the boss and the machine-第17章
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special prosecutor and William J。 Burns as detective。 Heney and
Burns formed an aggressive team。 The Ring proved as vulnerable as
it was rotten。 Over three hundred indictments were returned;
involving persons in every walk of life。 Ruef was sentenced to
fourteen years in the penitentiary。 Schmitz was freed on a
technicality; after being found guilty and sentenced to five
years。 Most of the other indictments were not tried; the
prosecutor's attention having been diverted to the trail of the
franchise…seekers; who have thus far eluded conviction。
Minneapolis; a city blending New England traditions with
Scandinavian thrift; illustrates; in its experiences with 〃Doe〃
Ames; the maneuvers of the peripatetic boss。 Ames was four times
mayor of the city; but never his own successor。 Each succeeding
experience with him grew more lurid of indecency; until his third
term was crystallized in Minneapolis tradition as 〃the notorious
Ames administration。〃 Domestic scandal made him a social outcast;
political corruption a byword; and Ames disappeared from public
view for ten years。
In 1900 a new primary law provided the opportunity to return him
to power for the fourth time。 Ames; who had been a Democrat; now
found it convenient to become a Republican。 The new law; like
most of the early primary laws; permitted members of one party to
vote in the primaries of the other party。 So Ames's following;
estimated at about fifteen hundred; voted in the Republican
primaries; and he became a regular candidate of that party in a
presidential year; when citizens felt the special urge to vote
for the party。
Ames was the type of boss with whom discipline is secondary to
personal aggrandizement。 He had a passion for popularity; was
imposing of presence; possessed considerable professional skill;
and played constantly for the support of the poor。 The attacks
upon him he turned into political capital by saying that he was
made a victim by the rich because he championed the poor。
Susceptible to flattery and fond of display; he lacked the power
to command。 He had followers; not henchmen。 His following was
composed of the lowly; who were duped by his phrases; and of
criminals; who knew his bent; and they followed him into any
party whither he found it convenient to go; Republican;
Democratic; or Populist。
The charter of Minneapolis gave the mayor considerable appointing
power。 He was virtually the dictator of the Police Department。
This was the great opportunity of Ames and his floating vote。 His
own brother; a weak individual with a dubious record; was made
Chief of Police。 Within a few weeks about one…half of the police
force was discharged; and the places filled with men who could be
trusted by the gang。 The number of detectives was increased and
an ex…gambler placed at their head。 A medical student from Ames's
office was commissioned a special policeman to gather loot from
the women of the street。
Through a telepathy of their own; the criminal classes all over
the country soon learned of the favorable conditions in
Minneapolis; under which every form of gambling and low vice
flourished; and burglars; pickpockets; safe…blowers; and harlots
made their way thither。 Mr。 W。 A。 Frisbie; the editor of a
leading Minneapolis paper; described the situation in the
following words: 〃It is no exaggeration to say that in this
period fully 99% of the police department's efficiency was
devoted to the devising and enforcing of blackmail。 Ordinary
patrolmen on beats feared to arrest known criminals for fear the
prisoners would prove to be 'protected'。 。 。 。The horde of
detective favorites hung lazily about police headquarters;
waiting for some citizen to make complaint of property stolen;
only that they might enforce additional blackmail against the
thief; or possibly secure the booty for themselves。 One detective
is now '1903' serving time in the state prison for retaining a
stolen diamond pin。〃
The mayor thought he had a machine for grinding blackmail from
every criminal operation in his city; but he had only a gang;
without discipline or coordinating power; and weakened by
jealousy and suspicion。 The wonder is that it lasted fifteen
months。 Then came the 〃April Grand Jury;〃 under the foremanship
of a courageous and resourceful business man。 The regime of
criminals crumbled; forty…nine indictments; involving twelve
persons; were returned。
The Grand Jury; however; at first stood alone in its
investigations。 The crowd of politicians and vultures were
against it; and no appropriations were granted for getting
evidence。 So its members paid expenses out of their own pockets;
and its foreman himself interviewed prisoners and discovered the
trail that led to the Ring's undoing。 Ames's brother was
convicted on second trial and sentenced to six and a half years
in the penitentiary; while two of his accomplices received
shorter terms。 Mayor Ames; under indictment and heavy bonds; fled
to Indiana。
The President of the City Council; a business man of education;
tact; and sincerity; became mayor; for an interim of four months;
enough time; as it proved; for him to return the city to its
normal political life。
These examples are sufficient to illustrate the organization and
working of the municipal machine。 It must not be imagined by the
reader that these cities alone; and a few others made notorious
by the magazine muck…rakers; are the only American cities that
have developed oligarchies。 In truth; not a single American city;
great or small; has entirely escaped; for a greater or lesser
period; the sway of a coterie of politicians。 It has not always
been a corrupt sway; but it has rarely; if ever; given efficient
administration。
Happily there are not wanting signs that the general conditions
which have fostered the Ring are disappearing。 The period of
reform set in about 1890; when people began to be interested in
the study of municipal government。 It was not long afterwards
that the first authoritative books on the subject appeared。 Then
colleges began to give courses in municipal government; editors
began to realize the public's concern in local questions and to
discuss neighborhood politics as well as national politics。 By
1900 a new era brokethe era of the Grand Jury。 Nothing so
hopeful in local politics had occurred in our history as the
disclosures which followed。 They provoked the residuum of
conscience in the citizenry and the determination that honesty
should rule in public business and politics as well as in private
transactions。 The Grand Jury inquisitions; however; demonstrated
clearly that the criminal law was no remedy for municipal
misrule。 The great majority of floaters and illegal voters who
were indicted never faced a trial jury。 The results of the
prosecutions for bribery and grosser political crimes were
scarcely more encouraging。 It is true that one Abe Ruef in a
California penitentiary is worth untold sermons; editorials; and
platform admonitions; and serves as a potent warning to all
public malefactors。 Yet the example is soon forgotten; and the
people return to their former political habits。
But out of this decade of gang…hunting and its impressive
experiences with the shortcomings of our criminal laws came the
new municipal era which we have now fully entered; the era of
enlightened administration。 This new era calls for a
reconstruction of the city government。 Its principal feature is
the rapid spread of the Galveston or Commission form of
government and of its modification; the City Manager plan; the
aim of which is to centralize governmental authority and to
entice able men into municipal office。 And there are many other
manifestations of the new civic spirit。 The mesmeric influence of
national party names in civic politics is waning; the rise of
home rule for the city is severing the unholy alliance between
the legislature and the local Ring; the power to grant franchises
is being taken away from legislative bodies and placed directly
with the people; nominations are passing out of the hands of
cliques and are being made the gift of the voters through
petitions and primaries; efficient reforms in the taxing and