for politicians were
welded to rewards. Great favors
were necessary to bear the poll.
ticians' demands. Legislation, as
well as party control, was essential
to its accomplishment. Not only
law, but the administration and con-
struction of law, were needed to in
sure special privileges that would af.
ford the expense incident to party
control. And so these great combi
nations of capital grew into monopo
lies and trusts under the protection
of the legislative and administrative
power. Practically every fedora
| Judge was satisfactory to the favored
interests and few national senators
were elected without their consent
Is ii wonder that the government
grew farther and farthar awoy fr0n