What did Lincoln Steffens report in a The Shame of the cities?

Lincoln Steffens' The Shame of the Cities was a series of articles published in McClure's Magazine in 1904. The articles exposed corruption in American cities and the role of political machines in perpetuating it. Steffens reported on the corrupt political machines that controlled many American cities, and on the connections between big business and organized crime. He also exposed the social and economic conditions that made it possible for these machines to thrive.

The articles were a major influence on the Progressive movement, which sought to reform American politics and society. Steffens' reporting helped to bring about the downfall of several corrupt political machines, and it inspired other journalists to investigate and expose corruption in their own cities.

Some of the specific findings that Steffens reported in The Shame of the Cities included:

* The political machine in St. Louis was controlled by a small group of businessmen who used their power to enrich themselves and their friends.

* The police force in New York City was corrupt and brutal, and it was often used to suppress political dissent.

* The political machine in Philadelphia was controlled by a powerful political boss named Matthew Quay, who used his power to control elections and to enrich himself.

* The political machine in Chicago was controlled by a powerful political boss named William Lorimer, who used his power to control elections and to enrich himself.

Steffens' reporting was instrumental in bringing about the downfall of these political machines and in inspiring the Progressive movement.