the boss and the machine-第14章

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this　potent　triumvirate　ruled　the　Empire　State。　Greeley　was　its
spokesman；　Seward　its　leader；　but　Weed　was　its　designer。　From　his
room　No。　11　in　the　old　Astor　House；　he　beckoned　to　forces　that
made　or　unmade　presidents；　governors；　ambassadors；　congressmen；
judges；　and　legislators。

With　the　tremendous　increase　of　business　after　the　Civil　War；　New
York　City　became　the　central　office　of　the　nation's　business；　and
many　of　the　interests　centered　there　found　it　wise　to　have
permanent　representatives　at　Albany　to　scrutinize　every　bill　that
even　remotely　touched　their　welfare；　to　promote　legislation　that
was　frankly　in　their　favor；　and　to　prevent　〃strikes〃the　bills
designed　for　blackmail。　After　a　time；　however；　the　number　of
〃strikes〃　decreased；　as　well　as　the　number　of　lobbyists　attending
the　session。　The　corporate　interests　had　learned　efficiency。
Instead　of　dealing　with　legislators　individually；　they　arranged
with　the　boss　the　price　of　peace　or　of　desirable　legislation。　The
boss　transmitted　his　wishes　to　his　puppets。　This　form　of
government　depends　upon　a　machine　that　controls　the　legislature。
In　New　York　both　parties　were　moved　by　machines。　〃Tom〃　Platt　was
the　〃easy　boss〃　of　the　Republicans；　and　Tammany　and　its。
〃up…state〃　affiliations　controlled　the　Democrats。　〃Right　here；〃
says　Platt　in　his　Autobiography　（1910）；　〃it　may　be　appropriate　to
say　that　I　have　had　more　or　less　to　do　with　the　organization　of
the　New　York　legislature　since　1873。〃　He　had。　For　forty　years　he
practically　named　the　Speaker　and　committees　when　his　party　won；
and　he　named　the　price　when　his　party　lost。　All　that　an
〃interest〃　had　to　do；　under　the　new　plan；　was　to　〃see　the　boss；〃
and　the　powers　of　government　were　delivered　into　its　lap。

Some　of　this　legislative　bargaining　was　revealed　in　the　insurance
investigation　of　1905；　conducted　by　the　Armstrong　Committee　with
Charles　E。　Hughes　as　counsel。　Officers　of　the　New　York　Life
Insurance　Company　testified　that　their　company　had　given　50；000
to　the　Republican　campaign　of　1904。　An　item　of　235；000；
innocently　charged　to　〃Home　office　annex　account；〃　was　traced　to
the　hands　of　a　notorious　lobbyist　at　Albany。　Three　insurance
companies　had　paid　regularly　50；000　each　to　the　Republican
campaign　fund。　Boss　Platt　himself　was　compelled　reluctantly　to
relate　how　he　had　for　fifteen　years　received　ten　one　thousand
dollar　bundles　of　greenbacks　from　the　Equitable　Life　as
〃consideration〃　for　party　goods　delivered。　John　A。　McCall；
President　of　the　New　York　Life；　said：　〃I　don't　care　about　the
Republican　side　of　it　or　the　Democratic　side　of　it。　It　doesn't
count　at　all　with　me。　What　is　best　for　the　New　York　Life　moves
and　actuates　me。〃

In　another　investigation　Mr。　H。　O。　Havemeyer　of　the　Sugar　Trust
said：　〃We　have　large　interests　in　this　State；　we　need　police
protection　and　fire　protection；　we　need　everything　that　the　city
furnishes　and　gives；　and　we　have　to　support　these　things。　Every
individual　and　corporation　and　firmtrust　or　whatever　you　call
itdoes　these　things　and　we　do　them。〃　No　distinction　is　made；
then；　between　the　government　that　ought　to　furnish　this
〃protection〃　and　the　machine　that　sells　it！

No　episode　in　recent　political　history　shows　better　the　relations
of　the　legislature　to　the　political　machine　and　the　great　power
of　invisible　government　than　the　impeachment　and　removal　of
Governor　William　Sulzer　in　1913。　Sulzer　had　been　four　times
elected　to　the　legislature。　He　served　as　Speaker　in　1893。　He　was
sent　to　Congress　by　an　East　Side　district　in　New　York　City　in
1895　and　served　continuously　until　his　nomination　for　Governor　of
New　York　in　1912。　All　these　years　he　was　known　as　a　Tammany　man。
During　his　campaign　for　Governor　he　made　many　promises　for
reform；　and　after　his　election　he　issued　a　bombastic　declaration
of　independence。　His　words　were　discounted　in　the　light　of　his
previous　record。　Immediately　after　his　inauguration；　however；　he
began　a　house…cleaning。　He　set　to　work　an　economy　and　efficiency
commission；　he　removed　a　Tammany　superintendent　of　prisons；　made
unusually　good　appointments　without　paying　any　attention　to　the
machine；　and　urged　upon　the　legislature　vigorous　and　vital　laws。

