THE CASE OF THE PEOPLE VS. THE RING. BY ALBERT CLAYTON APPLEGARTH. TN these concluding years of the nineteenth -*- century the spirit of investigation is abroad in the land. The search-light of truth is being turned on all departments of life. Many objects hitherto imperfectly known are now paraded before the eyes of men to receive merited approbation or disapprobation. Social and administrative problems, for merly left to manage themselves, are no longer neglected. The purity of the State is receiving special attention. Indeed, this subject is recognized as a question of such tremendous importance that everything must be considered subordinate when this desid eratum is in danger. In this way it has come to pass that public opinion is largely focusing itself upon the numerous abuses and the almost unprecedented amount of cor ruption that have been introduced into our politics, — federal, State, and municipal. Every reflecting person is eagerly inquiring, "Where does the trouble complained of reside? Is it inherent in our governmental régime, or is it a consequence of the per version of that system?" It appears to the writer that although the beast to be slain is hydra-headed, and that a giant greater than Hercules would be required to decapitate him successfully, yet one of the main difficulties will be discovered in the arrangements resorted to when nom inations for public offices are to be made. Notwithstanding the fact that the vital im portance of carefully guarding these is so evident, yet this work is usually performed by a coterie of choice spirits, and these generally belong to a fraternity that few right-thinking men would select as being capable of deciding upon the personnel of our governmental officers. If the people only exhibited as much interest in the nom inations, in the selection of good men for
all positions at the disposal of the govern ment, as they do in elections, at least one weighty factor in this great problem of evil would be eliminated. But the majority of persons appear to have reached the conclusion that it is scarcely worth while to trouble themselves at all about primaries. From this lamentable in difference has resulted that nominations have fallen mainly to the control of profes sional politicians. They are cut and dried by them, and by them alone. Outsiders have little, if any, voice in the matter. Un fortunately, this has come to be an exact statement of the case in only too many localities. At present there is absolutely no choice of candidates. So far is this autocracy carried that the politician now comes to the voter, intelligent or otherwise, and substantially declares, " This is our can didate. Now you know that in this free country of ours every adult male citizen has the inestimable privilege of the franchise. But, sir, although you had no part in the selection of Mr. Wirepuller, yet he is our man, and you must cast your ballot for him, otherwise your vote will be thrown away, for he will be elected." Strange to say, these predictions are al ways verified. In many cases, however, this mystery is more superficial than real. A little probing makes all plain. The various methods of repeating all sorts of irregularity in the registration afford ample explanation. Sometimes, also, the victories are mainly achieved by means of the fact that, being dead, the voter yet speaketh. But for all this trickery the writer affirms with no hesitation that the voter is more responsible than the professional politician. It certainly would be an unwarrantable ex hibition of pessimism to allege that the cor rupt in any community have the majority.
