Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-11-02
MACHINE CONTROL.

absolute c0ntr0l Oy Speclal interests
through party machines and the utter
helplessness of the electorate under
il. The facts here stated are those
coming directly under the personal
observation of the writer. He was
in attendance on both conventions
and knows whereof he speaks. At
the California state republican con-
vention in 1904 Abraham Reuf head
ed the San Francisco county delega-
tion and held the balance of power.
Gillette was nominated through ma
nipulation of that power. The same
year at the democratic state conven-
tion the San Francisco county dele
CATION, manipulated by the same
Abraham Reuf, held the balance of
power and forced the nomination Of
Bell Both Bell and Gillette were
machine hand-picked candidates, and
whichever way the election went the
machine won. What chance had the
people under such a system? Their
only possible hope lay in boiling the
party tickets and voting for indie
pendent candidates, which, indeed,
they seldom had an opportunity to
do, for the power of the machine was
so great as to utterly discourage in
dependent candidacy. However, the
same year the machine bore down
too hard in Los Angeles county and
met defeat in the struggle for tax
assessor. The county assessor had
been elected as a machine candidate,
but had refused to follow its dicta-
ton. He readjusted assessments so
that taxes of utility companies were
greatly increased, so he fell under
the active displeasure of the machine.
He was candidate for denomination.
Eight hundred and four delegates
were in the republican convention.
He failed to get a single vote for
nomination. Notwithstanding that,
he became an Independent candidate
and was elected by a majority OF
about three thousand. Which Illus
trated fairly how utterly out of har-
mony with public sentiment and de-
mand party machines had drifted.
This was the first visible evidence
of the smouldering fire which the
next election broke forth in politi-
cal volcano that utterly enveloped
and destroyed the machine.
However, the fires had been
smoulering for years. Convention
after convention the people attended
in the hope of destroying that power.
They failed, but at last came away
with a new notion. Reform was inn
possible within the organization.
Special privilege was the power be-
hind the machine and reform was a
vain chimera. Fond credulity was
dissipated. No longer could they
cling TO the hope that the thing to
be reformed would mend itself, oil
that an organization grown sleek and
fat by spoliation had the virtue and
honesty to correct the wrong
Ephraim was Joined indissolubly tC
his idols.
Nothing is so dangerous to corrup
tion and graft as recent idea. Il
becomes courageous. 1t dashes dowI
and breaks in pieces. This oppressed
spirit finally burst up through th'
J bottom of California's political struc
ture and the spiked fail of partisan
ship was not sufficient to beat /
back. Out from the smut and th'
, filth-from the fostering womb o
, political corruption-came this new
! thought. resolute. aroused and power
i full, and the machine flew disconcert
ed and scattered before it. The peo
, pie became at last conscious of thei
, power and courageous enough to en-
, force il.
But the struggle leading up to tina
point is marked by inefficiency, ex
travagance and waste. History re
: peats itself The long struggle Of tn
= people against corrupt political pow
t er. Too often accomplished only b.
the blood of the bravest and best o
nation.
t But in America the machine ha
/ not gone far enough to destroy fire.
: exercise OF the ballot-as Mexico ha
= done under a constitution almos
, identical with ours-and reform her
. was brought about through exercis
= OF the ballot-a peaceful revolution
E while in our sister republic resor
TO arms was necessary. dissipatin
5 blood and treasure and devastatin
4 the country in an ill-directed struggl
5 for supremacy. only to find that on
machine is vanquished while anothe
- takes its place, and free governmen
e by the people Tor the people still lar
n guishes.
a Oregon and California have set tn
pace in independent free government
i They must not give way an inch. Th