There is no collected material of the literature of exposure.It is found in the official reports of investigating committees;such as the Lexow, Mazet, and Fassett committees in New York, and the report on campaign contributions by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections (1913).The muckraker has scattered such indiscriminate charges that great caution is necessary to discover the truth.Only testimony taken under oath can be relied upon.And for local exposes the official court records must be sought.
The annual proceedings of the National Municipal League contain a great deal of useful material on municipal politics.The reports of local organizations, such as the New York Bureau of Municipal Research and the Pittsburgh Voters' League, are invaluable, as are the reports of occasional bodies, like the Philadelphia Committee of Fifty.
Personal touches can be gleaned from the autobiographies of such public men as Platt, Foraker, Weed, La Follette, and in such biographies as Croly's "M.A.Hanna."On Municipal Conditions:
W.B.Munro, "The Government of American Cities" (1913).An authoritative and concise account of the development of American city government.Chapter VII deals with municipal politics.
J.J.Hamilton, "Dethronement of the City Boss" (1910).Adescription of the operation of commission government.
E.S.Bradford, "Commission Government in American Cities"(1911).A careful study of the commission plan.
H.Bruere, "New City Government" (1912).An interesting account of the new municipal regime.
Lincoln Steffens, "The Shame of the Cities" and "The Struggle for Self-Government" (1906).The Prince of the Muckrakers'
contribution to the literature of awakening.
On State Conditions:
There is an oppressive barrenness of material on this subject.
P.S.Reinsch, "American Legislatures and Legislative Methods "(1907).A brilliant exposition of the legislatures' activities.
E.L.Godkin, "Unforeseen Tendencies in Democracy" contains a thoughtful essay on "The Decline of Legislatures."On Political Parties and Machines:
M.Ostrogorski, "Democracy and the Organization of Political Parties," 2 vols.(1902).The second volume contains a comprehensive and able survey of the American party system.It has been abridged into a single volume edition called "Democracy and the Party System in the United States" (1910).
James Bryce, "The American Commonwealth," 2 vols.Volume IIcontains a noteworthy account of our political system.
Jesse Macy, "Party Organization and Machinery" (1912).A succinct account of party machinery.
J.A.Woodburn, "Political Parties and Party Problems "(1906).Asane account of our political task.
P.O.Ray, "An Introduction to Political Parties and Practical Politics " (1913).Valuable for its copious references to current literature on political subjects.
Theodore Roosevelt, "Essays on Practical Politics" (1888).
Vigorous description of machine methods.
G.M.Gregory, "The Corrupt Use of Money in Politics and Laws for its Prevention" (1893).Written before the later exposes, it nevertheless gives a clear view of the problem.
W.M.Ivins, "Machine Politics" (1897).In New York City--by a keen observer.
George Vickers, "The Fall of Bossism" (1883).On the overthrow of the Philadelphia Gas Ring.
Gustavus Myers, "History of Tammany Hall" (1901; revised 1917).
The best book on the subject.
E.C.Griffith, "The Ripe and Development of the Gerrymander"(1907).
Historical:
H.J.Ford, "Rise and Growth of American Politics" (1898).One of the earliest and one of the best accounts of the development of American politics.
Alexander Johnston and J.A.Woodburn, "American Political History," 2 vols.(1905).A brilliant recital of American party history.The most satisfactory book on the subject.
W.M.Sloane, "Party Government in the United States" (1914).Aconcise and convenient recital.Brings our party history to date.
J.B.McMaster, "With the Fathers" (1896).A volume of delightful historical essays, including one on "The Political Depravity of the Fathers."On Nominations:
F.W.Dallinger, "Nominations for Elective Office in the United States" (1897).The most thorough work on the subject, describing the development of our nominating systems.
C.E.Merriam, "Primary Elections" (1908).A concise description of the primary and its history.
R.S.Childs, "Short Ballot Principles" (1911).A splendid account by the father of the short ballot movement.
C.E.Meyer, "Nominating Systems" (1902).Good on the caucus.
On the Presidency:
J.B.Bishop, "Our Political Drama" (1904).A readable account of national conventions and presidential campaigns.
A.K.McClure, "Our Presidents and How We Make Them "(1903).
Edward Stanwood, "A History of the Presidency" (1898).Gives party platforms and describes each presidential campaign.
On Congress:
G.H.Haynes, "The Election of United States Senators" (1906).
H.J.Ford, "The Cost of Our National Government" (1910).A fine account of congressional bad housekeeping.
MARY C.Follett, "The Speaker of the House of Representatives"(1896).
Woodrow Wilson, "Congressional Government" (1885).Most interesting reading in the light of the Wilson Administration.
L.G.McConachie, "Congressional Committees" (1898).
On Special Topics:
C.R.Fish, "Civil Service and the Patronage" (1905).The best work on the subject.
J.D.Barnett, "The Operation of the Initiative, Referendum, and Recall in Oregon" (1915).A helpful, intensive study of these important questions.
E.P.Oberholtzer, The Referendum in America (1912).The most satisfactory and comprehensive work on the subject.Also discusses the initiative.
J.R.Commons, "Proportional Representation" (1907).The standard American book on the subject.
R.C.Brooks, "Corruption in American Politics and Life "(1910).
A survey of our political pathology.
End
