We're asked to decide which statement would most support the author's views of politicians. What are those views? Beginning in line 48, the author says that "politicians tend to favor the growth of governmental bureaucracy because such growth provided increased opportunity for the exercise of political patronage."
Answer choice C says that the allotment system was ended because "politicians believed that allotment's continuation would not enhance their opportunities to exercise patronage." The author is proposing that polticians' support of allotment it motivated by the chance to increase patronage. Answer choice C supports the author's views of politicians because in the absence of the motive proposed by the author, their support for allotment ceases.
Answer choice E says that the allotment system was ended because "Politicians were concerned that too much Native American land was falling into the hands of non-Native Americans." This does not support the author's claim that politicians are motivated by the opportunity for increased patronage. On the contrary - it undermined that assertion by suggesting that politicians are motivated by the desire to help keep Native American land in the hands of Native Americans.
amfDecember 10, 2019
Can you please explain why D is incorrect? It seemed to me that both C and D could have been correct and are both supported in the passage
