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，butifIhadneededconversiontothedemocraticidealhereinAmericathestimuluswouldhavebeensuppliedbywhatIsawoftheattitude，notmerelyofthebulkofthemenofgreatestwealth，butofthebulkofthemenwhomostpridedthemselvesupontheireducationandculture，whenwebeganingoodfaithtograpplewiththewrongandinjusticeofoursocialandindustrialsystem，andtohitatthemenresponsibleforthewrong，nomatterhowhightheystoodinbusinessorinpolitics，atthebaroronthebench。ItwaswhileIwasGovernor，andespeciallyinconnectionwiththefranchisetaxlegislation，thatIfirstbecamethoroughlyawareoftherealcausesofthisattitudeamongthemenofgreatwealthandamongthemenwhotooktheirtonefromthemenofgreatwealth。
VerysoonaftermyvictoryintheraceforGovernorIhadoneortwoexperienceswithSenatorPlattwhichshowedinamusingfashionhowabsolutetheruleofthebosswasinthepoliticsofthatday。SenatorPlatt，whowasalwaysmostkindandfriendlyinhispersonalrelationswithme，askedmeinonedaytotalkoverwhatwastobedoneatAlbany。Hehadthetwoorthreenominalheadsoftheorganizationwithhim。Theywerehislieutenants，whocounseledandinfluencedhim，whoseadviceheoftenfollowed，butwho，whenhehadfinallymadeuphismind，merelyregisteredandcarriedouthisdecrees。AfteralittleconversationtheSenatoraskedifIhadanymemberoftheAssemblywhomIwishedtohaveputonanycommittee，explainingthatthecommitteeswerebeingarranged。Iansweredno，andexpressedmysurpriseatwhathehadsaid，becauseIhadnotunderstoodtheSpeakerwhoappointedthecommitteeshadhimselfbeenagreeduponbythemembers-elect。“Oh！”respondedtheSenator，withatolerantsmile，“Hehasnotbeenchosenyet，butofcoursewhoeverwechooseasSpeakerwillagreebeforehandtomaketheappointmentswewish。”ImadeamentalnotetotheeffectthatiftheyattemptedthesameprocesswiththeGovernor-electtheywouldfindthemselvesmistaken。
Inafewdaystheopportunitytoprovethisarrived。UndertheprecedingAdministrationtherehadbeengravescandalsabouttheErieCanal，thetrans-StateCanal，andthesescandalshadbeenoneofthechiefissuesinthecampaignfortheGovernorship。TheconstructionofthisworkwasunderthecontroloftheSuperintendentofPublicWorks。
Intheactualstateofaffairshisofficewasbyfarthemostimportantofficeunderme，andIintendedtoappointtoitsomemanofhighcharacterandcapacitywhocouldbetrustedtodotheworknotmerelyhonestlyandefficiently，butwithoutregardtopolitics。A
weekorsoaftertheSpeakershipincidentSenatorPlattaskedmetocomeandseehimhewasanoldandphysicallyfeebleman，abletomoveaboutonlywithextremedifficulty。
OnarrivalIfoundtheLieutenant-Governorelect，Mr。Woodruff，whohadalsobeenaskedtocome。TheSenatorinformedmethathewasgladtosaythatIwouldhaveamostadmirablemanasSuperintendentofPublicWorks，ashehadjustreceivedatelegramfromacertaingentleman，whomhenamed，sayingthathewouldaccepttheposition！Hehandedmethetelegram。ThemaninquestionwasamanIliked；laterI
appointedhimtoanimportantofficeinwhichhedidwell。Buthecamefromacityalongthelineofthecanal，sothatIdidnotthinkitbestthatheshouldbeappointedanyhow；and，moreover，whatwasfarmoreimportant，itwasnecessarytohaveitunderstoodattheveryoutsetthattheAdministrationwasmyAdministrationandwasnooneelse’sbutmine。SoItoldtheSenatorverypolitelythatIwassorry，butthatIcouldnotappointhisman。Thisproducedanexplosion，butIdeclinedtolosemytemper，merelyrepeatingthatImustdeclinetoacceptanymanchosenforme，andthatImustchoosethemanmyself。
AlthoughIwasverypolite，Iwasalsoveryfirm，andMr。Plattandhisfriendsfinallyabandonedtheirposition。
IappointedanengineerfromBrooklyn，aveteranoftheCivilWar，ColonelPartridge，whohadservedinMayorLow’sadministration。Hewasanexcellentmanineveryway。Hechoseashisassistant，activelytosuperintendthework，aCornellgraduatenamedElonHooker，amanwithnopoliticalbackingatall，pickedsimplybecausehewasthebestequippedmanfortheplace。Theoffice，themostimportantofficeunderme，wasruninadmirablefashionthroughoutmyAdministration；I
