Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-09


tain individuals for the removal of Mr. Murphy chief
OF Tammany Hall. There is an implication that if Mr.
Murphy eliminated the political corruption and the
chine despotm against which the public has vigorously
protested, would be eliminated with him
Let US not mistake the shadow for the substance Let
not be satisfied to eliminate superficial phase of
evil and leave the actual evil untouched.
The thing to be extpaed and destroyed merely the
Tammany Hall boss but the Tammany Hall system
The thing responsible the political corruption
people determined destroy the political machine 1t
is merely the Democratic machine it is the Republican
machine we'll 1t is the political system of machine politics
which substitutes the power Of corrupt boss for the will of
the people
Machine politics undemocratic and UNI American 1t is
political despom 1t the very opposite of the political lib
ery which the founders of this nation contemplated It must
be destroyed but 1t will be destroyed merely by
missing one boss of political machine and substituting
other boss
than Kelly and Kelly was than Tweed Each
ceedng boss Of Tammany Hall is worse than his prede
cessor and no better The Tammany Hall system continues
no matter what boss is power because boss would be
continued in power who did not continue this system
The inner workings Of Mr. Murphy brain would be
materially changed by covering his head with
the inner workings of Tammany Hall would be by
giving gurehead in the shape of boss 1t is
not enough to eliminate political despot The emphatic
protest of the community has been directed at all political
The question before community them is not merely
how to destroy the individual boss but HOW TO DESTROY
THE SYSTEM OF BOSSES. This not be done by spas
modc and sporadic uprsng against the inevitable corruption
OF the political machine but must be done by SYSTEM OF
ELECTORAL REFORMS which will nulfy power of the
field of politics
system winch repose political power in the hands Of
the people must be substituted for the existing system which
reposes political the hands of purchasabe
the corrupt interests which habitualy purchase him
The measures necessary restore political power
people not speculative but practical operation in
most Of the States of the already been
destroyed. These measures are:
DIRECT NOMINATIONS,
THE MASSACHUSETTS BALLOT, 81
THE INITIATIVE wfRf
THE REFERENDUM
AND THE RECALL.
Amy one of these measures will give partial political lib
ey to the people but only the adoption operation of
all OF these measures will give the people complete political
liberty.
The Importance Of direct nominations a step toward the
destruction OF the political machine best per-
slstent and determined opposition of both political machines
to this reform The demand of the people for direct
nominations has been clear and convincing clear that the
political machines OF both parties promised concede
direct nominations to the citizens, yet each when in posses
sion of the machinery of government has failed keep its
promises
The desperate lengths to which machine will 90 rather
than establish general system of direct nominations which
would destroy the of the machine shown in the re-
cent Suger episode.
thinking does not have condone Suffers ofenses
to realize that Suzer mpeached because those Of
lenses but because of his threat carry the promises of
the Democratic platform the question direct nominations
Suffers ofenses actual enough and discredable
enough but there few of machine puppets who sat
in Judgment him who had committed similar oenses
in equally aggravated form.