The Washington herald., 1913-08-03

There is often much good In the type
of boss, especially common in big cities,
who fulflls toward the people Of his dis
trict In rough and really fashion the
position Of friend and protector. He uses
his influence to get Jobs for young men
VINO need them. He goes into court Tor
q wild young fellow who has gotten into
trouble. He helps out with cash or
credit the widow who 10 in straits, or
the breadwinner who is crippled or Tor
some other cause temporarily out OF
work. He organizes clambakes and
chowder parties and picnics. and Is con-
suited by the local labor leaders when
a cut in wages is threatened For some
of his constituents he does proper favors'
and for others wholly improper favors'
but ne preserves human relations with
all. He may be very bad and very
corrupt man, a man whose action IN
blackmailing and protecting vice Is of
far-reaching damage to his constituents.
But these constituents are for the most
part men and women who struggle hard
against poverty, and with whom the
problem of living is very real and very
close They would prefer clean and
honest government. IL this clean and
honest government. is accompanied by
human understanding. But an appeal
made TO them for virtue in the abstract.
not really understand their needs. will
often pass quite unheeded, IL on the
other side stands the boss, the friend
and benefactor, who may have been
guilty of much wrongdoing in things
that they are hardly aware concern
them, but who appeals to them. not only
for the sake of fayors TO come. but In
the name of gratitude and fellow-feeling.
They have a feeling of clan-loyalty to
raIa ha h.
stantially those which are right and
proper among primitive people still in
the clan stage of moral development.
The successful fight against this type OF
vicious boss, and the type OF VICIOUS
politics which produces it. can be made
only by men who have a genuine fellow
feeling for and understanding Of the peo-
pie for and with whom they are to work,
and who in practical fashion seek their
social and industrial benefit.
seIf.styIed Reformers.
There are communities of poor men.
whose lives are hard, in which the boss,
though he would be out of place in a
more advanced community, If fundament-
ally an honest man, meets real need
which would otherwise not be met Be-
cause of his limitations in other than
purely local matters il may be our duty
10 night such a boss; but 1t may also
be our duty to recognize. within his liml-
tations, both his sincerity and his useful
ness.
Yet again even the boss who really is
evil. like the business man VINO really
is evil, may on certain points be sound
and be doing good work. 1t may be the
highest duty of the patriotic public SER
want to work with the big boss or the
big business man on these points. while
refusing to work with him on others. In
the same way there are many self-styled
reformers whose conduct is such as TO
warrant Tom Reeds bitter remark that
when DR.. johnson defined patriotism as
the last refuge of the scoundrel he was
ignorant Of the infinite possibilities con-
tanned in the word reform. Yet. none the
less. it is our duty to work for the re-
forms these men champion, without re-
gard TO the misconduct of the men them
selves on other points. i have known
in my life many big business men and