<SPAN name="XLIII"></SPAN>
<h1 align="center" style="margin-top: 2em;font-variant: small-caps">Chapter XLIII</h1>
<h2 align="center" style="margin-top: 2em;font-variant: small-caps">The Rule of the Bosses</h2>
<p>General Dru was ever fond of talking to Senator Selwyn.
He found his virile mind a never-failing source of
information. Busy as they both were they often met
and exchanged opinions. In answer to a question from
Dru, Selwyn said that while Pennsylvania and a few
other States had been more completely under the domination
of bosses than others, still the system permeated
everywhere.</p>
<p>In some States a railroad held the power, but exercised
it through an individual or individuals.</p>
<p>In another State, a single corporation held it, and
yet again, it was often held by a corporate group
acting together. In many States one individual dominated
public affairs and more often for good than for evil.</p>
<p>The people simply would not take enough interest in
their Government to exercise the right of control.</p>
<p>Those who took an active interest were used as a part
of the boss’ tools, be he a benevolent one or
otherwise.</p>
<p>“The delegates go to the conventions,”
said Selwyn, “and think they have something
to do with the naming of the nominees, and the making
of the platforms. But the astute boss has planned
all that far in advance, the candidates are selected
and the platform written and both are ‘forced’
upon the unsuspecting delegate, much as the card shark
forced his cards upon his victim. It is all seemingly
in the open and above the boards, but as a matter
of fact quite the reverse is true.</p>
<p>“At conventions it is usual to select some man
who has always been honored and respected, and elect
him chairman of the platform committee. He is pleased
with the honor and is ready to do the bidding of the
man to whom he owes it.</p>
<p>“The platform has been read to him and he has
been committed to it before his appointment as chairman.
Then a careful selection is made of delegates from
the different senatorial districts and a good working
majority of trusted followers is obtained for places
on the committee. Someone nominates for chairman the
‘honored and respected’ and he is promptly
elected.</p>
<p>“Another member suggests that the committee,
as it stands, is too unwieldy to draft a platform,
and makes a motion that the chairman be empowered
to appoint a sub-committee of five to outline one and
submit it to the committee as a whole.</p>
<p>“The motion is carried and the chairman appoints
five of the ’tried and true.’ There is
then an adjournment until the sub-committee is ready
to report.</p>
<p>“The five betake themselves to a room in some
hotel and smoke, drink and swap stories until enough
time has elapsed for a proper platform to be written.</p>
<p>“They then report to the committee as a whole
and, after some wrangling by the uninitiated, the
platform is passed as the boss has written it without
the addition of a single word.</p>
<p>“Sometimes it is necessary to place upon the
sub-committee a recalcitrant or two. Then the method
is somewhat different. The boss’ platform is
cut into separate planks and first one and then another
of the faithful offers a plank, and after some discussion
a majority of the committee adopt it. So when the
sub-committee reports back there stands the boss’
handiwork just as he has constructed it.</p>
<p>“Oftentimes there is no subterfuge, but the
convention, as a whole, recognizes the pre-eminent
ability of one man amongst them, and by common consent
he is assigned the task.”</p>
<p>Selwyn also told Dru that it was often the practice
among corporations not to bother themselves about
state politics further than to control the Senate.</p>
<p>This smaller body was seldom more than one-fourth
as large as the House, and usually contained not more
than twenty-five or thirty members.</p>
<p>Their method was to control a majority of the Senate
and let the House pass such measures as it pleased,
and the Governor recommend such laws as he thought
proper. Then the Senate would promptly kill all legislation
that in any way touched corporate interests.</p>
<p>Still another method which was used to advantage by
the interests where they had not been vigilant in
the protection of their “rights,” and when
they had no sure majority either in the House or Senate
and no influence with the Governor, was to throw what
strength they had to the stronger side in the factional
fights that were always going on in every State and
in every legislature.</p>
<p>Actual money, Selwyn said, was now seldom given in
the relentless warfare which the selfish interests
were ever waging against the people, but it was intrigue,
the promise of place and power, and the ever effectual
appeal to human vanity.</p>
<p>That part of the press which was under corporate control
was often able to make or destroy a man’s legislative
and political career, and the weak and the vain and
the men with shifty consciences, that the people in
their fatuous indifference elect to make their laws,
seldom fail to succumb to this subtle influence.</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.