The herald., 1920-08-26

AIN"muS Ndru, the humOrlSt, relate,
/ that he once owned and Travelled Will
an animal show, that was woefull,
/ weak in animals and TERRIBLY stronl
/ on posters. The audience detected the
fraud. II soon showed signs Of dis
/ satisfaction. 1t grew sullen. II grew
menacing. Ward was a resourcefuI
fakir. lie jumped on the platform
Ladies and gentlemen" he said, you
have seen only the beginning OF this
! show Then pointing to a wide open.
ing in the tent he added. Wonder is
] the Grand Exit" The crowd rushed
in that direction, but it was soon in
the dark outside and Ward was safe
across the river. Here. you have an
old Machine campaign trick.
Posters Posters everywhere, And not
healthy truth, incidentally. the
public is asking itself, Who is pay
ing for these posters? Is it thousands
of admiring voters or could ii be a
few favored financial interests or a
few favored contractors" On Sep
TENDER nth, will the voters OF New
Orleans rush TO the Grand Exit?
The writer, in this issue, will FIRE.
que.tly name and point directly at one
person, the Head of the Ticket-Mar-
tin Behrman. The writer has no de.
sire TO be personal He neither wishes
to be offensive. nor would he give an
opportunity to the Machine" candi
date 10 pose as a martyr, nor allow
him 10 presume that singing him out
is proof of his exceptional ability, his
force of character or his paramount
strength. Behrman, as an individual
is mere incident in his campaign
He is only one of the harassing politi.
cal boils that infest the body polite.
His position only makes him a bigger
and sorer boil. Behrman is the
main issue. because by his own re.
peated claims, by his public utterances,
by his acts and by his manipulatiOns,
he is the titular head of this MIA
chine The cOnceit, the supra-self
confidence that has led him to inject
himself, willy nilly, in this campaign,
has made him the legitimate main tar
get. He is the type of politician that
crops out spontaneously from the
vitals of this political system, A
little more daring, a little more in
genuity, little more cunning, little
better knowledge OF the game, and a
little less scruple in employing OBJ
iectionable means causes such a type
to be crowned king"
Behrman's affability to friends and
supporters, is no more an issue than
his conceit; his sociability, with those
he likes, is no more an issue than his
arrogance; his generosity to friends
and political neutrals, is no more an
issue than his political hatred and
vindictiveness. Behrman is the main
issue, because by force of autocratic
habit, he not only has assumed con-
troll of his star chamber organiZa-
ton, but practically assumed sole di-
rection of public affairs. He must be
eliminated from public office. because
when you perpetuate the head, you
the system.
Behrman is not the desirable type
Of man for mayor of a great modern |
community. He repre- /
;ents an effete, discarded, discredited /
political system. He is a blurred |
political tin-tpye REPRODUCTION of |
Richard Croker, American NUM- |
,ipalities, with intelligent and con-
,cientious electorate. are fast Kidding /
themselves of this inefficient selfish
md corrupt system of municipal gov
mong other qualifications required to
e an ideal mayor, that he must have
n intelligent understanding of the
principles of a represent
tive government-he must adopt and
Incorporate clean sound principles of
ublic policy-must be an administra-
or of recognized ability"
Behrman has a weak conception of
he elementary principles of a repre-
entative government and he is woe
lilly deficient in sound princi-
les of public policy. The writer will
elect only a few of many proofs in
of this statement.
By word and act, through his entire
Behrman has assumed
lat the Executive is the authorized
nd competent judge as to whether
lie laws framed by the legislative
ranches of government are to be en-
reed or not AS the infallible in 7
rpreter of public opinion, HE is ut z
berty to enforce them or not enforce I
lem, when and where he pleases. A {
,table example of this attitude is the a
warranted liberty he has taken with i
e Sunday saloon-closing law. v
This is a dangerous attitude, most
cious principle and subsersive of v
e spirit and duties of three branches i
government, the Executive. Legisla- a
We and Judiciary. Although hidden a