More than half of my work as Governor was in the direction of getting needed and important legislation.

I accomplished this only by arousing the people, and riveting their attention on what was done.
Gradually the people began to wake up more and more to the fact that the machine politicians were not giving them the kind of government which they wished.

As this waking up grew more general, not merely in New York or any other one State, but throughout most of the Nation, the power of the bosses waned.

Then a curious thing happened.

The professional reformers who had most loudly criticized these bosses began to change toward them.