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The　Boss　and　the　Machine；　A　Chronicle　of　the　Politicians　and　Party　Organization

by　Samuel　P。　Orth






CONTENTS

I。　THE　RISE　OF　THE　PARTY
II。　THE　RISE　OF　THE　MACHINE
III。　THE　TIDE　OF　MATERIALISM
IV。　THE　POLITICIAN　AND　THE　CITY
V。　TAMMANY　HALL
VI。　LESSER　OLIGARCHIES
VII。　LEGISLATIVE　OMNIPOTENCE
VIII。　THE　NATIONAL　HIERARCHY
IX。　THE　AWAKENING
X。　PARTY　REFORM
XI。　THE　EXPERT　AT　LAST

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL　NOTE





THE　BOSS　AND　THE　MACHINE

CHAPTER　I。　THE　RISE　OF　THE　PARTY

The　party　system　is　an　essential　instrument　of　Democracy。
Wherever　government　rests　upon　the　popular　will；　there　the　party
is　the　organ　of　expression　and　the　agency　of　the　ultimate　power。
The　party　is；　moreover；　a　forerunner　of　Democracy；　for　parties
have　everywhere　preceded　free　government。　Long　before　Democracy
as　now　understood　was　anywhere　established；　long　before　the
American　colonies　became　the　United　States；　England　was　divided
between　Tory　and　Whig。　And　it　was　only　after　centuries　of　bitter
political　strife；　during　which　a　change　of　ministry　would　not
infrequently　be　accompanied　by　bloodshed　or　voluntary　exile；　that
England　finally　emerged　with　a　government　deriving　its　powers
from　the　consent　of　the　governed。

The　functions　of　the　party；　both　as　a　forerunner　and　as　a
necessary　organ　of　Democracy；　are　well　exemplified　in　American
experience。　Before　the　Revolution；　Tory　and　Whig　were　party　names
used　in　the　colonies　to　designate　in　a　rough　way　two　ideals　of
political　doctrine。　The　Tories　believed　in　the　supremacy　of　the
Executive；　or　the　King；　the　Whigs　in　the　supremacy　of　Parliament。
The　Tories；　by　their　rigorous　and　ruthless　acts　giving　effect　to
the　will　of　an　un…English　King；　soon　drove　the　Whigs　in　the
colonies　to　revolt；　and　by　the　time　of　the　Stamp　Act　（1765）　a
well…knit　party　of　colonial　patriots　was　organized　through
committees　of　correspondence　and　under　the　stimulus　of　local
clubs　called　〃Sons　of　Liberty。〃　Within　a　few　years；　these
patriots　became　the　Revolutionists；　and　the　Tories　became　the
Loyalists。　As　always　happens　in　a　successful　revolution；　the
party　of　opposition　vanished；　and　when　the　peace　of　1783　finally
put　the　stamp　of　reality　upon　the　Declaration　of　1776；　the
patriot　party　had　won　its　cause　and　had　served　its　day。

Immediately　thereafter　a　new　issue；　and　a　very　significant　one；
began　to　divide　the　thought　of　the　people。　The　Articles　of
Confederation；　adopted　as　a　form　of　government　by　the　States
during　a　lull　in　the　nationalistic　fervor；　had　utterly　failed　to
perform　the　functions　of　a　national　government。　Financially　the
Confederation　was　a　beggar　at　the　doors　of　the　States；
commercially　it　was　impotent；　politically　it　was　bankrupt。　The
new　issue　was　the　formation　of　a　national　government　that　should
in　reality　represent　a　federal　nation；　not　a　collection　of　touchy
States。　Washington　in　his　farewell　letter　to　the　American　people
at　the　close　of　the　war　（1783）　urged　four　considerations：　a
strong　central　government；　the　payment　of　the　national　debt；　a
well…organized　militia；　and　the　surrender　by　each　State　of
certain　local　privileges　for　the　good　of　the　whole。　His　〃legacy；〃
as　this　letter　came　to　be　called；　thus　bequeathed　to　us
Nationalism；　fortified　on　the　one　hand　by　Honor　and　on　the　other
by　Preparedness。

The　Confederation　floundered　in　the　slough　of　inadequacy　for
several　years；　however；　before　the　people　were　sufficiently
impressed　with　the　necessity　of　a　federal　government。　When；
finally；　through　the　adroit　maneuver　of　Alexander　Hamilton　and
James　Madison；　the　Constitutional　Convention　was　called　in　1787；
the　people　were　in　a　somewhat　chastened　mood；　and　delegates　were
sent　to　the　Convention　from　all　the　States　except　Rhode　Island。

