Machine Politics 121 



little regard for the people at large, though, like the 

 merchants, they often hold a very high standard of 

 honor on certain points; they therefore need con- 

 tinually to be watched and opposed by those who 

 wish to see good government. But, after all, it is 

 hardly to be wondered at that they abuse power 

 which is allowed to fall into their hands owing 

 to the ignorance or timid indifference of those who 

 by rights should themselves keep it. 



In a society properly constituted for true demo- 

 cratic government in a society such as that seen 

 in many of our country towns, for example ma- 

 chine rule is impossible. But in New York, as well 

 as in most of our other great cities, the conditions 

 favor the growth of ring or boss rule. The chief 

 causes thus operating against good government are 

 the moral and mental attitudes toward politics as- 

 sumed by different sections of the voters. A large 

 number of these are simply densely ignorant, and, 

 of course, such are apt to fall under the influence 

 of cunning leaders, and even if they do right, it is 

 by hazard merely. The criminal class in a great city 

 is always of some size, while what may be called 

 the potentially criminal class is still larger. Then 

 there is a great class of laboring men, mostly of 

 foreign birth or parentage, who at present both ex- 

 pect too much from legislation and yet at the same 

 time realize too little how powerfully though indi- 

 rectly they are affected by a bad or corrupt govern- 

 ment. In many wards the overwhelming majority 



of the voters do not realize that heavy taxes fall 

 6 VOL. I. 



