Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-18
THE BOSSES GO DOWN AND OUT

THE BOSSES 60 DOWN AND OOI
0F THE Ware machine In Philadelphia
~ there are left only mourners and refugees
embittered to the bone. The so called Capi.
tol Hill organization is a shabby ruin. Yet
these were the two crowds Of political ad-
vcnturers which tossed coins for the right
10 seize the City Government and control the
resources and the legislative policies Of the
State. The force that they never learned TO
believe in-thc force OF unorganized public
opinion--broke them for good.
No election ever held in Pennsylvania was
more significant than this Republican pri-
mary. and none revealed more vivdly the
almost pitiful limitations and the intellec-
tual helpessness of the average boss. For
It is fair TO believe that Ware. Leslie. Eyre,
Baker. Sproul. Beideman, Snyder. Kephart
and all the other members Of the organiza
tions general staff were really astounded by
their defeat. Such men have no faith in the
voting public, and public opinion. MS It Is
generally understood, has no place in their
estimates. Money and "the boys" and the
bell .pullers and the gang machinery were
supposed to be unbeatable factors In any
political campaign.s They were all present
In this instance. But they We're without
power to turn aside the wave Of resentment
that swept Alter under.
The cumulative disgust Of years found cx-
preston in the anti Ware and anti Leslie
vote at the primary. And we know now that
there is limit to the liberation of the
--latest minded voter. a limit that the gangs
in this State venturcd long ago to pass
For the vote on Tuesday was dispassionate
There was no flaming campaign slogan. no
novel issue, no effort TO stampede the cleo
tors by the mere force of dynamic per-
| sonaity or an emotional battlecry. If there
had been, the Waterloo of Ware and Leslie
as State bosses would have meant far less
than it does
The vote for Pinchot. cast as It was with.
out the aid Of an experienced working or
gan!zation was voluntary offering. 1t
was In reality an expression of free opinion
1t was not bought or herded. That is why
the result of the Pennsylvania primary must
seem rs significant to the bosses in Maine
and Texas AS 1t does to the bosses here.
| II came naturally enough after the overturn
| in Indiana to prove that a new political
| consciousness is swiftly developing in the
United States and that gangs. as we have
known them. have about run their course.
How much Of the political inspiration Of
| the moment Is due to women is not vet clear
| But 1t is to the credit of the women voters
| in Pennsylvania that they were the first to
| rrystallize Pinchot sentiment, the first to
! make open war upon leaders in their own
| party whom they dstrusted. and the first
| to make ''Principlc First" tho rallyinc cry
| OF the campaign. 4 little while ago the
| Ware City Committee was laughing at the
| women voters and finding it difficult TO treat
| them with common courtesy. Such is the
| vision of the old school gangster. II they
| had been blind and asleep. the organization
| leaders could not have been at n disadvan-
| tage greater than that at which their ig-
| norance of political realities left them. They
| do not now know what caused their defeat
| They probably will never know.
And they will not come back, Bosses
never do. after n general defeat. Orsaniza.
! tions such as have ruled in Pennsy Iva MIA are
| corroded by every political vice. weakened
| by every sort Of internal meanness, Deser.
| tlons and treason began AT the first sign of
| misfortune on Tuesday. Now there are ONLY
rage and panic and a stampede for shelter
and furious outcries against the leaders who
failed. The journalistic npoog.sts for gang
dom, the camp followers and the high hated
grafters may try with words TO soften the
force OF the extraordinary blow for the
mourn"rs. The fact will remain as plain m
day that Pennsylvania has quietly turned
over new leaf and kicked its political
enemies out Of the way. The losers will fight
guerrilla fashion, of course. They will do
some sniping at Harrisburg. But as an
actual force IN political affairs the Old
| Crowd is as good as buried
The millions to be spent on State roads
| will be honestly used There will be no
| golden overflow to the pockets Of the con .
tractor. politicians who sought new and
| richer fields after they had made themselves
! intolerabe even in Pittsburgh and Philadel .
| phia. That, however, is not the most I'm =
| portant thing.
| Pennsylvania has got In line for more
decent political system In the United States,
| That is what matters most