Machine Politics 139 



extent mutual benefit associations. The men in them 

 become pretty intimate with one another; and in the 

 event of one becoming ill, or from any other cause 

 thrown out of employment, his fellow-members will 

 very often combine to assist him through his trou- 

 bles, and quite large sums are frequently raised for 

 such a purpose. Of course, this forms an addi- 

 tional bond among the members, who become closely 

 knit together by ties of companionship, self-interest, 

 and mutual interdependence. Very many members 

 of these associations come into them without any 

 thought of advancing their own fortunes ; they work 

 very hard for their party, or rather for the local 

 body bearing the party name, but they do it quite 

 disinterestedly, and from a feeling akin to that 

 which we often see make other men devote their 

 time and money to advancing the interests of a yacht 

 club or racing stable, although no immediate bene- 

 fit can result therefrom to themselves. One such 

 man I now call to mind who is by no means well off, 

 and is neither an office-seeker nor an office-holder, 

 but who regularly every year spends about fifty dol- 

 lars at election time for the success of the party, or 

 rather the wing of the party, to which he belongs. 

 He has a personal pride in seeing his pet candidates 

 rolling up large majorities. Men of this stamp also 

 naturally feel most enthusiasm for, or animosity 

 against, the minor candidates with whom they are 

 themselves acquainted'. The names at the head of 

 the ticket do not, to their minds, stand out with 

 much individuality; and while such names usually 



