which was so deeply degraded by the practices of rota-
tion and division of the spoils, received another deadly
blow at the hands of the Caucus by the assessment
system. Public functions were virtually put up to
auction. The Organization assumed the full aspect of
which the outline had long been rising into view: from
a political combination in the service of a party, it had
come down to an industrial concern for making money
out of places; it bought votes, worked up this raw ma-
terial into elective offices, and resold them with its
trade-mark to the highest bidder.

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