The Wanganui Chronicle AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1901. THE RULE OF THE "BOSS" IN AMERICA.

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 August 1901, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1901. THE RULE OF THE "BOSS" IN AMERICA.

Mb John G. WooLLEr, the American lawyer, temperance advocate and social reformer, who recently delivered one of his quaint, racy, and forceful addresses in Wanganui, is just now continuing his crusade in the South Island. While in Christchurch last week he was interviewed by a representative of "'Truth," to whoh< he-imparted1 his opinion concerning American politics under the rule of the "boss." The American people, according to Mr Woolley, are completely under the yoke oj; the two great political parties—the Republican and the Democratic. Despite the fact that the population of the States 13 a mixed one, and-that., of necessity, extremes met, they are as good a people as there ia on earth, but at present they are enslaved to "machine politics," as the Americans call the aggravated party government in the States.- There is no real division in the Republican party with respect to expansion, and for the purposes :of spoils to the victors the party is very solid. ■ Reformers and reforms have, under these circumstances, but little chance, b&cuuso the party leaders are able to deny them a healing, and consequently reformers are drivpn to form new > parties, such as the prohibition, single-lax, So-cial-Democrat, Labour, and Populace parities. These will certainly, in time, break down the rule of the "boss," and give the people a greater amount of political freedom. Mr Woolley does not think that the American. system, can be claimed to be freer than the New Zealand system. "The will of the people," he says, "is felt much less quickly in America than it is here. It is a sad fact that in the United States people are literally driven by the "bosses" to a very great degree, but there is a general revolt now which has led to the formation of the parties I have spoken of. You can scarcely understand the iniquity of 'boss' rul° from fiiiyching you have in New Zealand, nor ha,v© .any conception of its far-reaching magnitude. Your Premier has the grace of a wholesome fear'of the people, because the people have, the power to overthrow his Government, whilst the-President; of the United.States has a definite period during which he cannot be overthrown, which makes it possible for him, to defeat the will of the people in the interests of his party. Not only does boss rule defeat the people's will in federal matters, but also in State affairs, and, worst of all, in municipal matters." Referring to the de? cision that the American constitution does not follow the flag, Mr Woolley said that President.M'Kinley was called "emperor" of the Philippine Archipelago, and a very bad one indeed, in Mr Woolley'a opinion. Certainly he has instituted some reforms which, in the long run, will result in the Filipinos gaining by American, rule; but he has also given the liquor traffic, and the ;evils associated with. i;t, ysry large liberty, debauching.'jus own soldiers as well as the Filipinos, and putting the.flag to shame before the people whom lie seeks to civilise. Inl this President M'Kinley has behaved no> worse than Jhe British . Government habitually behaves; in China with regard to the opium traffic; but in either case it is infamous, and, Mr Woolley believes, contrary ;to the will of the people of both Great Britain and America. In Porto Rico and -Cuba, where the President has less: .pipnrer, what little he possesses hss 'been used better, but he has studiously nv^iSsd giving offence to the liquor traffic either at Home ojt in the Islands. In reply to a question as v to whether he would be standing at the next Presidential election, Mr Woolley said he did not think so, and added "Neither will M'Kinley nor Biyanj }> u t there will be new men." The gold democrats, whose numbers are increasing', yrop't hear of Bryan's candidature; his unreasonable hatred to England would also.be against him; and generally jnpither he nor M'Kin-r ley would1 be acceptable to the people. Coming to a subject in which he takes, perhaps, .greater interest, Mr 'Wc-oHey said that prohibition in America is slowly but surely gaining ground, and ,the prohibitionists were never more hopeful than at present. "The reports you hear about prohibitory laws being a failure where they have been tried in the States," he continued, "invariably emanate either from vicioxis or ignorant sources. Enforcement is difficult, of coiirse, and lacks much of being satisfactory; but wherever it has failed, the failure is directly attributable to the barefaced corruption of the local administration, or the insidious interference of the party leaders. In spite- of everything, enforcement increases, and is hopeful even in the seaboard cities and factqry towns of the prohibition States. The ma,n in New Zealand or elsewhere who prijutji! jn his newspaper the rumour that prolii.bitjojii dpes not prohibit, marks himself lacking i^a f^yp/ulnes? for truth, or lacking in intellige-noe. J a»i perfectly satisfied that however long jpr-yj/^bition may be in the United States, it isp't y«ay far away in New Zealand, because the majority of your people are against the liquor traffic, and whenever a fair count can be had, unembarrassed by other questions, they will carry it. The majority in the United States are in favour of the abolition of the liquor traffic, but our fighjt agaji.ns.t the politicians, in the nature of t&e c#se, w.j1,l take more time than yours here." One very c^ioajyaging feature in America, and iji New Zeajajul, J^y ty'yodley said, in conclusion, is jbhat the njpre cleanly and intelligent of the newspapers seem to be realising tiw necessity of publishing the news without censorship in favour of the liquor traffic."