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Show I Great Work Of Bondewater At National Boss-Bund j New York, July 26. THE joint convention of the National Na-tional association for the pro- tection of privilege and the Na- Br tional boss-fund was opened at noon n! today by Chairman BondeNyater amid H much enthusiasm. Mr. Bondewater, H whose charities are well known, is Hi f - one of the foremost privileged men E1 of the land and is the idol of the H Bosbgs, many of whom he has let in H on various franchise deals to their iH great pecuniary advantage. His open- J ing address was pacific in tone and H; was directed mainly at the bosses who H were separated from the magnates at HI one side of the auditorium. After B stating that many traction and other H, '" magnates as well as lesser privilege- HK holders such as sinecure officials, had HI 1 found the service rendered by modern f bossism less satisfactory than in former years, he went on to exalt the stars and stripes in eloquent and tearful tear-ful terms, U3ing as his text the flag which happened to be draped on the arms and seat of the chair on which he had been sitting. In conclusion he said: "But what has been the history of the freedom of wealth to find, profitable profit-able investment at popular expense via our government in these latter decadent days? You of the politician class once served us splendidly and your promises were reckoned as negotiable ne-gotiable cash in Wall Street. I have seen the time when a penniless man armed with the word of a single boss, could find a ready welcome In Socka-fellow's Socka-fellow's office and exchange that word for shares of stock worth many thousands. thous-ands. Today, gentlemen, we dare not captialize your promises until they are fulfilled even with great rewards awaiting you, you fail to come. Our surplus funds earn five per cent no more vainly waiting for you to deliver de-liver some kind of vested cinch from the public treasury. In these' days It has actually been my misfortune to see one of you who once held Trenton, Tren-ton, N. J. In the hollow of his hand going before the new commission of that town and publicly publicly, I say requesting somo picayune favor in exactly the legal manner that any humblest citizen might adopt and pleading the matter on Its merits, too! Why did that boss not issue an order as In the old i 'ys, in a quiet and secluded se-cluded office ot the city hall." At this point there was a vigorous Interruption form the bosses and one of ther, Mr. Slatemaker rose In his place and angrily retorte -"You've given the answer yourself that crazy town adopted commission government." govern-ment." "Then, in Heaven's name," replied tho chairman, "Why hadn't you elected commissioners of your own?" "How could I" came the hot reply. re-ply. 'The people and the candidates candi-dates ran the whole thing between them. The candidates nominated themselves by petition and tho people selected five at the election. I put up candidates and the people turned them down." "How on earth could the people make up tickets for themselves and vote the whole list without your assistance?" as-sistance?" "Because there were only five of fleers to elect. The people of Trenton can remember five names and every (Continued on Pago 14.) ' H I (Contlnuod from Pago 12.) H olooming voter picked his own ticket Hh ' and remembered It in his head. The EJ ' Short Ballot was so easy that every H citizen in town was being a boss and H thought himself just as smart' as the H professionals." B ' "Do you mean to say that if we go H to Trenton now to get a contract, there H is no one behind the officials but the H people?" Wm "Exactly." OH "Well," said Chairman Bondewater, H "What can bo done?" H "Abolish commission government B and go back t o the old mayor and H council plan with a lot of elective of- H ficials and lots of private politics and H a thorough entangling of responsi- Br bility. Then the government will Hj have toxhave a private boss to hold K it together, the candidates will have H to have the co-operation of a machine Hi and the voters will have to have K party labels on the ballot to keep Hj' them from voting for prohibitionists H for the minor offices." H To avoid prolonging this colloquy H it was voted that a committee on the H k Reform of Commission government be H ' appointed to consider the matter and H report. H A number of addresses were made H on patriotic subjects, denouncing the H commission plan as un-American, after H which the meeting adjourned till next H week. |