Machine Politics 135 



cial and not political such as the Union, Uni- 

 versity, and Knickerbocker. Politics thus becomes 

 a pleasure and relaxation as well as a serious pur- 

 suit. The different members of the same club or 

 association become closely allied with one another, 

 and able to act together on occasions with unison 

 and esprit de corps; and they will stand by one of 

 their own number for reasons precisely homologous 

 to those which make a member of one of the upper 

 clubs support a fellow-member if the latter happens 

 to run for office. "He is a gentleman, and shall have 

 my vote," says the swell club man. "He's one of 

 the boys, and I'm for him," replies the heeler from 

 the district party association. In each case the feel- 

 ing is social rather than political, but where the club 

 man influences one vote the heeler controls ten. A 

 rich merchant and a small tradesman alike find it 

 merely a bore to attend the meetings of the local 

 political club; it is to them an irksome duty which 

 is shirked whenever possible. But to the small poli- 

 ticians and to the various workers and hangers-on, 

 these meetings have a distinct social attraction, and 

 the attendance is a matter of preference. They are 

 in congenial society and in the place where by choice 

 they spend their evenings, and where they bring their 

 friends and associates ; and naturally all the men so 

 brought together gradually blend their social and 

 political ties, and work with an effectiveness impos- 

 sible to the outside citizens whose social instincts 

 interfere instead of coinciding with their political 

 duties. If an ordinary citizen wishes to have a game 



