Show The Honest Acin in American Politics In November 1901 Mr Richard Croker the man who for a number of years had as the leader of the notorious Tammany forces exercised an almost absolute control over the government of New York City was giving testimony concerning his political methods When asked if he used his political power for his own financial benefit he made this statement: “Working for my own pocket? Yes All the time every day in the week’ This utterance explains in a few words the purpose of every great “Boss” in American politics It is unnecessary to discuss at length the evils growing out of the “Boss System” Something about the corrupt conditions existing in the government of the large cities and in many of the states and the general prevalence of graft is well known by every school boy Every male reader of Student Life must have taken part in at least one torchthe light parade : listened to camspread-eagl- e oratory of the paigners: heard the glowing promises made by the candidates and listened to the loud songs of the hired glee club Afterwards he probably has heard his disgusted father remark bitterly that all politicians are dishonest and deceitful and that they are all working selfishly for their own pockets He sees accounts in the daily newspapers of political steals of unjust actions on the part of the office holders and of wholesale scandals and he hears and sees these things before the music of the glee club and the bad odor of the torches have left his memory It has been the same story year after year campaign after campaign — glee clubs flattery promises oratory : then election followed by scandals bad faith steals and high living for the These conditions so are so old and familiar that politics has come to be considered by many as a pursuit unfit for a man with the highest ideals There are men in every state who are admirably fitted to serve the lie as it should be served but who will not follow politics because they cannot conscientiously employ the methods of the party leaders and because they fear that these methods are the only ones by which anything can be accomplished under the present conditions offic- e-holders |