148 Machine Politics 



get up the "spontaneous" movement in which we 

 were then engaged. 



CONCLUSIONS 



IN conclusion, it may be accepted as a fact, how- 

 ever unpleasant, that if steady work and much at- 

 tention to detail are required, ordinary citizens, to 

 whom participation in politics is merely a disagree- 

 able duty, will always be beaten by the organized 

 army of politicians to whom it is both duty, busi- 

 ness, and pleasure, and who are knit together and to 

 outsiders by their social relations. On the other 

 hand, average citizens do take a spasmodic interest 

 in public affairs; and we should therefore so shape 

 our governmental system that the action required 

 by the voters should be as simple and direct as 

 possible, and should not need to be taken any more 

 often than is necessary. Governmental power 

 should be concentrated in the hands of a very few 

 men, who would be so conspicuous that no citizen 

 could help knowing all about them ; and the elections 

 should not come too frequently. Not one decent 

 voter in ten will take the trouble annually to inform 

 himself as to the character of the host of petty 

 candidates to be balloted for, but he will be sure 

 to know all about the mayor, controller, etc. It 

 is not to his credit that we can only rely, and that 

 without much certainty, upon his taking a spasmodic 

 interest in the government that affects his own well 

 being; but such is the case, and accordingly we 

 ought, as far as possible, to have a system requir- 

 ing on his part intermittent and not sustained action. 



