New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-02
THE MAN WHO GRASPED AN
OPPORTUNITY.

OPPORTUNITY.
There died in Philadelphia on Nov.
14th, millionaire whose career is an
example of opportunities presented by
American institutions to the humblest.
He was State Senator James P. Nc
Nichol, and he held the peculiarly
American position Of the political boss.
In early life McNichol learned the
need of economy. He managed to
accumulate enough money to go into
the contracting business on an humble
scale. Then great idea came to him.
It required brains, ability and courage
to put the idea into practice. But he
did it. If he had not done so, he would
probably have remained poor and
might have joined the ranks Of those
who deny that equality Of opportunity
exists in the United States. But he
did not hesitate and the great idea
brought him wealth. = Y.
Now as to the idea. At that time
Philadelphia was ruled by man named
Israel Durham, and the idea that
came to McNichol was to get Dur
hams help in securing profitable con-
tracts. He got it. The method used
was simplicity itself Like all great
discoveries he kept it secret, but it
came to light during an investigation
that was made at period when a
Mayor Of Philadelphia was conduct
ling rebellion against the boss. The
investigation disclosed that by the
simple process of making Durham a
secret partner in the business, large
contracts had been secured. At about
this time Durham found it convenient
to take a very long vacation away
from Philadelphia, and this gave Nc
Nichol another opportunity. He be
came the party leader and supreme
political boss. A few days before his
death he lost his control, but that
event does not spoil the moral OF this
story, for he was overthrow by an
other self-made man, one Edwin S.
Ware, a more efficient man at the po-
litical game. s..zs
| To those who hold the wealth to
be but trustees of fund to be dis
pensed in charity to the poor, Nc
Nichol should be a splendid example.
No charitable organization equaled him
in liberality. Throughout his ward
he had agents, popularity known as
''henchmen," who heard applications
for aid from any one in distress, and
generally gave them relief. No poor
family in that favored district needed
to go cold or hungry. None needed
| to be dispossessed for non-payment OF
rent. McNichol was ready to help.
Unlike the charity organizations, he
conducted no investigations to learn
the character of the applicant. He
cared nothing about that. Thru his
henchmen he secured jobs for the un-
employed And the poor reciprocated
by helping him carry elections. His
charity closed their ears to all talk Of
reformers against political bosses and
political gangs.
So what gave McNichol power was
first, the privileged interests in need o.
a political agent or boss, and second
the destitute poor with votes to give
in return for charity or jobs. Priv
ilege creates poverty, and Privilege
and poverty combined created political
bosses and gang rule. If Privilege is
right, if it must not be destroyed, then
its product, McNichol, was also right
If McNichol was an example OF what
should not be, then the privilege IN,
terests ought not to be. The reason
reform movements fail to get perma.
nently rid Of men like Men ichol is
i because they don't attack Privilege
d afSs II