Efforts by the state to regulate or suppress vice and crime bring about reactions on the part of the interests affected not unlike those which follow from the attempt to regulate legitimate business.[62] The corrupt practices thus occasioned are among the commonest and most objectionable that society has to contend with. Very large money returns in the aggregate are obtainable by political organisations which protect vice. It is doubtful, however, whether such sources of income are ordinarily so productive financially as the various corrupt relationships between business and politics described above. On the other hand the alliance between politics and the underworld has the advantage, from an unmoral point of view, that it yields not only money but also strong support at the polls. And as some of the voters whose support is thus secured may be depended upon for work as repeaters, ballot-box staffers, and thugs, the net political power which they wield is much greater than their number alone would indicate. There is one other important difference between the corruption arising from the attempt to regulate legitimate business and that which arises from the regulation of vice. In the former case a “deal” can frequently be consummated between two principals, the leader of a centralised business interest on the one hand and the leader of a centralised political organisation on the other. Something of the secrecy and the binding personal obligation of a “gentleman’s agreement” are thus obtained. Of course to carry out the compact the political leader must control the action of his dependents in public office, but the latter, whatever they may suspect, know nothing definite about the agreement into which the boss has entered. The protection of vice cannot be managed by so small a number of conspirators. Compliance by the whole police force with orders from the “front” is necessary. Every patrolman knows what is going on when he is told that he must not molest dives, gambling hells, or brothels. Members of the force may or may not be used to collect protection money and pass it “higher up,” but since there are many establishments which must pay tribute the employment of a considerable corps of collectors is necessary. In any event the number of those who have knowledge amounting to legal evidence is likely to be much larger in the case of the protection of vice than in the case, for example, of a corrupt franchise grant. Exposure either by some disgruntled police officer or by some overtaxed purveyor of vice is likely to come at any moment.