The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-08-04
The Boss as Friend and Protector.


There Is often much good in the
type OF boss. especially common in big
cities. who fultlls towards the people
or his district I'm rough and ready fash
Ion he POSITION OF friend aud protector.
lie uses his influence TO get Jobs for
young men who need them. He goes
into court for a wild young fellow who
has gotten into trouble. He helps out
with cash or credit the widow who is
In straits. or the bTeadWinner who Is
crippled or for some other cause tenn
porarily out Of work tie organizes
ciamOakes anu chowder parties and
picnics. and IS consulted by the local
labor leaders when cut in wages il
thr, atened. For some Of his constitu-
ents b. does proper favors. and for
Others wholly improper favors: but he
( preserves human relations with ait
I Tie may be a very bad and very cor
Tupt man. "A man whose action in black
mailing and protecting vice is OF far
reaching damage TO his constituents
I But these constituents are for the
most part men and women who strug-
/ Gle hard against poverty and with
whom the problem OF living is very
real and very close. They would pre-
FER clean and honest government. ~
this clean and honest government -
accompanied by human sympathy. hu-
man understanding hut an appeal
made TO them for virtue in the ab.
stract. an appeal made by good men
who do not really understand their
needs. will often pass quite unheeded.
II on the other side stands the boss
he friend and benefactor. who NAV
have been guilty of much wrong-doins.
IN things that they are hardly aware
concern them. but who appeals 10
them, not only FOR the sake of favors
10 come. but in the name OF gratitude
ana loyalty. and above all OF under
standing and fellow-feelinE They have
feeling OF Clan-loyalty TO him: his
ana their relations may be substantial
~ those which ara night and proper
among primitive people still IN the
I elan stage OF moral development. Tho
successful fight against this type OF
vicious boss. and the type OF vicious
politics which produces g. can be
made only by mon who have a genuine
fellow-feeling for and understanding OF
the people for and with whom they
are 10 work. and who In practirqf
fashion seek their social and Industrial
benefit
There arc communities Of poor men
Whose lives are hard. iu which the
boss. thrich he would be out OF place
~ a NOR" advanced community. II fun
damentaily an honest man. meets a
real need which would otherwise no:
b" met Because Of his limitations in
other than purely local matters n nav
he our duty 20 fight such a boss. bur 10
may also b. our duty 70 recognize.
within his limitations bo.h his sin
ceritv and his usefulness.
Nef again even the boss VIII, -eaIIv
rs Owl may on certain points be- sound
and b" doing good work. II may bo
ID" highest duty % the patriotic pub.
/ hD servant To- worn with the big boss
or The big business man on these
points. vhi." -oHising 90 work with
him "r Others In ~" eafn' way there
are many scif-ftlod rcformers whose
conduct is such as 20 warrant Tom
Reeds bitter remark that when DR.
Johnson defined patriotism a. the last
refuge ~ the sCouudr"l he Was II.
L"fan' ~ he infinite possibilities con.
famed IN Tho word reform Yet. n0ua
'h" l"-~. y g. our duty - work FOR tho
reforms these mon champion. without
regard 20 Oh" miscouduct OF tho mon
Themselves IN other points have
known 10 nv life many big business
In"u and MANY big political bosses who
oi"u ur even generally id evil. bu.
ST. ' "u -"'n" occasions aud on certain
issues N'r" .ish'. never he-itated
20 do battle against these mon whom
l'h"e were wrong. and. on the other