But　the　Tammany　party　had　a　large　working　majority　in　both
houses；　and　the　changed　Sulzer　was　given　no　support。　The　crucial
moment　came　when　an　emasculated　primary　law　was　handed　to　him　for
his　signature。　An　effective　primary　law　had　been　a　leading
campaign　issue；　all　the　parties　being　pledged　to　such　an
enactment。　The　one　which　the　Governor　was　now　requested　to　sign
had　been　framed　by　the　machine　to　suit　its　pleasure。　The　Governor
vetoed　it。　The　legislature　adjourned　on　the　3rd　of　May。　The
Governor　promptly　reconvened　it　in　extra　session　（June　7th）　for
the　purpose　of　passing　an　adequate　primary　law。　Threats　that　had
been　made　against　him　by　the　machine　now　took　form。　An
investigating　committee；　appointed　by　the　Senate　to　examine　the
Governor's　record；　largely　by　chance　happened　upon　〃pay　dirt；〃
and　early　on　the　morning　of　the　13th　of　August；　after　an
all…night　session；　the　Assembly　passed　a　motion　made　by　its
Tammany　floor　leader　to　impeach　the　Governor。

The　articles　of　impeachment　charged：　first；　that　the　Governor　had
filed　a　false　report　of　his　campaign　expenses；　second；　that　since
he　had　made　such　statement　under　oath　he　was　guilty　of　perjury；
third；　that　he　had　bribed　witnesses　to　withhold　testimony　from
the　investigating　committee；　fourth；　that　he　had　used　threats　in
suppression　of　evidence　before　the　same　tribunal；　fifth；　that　he
had　persuaded　a　witness　from　responding　to　the　committee's
subpoena；　sixth；　that　he　had　used　campaign　contributions　for
private　speculation　in　the　stock　market；　seventh；　that　he　had
used　his　power　as　Governor　to　influence　the　political　action　of
certain　officials；　lastly；　that　he　had　used　this　power　for
affecting　the　stock　market　to　his　gain。

Unfortunately　for　the　Governor；　the　first；　second；　and　sixth
charges　had　a　background　of　facts；　although　the　rest　were
ridiculous　and　trivial。　By　a　vote　of　43　to　12　he　was　removed　from
the　governorship。　The　proceeding　was　not　merely　an　impeachment　of
New　York's　Governor。　It　was　an　impeachment　of　its　government。
Every　citizen　knew　that　if　Sulzer　had　obeyed　Murphy；　his
shortcomings　would　never　have　been　his　undoing。

The　great　commonwealth　of　Pennsylvania　was　for　sixty　years　under
the　domination　of　the　House　of　Cameron　and　the　House　of　Quay。
Simon　Cameron's　entry　into　public　notoriety　was　symbolic　of　his
whole　career。　In　1838；　he　was　one　of　a　commission　of　two　to
disburse　to　the　Winnebago　Indians　at　Prairie　du　Chien　100；000　in
gold。　But；　instead　of　receiving　gold；　the　poor　Indians　received
only　a　few　thousand　dollars　in　the　notes　of　a　bank　of　which
Cameron　was　the　cashier。　Cameron　was　for　this　reason　called　〃the
Great　Winnebago。〃　He　built　a　large　fortune　by　canal　and　railway
contracts；　and　later　by　rolling…mills　and　furnaces。　He　was　one
of　the　first　men　in　American　politics　to　purchase　political　power
by　the　lavish　use　of　cash；　and　to　use　political　power　for　the
gratification　of　financial　greed。　In　1857　he　was　elected　to　the
United　States　Senate　as　a　Republican　by　a　legislature　in　which
the　Democrats　had　a　majority。　Three　Democrats　voted　for　him；　and
so　bitter　was　the　feeling　against　the　renegade　trio　that　no　hotel
in　Harrisburg　would　shelter　them。

