Even as late as 1912, A.D., the great mass of the people

still persisted in the belief that they ruled the country by

virtue of their ballots. In reality, the country was ruled

by what were called POLITICAL MACHINES. At first the

machine bosses charged the master capitalists extortionate

tolls for legislation; but in a short time the master

capitalists found it cheaper to own the political machines

themselves and to hire the machine bosses.