The appearance of the "Captain of Industry" was almost coincident with the appearance of the "Boss." There has been a disposition to treat the "Boss" chiefly as the political creature of the corrupt corporation; and it is undoubtedly true that one of the most important functions of the municipal and state "Bosses" has been that of conducting negotiations with the corporations.
But to consider the specialized organization of our local politics as the direct result of specialized organization of American business is wholly to misunderstand its significance.

The two processes are the parallel effects of the same conditions and ideas working in different fields.

Business efficiency under the conditions prevailing in our political and economic fabric demanded the "Captain of Industry." Political efficiency under our system of local government demanded the "Boss." The latter is an independent power who has his own special reasons for existence.

He put in an embryonic appearance long before the large corporations had obtained anything like their existing power in American politics; and he will survive in some form their reduction to political insignificance.

He has been a genuine and within limits a useful product of the American democracy; and it would be fatal either to undervalue or to misunderstand him.
The American system of local self-government encouraged the creation of the political "Boss," because it required such an enormous amount of political business.