In　1860　he　was　a　candidate　for　the　Republican　presidential
nomination。　President　Lincoln　made　him　Secretary　of　War。　But　his
management　was　so　ill…savored　that　a　committee　of　leading
business　men　from　the　largest　cities　of　the　country　told　the
President　that　it　was　impossible　to　transact　business　with　such　a
man。　These　complaints　coupled　with　other　considerations　moved
Lincoln　to　dismiss　Cameron。　He　did　so　in　characteristic　fashion。
On　January　11；　1862；　he　sent　Cameron　a　curt　note　saying　that　he
proposed　to　appoint　him　minister　to　Russia。　And　thither　into
exile　Cameron　went。　A　few　months　later；　the　House　of
Representatives　passed　a　resolution　of　censure；　citing　Cameron's
employment　of　irresponsible　persons　and　his　purchase　of　supplies
by　private　contract　instead　of　competitive　bidding。　The
resolution；　however；　was　later　expunged　from　the　records；　and
Cameron；　on　his　return　from　Russia；　again　entered　the　Senate
under　circumstances　so　suspicious　that　only　the　political
influence　of　the　boss　thwarted　an　action　for　bribery。　In　1877　he
resigned；　naming　as　his　successor　his　son　〃Don；〃　who　was　promptly
elected。

In　the　meantime　another　personage　had　appeared　on　the　scene。
〃Cameron　made　the　use　of　money　an　essential　to　success　in
politics；　but　Quay　made　politics　expensive　beyond　the　most
extravagant　dreams。〃　From　the　time　he　arrived　of　age　until　his
death；　with　the　exception　of　three　or　four　years；　Matthew　S。　Quay
held　public　office。　When　the　Civil　War　broke　out；　he　had　been　for
some　time　prothonotary　of　Beaver　County；　and　during　the　war　he
served　as　Governor　Curtin's　private　secretary。　In　1865　he　was
elected　to　the　legislature。　In　1877　he　induced　the　legislature　to
resurrect　the　discarded　office　of　Recorder　of　Philadelphia；　and
for　two　years　he　collected　the　annual　fees　of　40；000。　In　1887　he
was　elected　to　the　United　States　Senate；　in　which　he　remained
except　for　a　brief　interval　until　his　death。

In　1899　came　revelations　of　Quay's　substantial　interests　in　state
moneys。　The　suicide　of　the　cashier　of　the　People's　Bank　of
Philadelphia；　which　was　largely　owned　by　politicians　and　was　a
favorite　depository　of　state　funds；　led　to　an　investigation　of
the　bank's　affairs；　and　disclosed　the　fact　that　Quay　and　some　of
his　associates　had　used　state　funds　for　speculation。　Quay's
famous　telegram　to　the　cashier　was　found　among　the　dead
official's　papers；　〃If　you　can　buy　and　carry　a　thousand　Met。　for
me　I　will　shake　the　plum　tree。〃

Quay　was　indicted；　but　escaped　trial　by　pleading　the　statute　of
limitations　as　preventing　the　introduction　of　necessary　evidence
against　him。　A　great　crowd　of　shouting　henchmen　accosted　him　as　a
hero　when　he　left　the　courtroom；　and　escorted　him　to　his　hotel。
And　the　legislature　soon　thereafter　elected　him　to　his　third　term
in　the　Senate。

Pittsburgh；　as　well　as　Philadelphia；　had　its　machine　which　was
carefully　geared　to　Quay's　state　machine。　The　connection　was　made
clear　by　the　testimony　of　William　Flinn；　a　contractor　boss；
before　a　committee　of　the　United　States　Senate。　Flinn　explained
the　reason　for　a　written　agreement　between　Quay　on　the　one　hand
and　Flinn　and　one　Brown　in　behalf　of　Chris　Magee；　the　Big　Boss；
on　the　other；　for　the　division　of　the　sovereignty　of　western
Pennsylvania。　〃Senator　Quay　told　me；〃　said　Flinn；　〃that　he　would
not　permit　us　to　elect　the　Republican　candidate　for　mayor　in
Pittsburghh　unless　we　adjust　the　politics　to　suit　him。〃　The
people　evidently　had　nothing　to　say　about　it。

The　experiences　of　New　York　and　Pennsylvania　are　by　no　means
isolated；　they　are　illustrative。　Very　few　States　have　escaped　a
legislative　scandal。　In　particular；　Rhode　Island；　Delaware；
Illinois；　Colorado；　Montana；　California；　Ohio；　Mississippi；　Texas
can　give　pertinent　testimony　to　the　willingness　of　legislatures
to　prostitute　their　great