The effect was precisely the opposite.

They afforded the political specialist a wonderful opportunity.

The ordinary American could not pretend to give as much time to politics as the smooth operation of this complicated machine demanded; and little by little there emerged in different parts of the country a class of politicians who spent all their time in nominating and electing candidates to these numerous offices.

The officials so elected, instead of being responsible to the people, were responsible to the men to whom they owed their offices; and their own individual official power was usually so small that they could not put what little independence they possessed to any good use.

As a matter of fact, they used their official powers chiefly for the benefit of their creators.