No　sooner　had　the　delegates　convened　and　chosen　George　Washington
as　presiding　officer；　than　the　two　opposing　sides　of　opinion　were
revealed；　the　nationalist　and　the　particularist；　represented　by
the　Federalists　and　the　Anti…Federalists；　as　they　later　termed
themselves。　The　Convention；　however；　was　formed　of　the
conservative　leaders　of　the　States；　and　its　completed　work
contained　in　a　large　measure；　in　spite　of　the　great　compromises；
the　ideas　of　the　Federalists。　This　achievement　was　made　possible
by　the　absence　from　the　Convention　of　the　two　types　of　men　who
were　to　prove　the　greatest　enemy　of　the　new　document　when　it　was
presented　for　popular　approval；　namely；　the　office…holder　or
politician；　who　feared　that　the　establishment　of　a　central
government　would　deprive　him　of　his　influence；　and　the　popular
demagogue；　who　viewed　with　suspicion　all　evidence　of　organized
authority。　It　was　these　two　types；　joined　by　a　thirdthe
conscientious　objectorwho　formed　the　AntiFederalist　party　to
oppose　the　adoption　of　the　new　Constitution。　Had　this　opposition
been　well…organized；　it　could　unquestionably　have　defeated　the
Constitution；　even　against　its　brilliant　protagonists；　Hamilton；
Madison；　Jay；　and　a　score　of　other　masterly　men。

The　unanimous　choice　of　Washington　for　President　gave　the　new
Government　a　non…partizan　initiation。　In　every　way　Washington
attempted　to　foster　the　spirit　of　an　undivided　household。　He
warned　his　countrymen　against　partizanship　and　sinister　political
societies。　But　he　called　around　his　council　board　talents　which
represented　incompatible　ideals　of　government。　Thomas　Jefferson；
the　first　Secretary　of　State；　and　Alexander　Hamilton；　the　first
Secretary　of　the　Treasury；　might　for　a　time　unite　their　energies
under　the　wise　chieftainship　of　Washington；　but　their　political
principles　could　never　be　merged。　And　when；　finally；　Jefferson
resigned；　he　became　forthwith　the　leader　of　the　oppositionnot
to　Washington；　but　to　Federalism　as　interpreted　by　Hamilton；　John
Adams；　and　Jay。

The　name　Anti…Federalist　lost　its　aptness　after　the　inauguration
of　the　Government。　Jefferson　and　his　school　were　not　opposed　to　a
federal　government。　They　were　opposed　only　to　its　pretensions；　to
its　assumption　of　centralized　power。　Their　deep　faith　in　popular
control　is　revealed　in　the　name　they　assumed；
Democratic…Republican。　They　were　eager　to　limit　the　federal　power
to　the　glorification　of　the　States；　the　Federalists　were
ambitious　to　expand　the　federal　power　at　the　expense　of　localism。
This　is　what　Jefferson　meant　when　he　wrote　to　Washington　as　early
as　1792；　〃The　Republican　party　wish　to　preserve　the　Government　in
its　present　form。〃　Now　this　is　a　very　definite　and　fundamental
distinction。　It　involves　the　political　difference　between
government　by　the　people　and　government　by　the　representatives　of
the　people；　and　the　practical　difference　between　a　government　by
law　and　a　government　by　mass…meeting。

Jefferson　was　a　master　organizer。　At　letter…writing；　the　one
means　of　communication　in　those　days；　he　was　a　Hercules。　His　pen
never　wearied。　He　soon　had　a　compact　party。　It　included　not　only
most　of　the　Anti…Federalists；　but　the　small　politicians；　the
tradesmen　and　artisans；　who　had　worked　themselves　into　a
ridiculous　frenzy　over　the　French　Revolution　and　who　despised
Washington　for　his　noble　neutrality。　But　more　than　these；
Jefferson　won　over　a　number　of　distinguished　men　who　had　worked
for　the　adoption　of　the　Constitution；　the　ablest　of　whom　was
James　Madison；　often　called　〃the　Father　of　the　Constitution。〃

