; for every bad man elected, and every bad law passed, make him
suffer the results, and he can only blame himself. Of course we don't
get as good a government or laws, but then we have other offsetting
advantages."

"What are those?"

"We get men and laws which are the wish of the majority. Such are almost
self-supporting and self-administering. It is not a mere combination of
words, printing-ink, and white paper which makes a law. It is the
popular sentiment back of it which enforces it, and unless a law is the
wish of a majority of the people who are to be governed by it, it is
either a dead letter, or must be enforced by elaborate police systems,
supported oftentimes with great armies. Even then it does not succeed,
if the people choose to resist. Look at the attempt to govern Ireland by
force, in the face of popular sentiment. Then, too, we get a stability
almost unknown in governments which do not conform to the people. This
country has altered its system of government less than any other great
country in the last hundred years. And there is less socialistic
legislation and propaganda here than anywhere else. That is, less
discontent."

"But, Peter, if the American people are as sensible as you think, how do
you account for the kind of men who exercise control?" said Le Grand.

"By better men not trying."

"But we have reform movements all the time, led by good men. Why aren't
these men elected?"

"Who are as absolutely inexperienced and blind as to the way to
influence votes, as well can be. Look at it, as a contest, without
regard to the merit of the cause. On one side we have bosses, who know
and understand the men in their wards, have usually made themselves
popular, are in politics for a living, have made it a life-study, and by
dear experience have learned that they must surrender their own opinions
in order to produce harmony and a solid vote. The reformer, on the
contrary, is usually a man who has other occupations, and, if I may say
so, has usually met with only partial success in them. By that I mean
that the really successful merchant, or banker, or professional man
cannot take time to work in politics, and so only the less successful
try. Each reformer, too, is sure that he himself is right, and as his
bread and butter is not in the issue, he quarrels to his heart's content
with his associates, so that they rarely can unite all their force. Most
of the reform movements in this city have been atte