doubtifthereeverwasanimportantdepartmentoftheNewYorkStateGovernmentrunwithahigherstandardofefficiencyandintegrity。
Butthiswasnotallthathadtobedoneaboutthecanals。Evidentlythewholepolicyhithertopursuedhadbeenfoolishandinadequate。I
appointedafirst-classnon-partisancommissionofbusinessmenandexpertengineerswhowentintothematterexhaustively，andtheirreportservedasthebasisuponwhichourentirepresentcanalsystemisbased。ThereremainedthequestionofdeterminingwhetherthecanalofficialswhowereinofficebeforeIbecameGovernor，andwhomIhaddeclinedtoreappoint，hadbeenguiltyofanyactionbecauseofwhichitwouldbepossibletoproceedagainstthemcriminallyorotherwiseunderthelaw。SuchcriminalactionhadbeenfreelychargedagainstthemduringthecampaignbytheDemocraticincludingtheso-calledmugwumppress。TodeterminethismatterIappointedtwoDemocraticlawyers，Messrs。FoxandMacFarlanethelatterFederalDistrictAttorneyforNewYorkunderPresidentCleveland，andputthewholeinvestigationintheirhands。Thesegentlemenmadeanexhaustiveinvestigationlastingseveralmonths。Theyreportedthattherehadbeengravedelinquencyintheprosecutionofthework，delinquencywhichjustifiedpubliccondemnationofthoseresponsibleforitwhowereoutofoffice，butthattherewasnogroundforcriminalprosecution。IlaidtheirreportbeforetheLegislaturewithamessageinwhichIsaid：“ThereisprobablynolawyerofhighstandingintheStatewho，afterstudyingthereportofcounselinthiscaseandthetestimonytakenbytheinvestigatingcommission，woulddisagreewiththemastotheimpracticabilityofasuccessfulprosecution。Undersuchcircumstancestheoneremedywasathoroughchangeinthemethodsandmanagement。Thischangehasbeenmade。”
WhenmysuccessorintheGovernorshiptookoffice，ColonelPartridgeretired，andElonHooker，findingthathecouldnolongeractwithentiredisregardofpoliticsandwithaneyesingletotheefficiencyofthework，alsoleft。Adozenyearslater——havinginthemeantimemadeamarkedsuccessinabusinesscareer——hebecametheTreasureroftheNationalProgressiveparty。
Myactioninregardtothecanals，andthemanagementofhisoffice，themostimportantofficeunderme，byColonelPartridge，establishedmyrelationswithMr。Plattfromtheoutsetonprettynearlytherightbasis。But，besidesvarioussmalldifficulties，wehadoneortwoseriousbitsoftroublebeforemydutiesasGovernorceased。ItmustberememberedthatMr。Plattwastoallintentsandpurposesalargepartof，andsometimesamajorityof，theLegislature。TherewereafewentirelyindependentmensuchasNathanielElsberg，RegisPost，andAlfordCooley，ineachofthetwohouses；theremainderwereunderthecontroloftheRepublicanandDemocraticbosses，butcouldalsobemoreorlessinfluencedbyanarousedpublicopinion。Thetwomachineswereapttomakecommoncauseiftheirvitalinterestsweretouched。
Itwasmybusinesstodevisemethodsbywhicheitherthetwomachinescouldbekeptapartorelseoverthrowniftheycametogether。
Mydesirewastoachieveresults，andnotmerelytoissuemanifestoesofvirtue。Itisveryeasytobeefficientiftheefficiencyisbasedonunscrupulousness，anditisstilleasiertobevirtuousifoneiscontentwiththepurelynegativevirtuewhichconsistsinnotdoinganythingwrong，butbeingwhollyunabletoaccomplishanythingpositiveforgood。MyfavoritequotationfromJoshBillingsagainapplies：Itissomucheasiertobeaharmlessdovethanawiseserpent。Mydutywastocombinebothidealismandefficiency。Atthattimethepublicconsciencewasstilldormantasregardsmanyspeciesofpoliticalandbusinessmisconduct，astowhichduringthenextdecadeitbecamesensitive。Ihadtoworkwiththetoolsathandandtotakeintoaccountthefeelingofthepeople，whichIhavealreadydescribed。MyaimwaspersistentlytorefusetobeputinapositionwherewhatIdidwouldseemtobeamerefactionstruggleagainstSenatorPlatt。MyaimwastomakeafightonlywhenIcouldsomanageitthattherecouldbenoquestioninthemindsofhonestmenthatmyprimepurposewasnottoattackMr。Plattoranyoneelseexceptasanecessaryincidenttosecuringcleanandefficientgovernment。
IneachcaseIdidmybesttopersuadeMr。Plattnottoopposeme。I