The　Jeffersonians；　thus　representing　largely　the　debtor　and
farmer　class；　led　by　men　of　conspicuous　abilities；　proceeded　to
batter　down　the　prestige　of　the　Federalists。　They　declared
themselves　opposed　to　large　expenditures　of　public　funds；　to
eager　exploitation　of　government　ventures；　to　the　Bank；　and　to
the　Navy；　which　they　termed　〃the　great　beast　with　the　great
belly。〃　The　Federalists　included　the　commercial　and　creditor
class　and　that　fine　element　in　American　life　composed　of　leading
families　with　whom　domination　was　an　instinct；　all　led；
fortunately；　by　a　few　idealists　of　rare　intellectual　attainments。
And；　with　the　political　stupidity　often　characteristic　of　their
class；　they　stumbled　from　blunder　to　blunder。　In　1800　Thomas
Jefferson；　who　adroitly　coined　the　mistakes　of　his　opponents　into
political　currency　for　himself；　was　elected　President。　He　had
received　no　more　electoral　votes　than　Aaron　Burr；　that　mysterious
character　in　our　early　politics；　but　the　election　was　decided　by
the　House　of　Representatives；　where；　after　seven　days'　balloting；
several　Federalists；　choosing　what　to　them　was　the　lesser　of　two
evils；　cast　the　deciding　votes　for　Jefferson。　When　the
Jeffersonians　came　to　power；　they　no　longer　opposed　federal
pretensions；　they　now；　by　one　of　those　strange　veerings　often
found　in　American　politics；　began　to　give　a　liberal
interpretation　to　the　Constitution；　while　the　Federalists　with
equal　inconsistency　became　strict　constructionists。　Even
Jefferson　was　ready　to　sacrifice　his　theory　of　strict
construction　in　order　to　acquire　the　province　of　Louisiana。

The　Jeffersonians　now　made　several　concessions　to　the
manufacturers；　and　with　their　support　linked　to　that　of　the
agriculturists　Jeffersonian　democracy　flourished　without　any
potent　opposition。　The　second　war　with　England　lent　it　a　doubtful
luster　but　the　years　immediately　following　the　war　restored
public　confidence。　Trade　flourished　on　the　sea。　The　frontier　was
rapidly　pushed　to　the　Mississippi　and　beyond　into　the　vast　empire
which　Jefferson　had　purchased。　When　everyone　is　busy；　no　one
cares　for　political　issues；　especially　those　based　upon
philosophical　differences。　So　Madison　and　Monroe　succeeded　to　the
political　regency　which　is　known　as　the　Virginia　Dynasty。

This　complacent　epoch　culminated　in　Monroe's　〃Era　of　Good
Feeling；〃　which　proved　to　be　only　the　hush　before　the　tornado。
The　election　of　1824　was　indecisive；　and　the　House　of
Representatives　was　for　a　second　time　called　upon　to　decide　the
national　choice。　The　candidates　were　John　Quincy　Adams；　Andrew
Jackson；　Henry　Clay；　and　William　H。　Crawford。　Clay　threw　his
votes　to　Adams；　who　was　elected；　thereby　arousing　the　wrath　of
Jackson　and　of　the　stalwart　and　irreconcilable　frontiersmen　who
hailed　him　as　their　leader。　The　Adams　term　merely　marked　a
transition　from　the　old　order　to　the　new；　from　Jeffersonian　to
Jacksonian　democracy。　Then　was　the　word　Republican　dropped　from
the　party　name；　and　Democrat　became　an　appellation　of　definite
and　practical　significance。

By　this　time　many　of　the　older　States　had　removed　the　early
restrictions　upon　voting；　and　the　new　States　carved　out　of　the
West　had　written　manhood　suffrage　into　their　constitutions。　This
new　democracy　flocked　to　its　imperator；　and　Jackson　entered　his
capital　in　triumph；　followed　by　a　motley　crowd　of　frontiersmen　in
coonskin　caps；　farmers　in　butternut…dyed　homespun；　and　hungry
henchmen　eager　for　the　spoils。　For　Jackson　had　let　it　be　known
that　he　considered　his　election　a　mandate　by　the　people　to　fill
the　offices　with　his　political　adherents。

So　the　Democrats　began　their　new　lease　of　life　with　an　orgy　of
spoils。　〃Anybody　is　good　enough　for　any　job〃　was　the　favorite
watchword。　But　underneath　this　turmoil　of　desire　for　office；
significant　party　differences　were　shaping　themselves。　Henry
Clay；　the　alluring　orator　and　master　of　compromi