=The Reform of Party Organization.=—It will be seen, therefore, that although political parties are necessary and useful organizations in a democracy, they often develop serious abuses when left free from official control. For this reason the organization and work of the political parties should be regulated by provisions of law. Such provisions have already done much to eliminate boss rule and to improve the party system. Some people feel that political parties ought to be abolished altogether but that suggestion is impractical. The abolition of parties would not make government any more democratic, or more honest, or more efficient. The work which the parties now perform must be performed by some organizations of voters, somehow, and if parties were abolished something similar under a different name would have to be created to do this work. [Sidenote: Parties must not be abolished but improved.] What we need is not the abolition of parties but the improvement of party organization and party methods. Realizing that parties can be useful we should give them scope for usefulness but restrict their opportunities for evil. This is what the laws are now doing. They aim to make party leaders responsible, to make party nominations fair, and to make party finance honest. General References P. ORMAN RAY, _Political Parties and Practical Politics_, pp. 3-12; A. LAWRENCE LOWELL, _Public Opinion and Popular Government_, pp. 57-85; JAMES A. WOODBURN, _Political Parties and Party Problems in the United States_, pp. 465-470; M. OSTROGORSKI, _Democracy and the Organization of Political Parties_, pp. 225-281; W. B. MUNRO, _Government of the United States_, pp. 312-356; MOORFIELD STOREY, _Problems of Today_, pp. 1-53; W. W. WILLOUGHBY and LINDSAY ROGERS, _Introduction to the Problem of Government_, pp. 127-150. Group Problems =1. The political doctrines of leading American statesmen=: Hamilton, John Adams, Jefferson, Jackson, Calhoun, Clay, and Webster. =References=: _Cyclopedia of American Government_, _passim_; C. E. MERRIAM, _American Political Theories_ (see index). =2. Minor political parties—their rise and fall.= =References=: JAMES A. WOODBURN, _Political Parties and Party Problems_, pp. 133-148; P. ORMAN RAY, _Political Parties and Practical Politics_, pp. 40-68; F. E. HAYNES, _Third Party Movements Since the Civil War_, pp. 221-260; E. B. STANWOOD, _History of the Presidency_, _passim_. =3. The organization of political parties in a typical state of the Union.= JESSE MACY, _Party Organization and Machinery_, pp. 96-132; JAMES BRYCE, _American Commonwealth_, Vol. II, pp. 76-81; W. B. MUNRO, _Government of the United States_, pp. 483-487.