第44章

ButIfeltthatIcouldcountontheirsupportwhereverIcouldshowthemthatthefightwasnotmadejustforthesakeoftherow，thatitwasnotmademerelyasafactionalcontestagainstSenatorPlattandtheorganization，butwaswagedfromasenseofdutyforrealandtangiblecausessuchasthepromotionofgovernmentalefficiencyandhonesty，andforcingpowerfulmoneyedmentotaketheproperattitudetowardthecommunityatlarge。TheystoodbymewhenIinsisteduponhavingthecanaldepartment，theinsurancedepartment，andthevariousdepartmentsoftheStateGovernmentrunwithefficiencyandhonesty；

theystoodbymewhenIinsisteduponmakingwealthymenwhoownedfranchisespaytheStatewhattheyproperlyoughttopay；theystoodbymewhen，inconnectionwiththestrikesontheCrotonAqueductandinBuffalo，IpromptlyusedthemilitarypoweroftheStatetoputastoptoriotingandviolence。

Inthelattercasemychiefopponentsandcriticswerelocalpoliticianswhoweretrucklingtothelaborvote；butinallcasescomingunderthefirsttwocategoriesIhadserioustroublewiththeStateleadersofthemachine。Ialwaysdidmybest，ingoodfaith，togetMr。Plattandtheotherheadsofthemachinetoacceptmyviews，andtoconvincethem，byrepeatedprivateconversations，thatIwasright。Ineverwantonlyantagonizedorhumiliatedthem。Ididnotwishtohumiliatethemortoseemvictoriousoverthem；whatIwishedwastosecurethethingsthatIthoughtitessentialtothemenandwomenoftheStatetosecure。IfIcouldfinallypersuadethemtosupportme，wellandgood；insuchcaseIcontinuedtoworkwiththeminthefriendliestmanner。

IfafterrepeatedandpersistenteffortIfailedtogetthemtosupportme，thenImadeafairfightintheopen，andinamajorityofcasesIcarriedmypointandsucceededingettingthroughthelegislationwhichIwished。IntheorytheExecutivehasnothingtodowithlegislation。Inpractice，asthingsnoware，theExecutiveisoroughttobepeculiarlyrepresentativeofthepeopleasawhole。AsoftenasnottheactionoftheExecutiveofferstheonlymeansbywhichthepeoplecangetthelegislationtheydemandandoughttohave。ThereforeagoodexecutiveunderthepresentconditionsofAmericanpoliticallifemusttakeaveryactiveinterestingettingtherightkindoflegislation，inadditiontoperforminghisexecutivedutieswithaneyesingletothepublicwelfare。MorethanhalfofmyworkasGovernorwasinthedirectionofgettingneededandimportantlegislation。Iaccomplishedthisonlybyarousingthepeople，andrivetingtheirattentiononwhatwasdone。

Graduallythepeoplebegantowakeupmoreandmoretothefactthatthemachinepoliticianswerenotgivingthemthekindofgovernmentwhichtheywished。Asthiswakingupgrewmoregeneral，notmerelyinNewYorkoranyotheroneState，butthroughoutmostoftheNation，thepowerofthebosseswaned。Thenacuriousthinghappened。Theprofessionalreformerswhohadmostloudlycriticizedthesebossesbegantochangetowardthem。Newspapereditors，collegepresidents，corporationlawyers，andbigbusinessmen，allalike，haddenouncedthebossesandhadtakenpartinreformmovementsagainstthemsolongasthesereformsdealtonlywiththingsthatweresuperficial，orwithfundamentalthingsthatdidnotaffectthemselvesandtheirassociates。Butthemajorityofthesementurnedtothesupportofthebosseswhenthegreatnewmovementbeganclearlytomakeitselfevidentasoneagainstprivilegeinbusinessnolessthanagainstprivilegeinpolitics，asoneforsocialandindustrialnolessthanforpoliticalrighteousnessandfairdealing。Thebigcorporationlawyerwhohadantagonizedthebossinmatterswhichheregardedaspurelypoliticalstoodshouldertoshoulderwiththebosswhenthemovementforbettermenttookshapeindirectattackonthecombinationofbusinesswithpoliticsandwiththejudiciarywhichhasdonesomuchtoenthroneprivilegeintheeconomicworld。

Thereformerswhodenouncedpoliticalcorruptionandfraudwhenshownattheexpenseoftheirowncandidatesbymachinewardheelersofalowtypehystericallyapplaudedsimilarcorrupttrickerywhenpracticedbythesesamepoliticiansagainstmenwithwhosepoliticalandindustrialprogrammethereformerswerenotinsympathy。Ihadalwaysbeeninstinctivelyandbynatureademocrat，butifIhadnee