THE FARMER LOSING HIS POLITICAL POWER. 1 83 



the politician believes, the easiest and quickest route to 

 power, to office, to the public treasury. These policies 

 are made by the great " bosses," who give their orders to 

 the professionals, and who write and work up the inter- 

 ests of party organizations in line with the party policy. 

 The professionals give their orders to special ward- 

 workers, who are supposed to carry out, to the letter, the 

 plan of the " bosses." Those who '* kick," remonstrate, 

 or philosophize, are ostracised from any participation in 

 the management or secrets of the great organizations. 

 They are treated with the utmost severity. Neither on 

 the platform nor through the press will they gain the 

 public ear, if the party machine can prevent them. The 

 press is too much controlled by one or the other of the 

 great political parties. Those who are in office, make it 

 their business to assist in holding together that party to 

 which they are indebted for their offices. Those who 

 are out of office must carry the next election in order to 

 gain office. 



Outside the great party machine are the larger por- 

 tion of the people, who are getting to feel, more and 

 more, either indifferent, discouraged, helpless, or dis- 

 gusted with repeated failures, compromises, and expedi- 

 ents, in lieu of the fulfilling of promises and pledges, or 

 expectations raised by the clever politician through the 

 vehement denunciation of past wrongs. A farmer, here 

 and there, may show dissatisfaction at all this. His pro- 

 called political economy." Legislators have as good a right as others 

 to their years of experimental schooling. And they also have a right, 

 as others have, to the plea for human fallibility. But they have no 

 right to practise political experiments, speculations, and expedients 

 at the expense of the people, and claim for their actions the appella- 

 tion of statesmanship. 



