Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-13
rhs a.h-nbs of state Reform.

Our Wing friends are making very encouraging
progress in those "nioderate and substantial re-
forms, ? concerning which Colonel Schouler was
announced to speak in Hopkinton, year or two
ago. They really deserve 10 be patted upon the
head and to have ''reward Of merit" 1t will
be noticed by reference to the report of Legisla-
tive proceedings, that Col. Schouler has proposed
several State reforms, to be brought about by
what he styles constitution tinkerlng." Our
Young and ardent friend of the Springfield Re-
publican has also preached the subject in a long
leading article. The first State reform which the
Republican proposes is, the entire dlsconnectlon
of Harvard College from the Stale Government.
The next is the abolition OF The Executive Coun-
ell The next is, the election OF the State SEN
ate and House by single districts, the ilonse TO
consist of 250 or 800 members. The next is
horror of horrors!-that bloodiest of all Locofoco
measures, the election of Justices, Sheriffs, Reg
listers and Judges of Probate and Prosecuting Of
iicers, by he people! And the last is, the cleo
ton of State officers by the plurality system
Besides this somewhat extensive budget of State
Reforms, the Republican speaks rather favoraby
of biennial elections Of Governor and the Legis-
ature, and limited yearly sessions; also Of the
appointment Of Commissioners upon the subjects
of Railroads. Banks, and Manufacturing Corpo-
rations. Here our ardent friend stcas to take
BREATH and no wonder, for he has nearly plunged
headlong into the very abyss of what has been
called sslocofoceisln" for few years past We
wonder that he did not include the Secret Ballot
in his budget, but if we recoect right, he has
spoken good word for that in previous numbers
ofhis paper
The Republican, it will be noticed, goes rath-
er faster than Schouler. The Colonel excludes all
periodical officers from the election by popular
vote, while the Republican goes for elecing
''minor judicial officers The Republican has
got into the a-b-abs, and then his Springfield RI
val will advance still further and go for abolish
ing the Supreme Court and perhaps beheading
Judge Shaw. 70 such awful lengths is Red
Republicanism hurryng these enthusiastic fell
lows! ~
To those who have steadily advocated State
Reforms for two or three years past, and who
have been as steadily blackguarded for it, and
stigmalized as ''demagogues'' by the Boston At
las and Springfield Republican, these things look
little strange. The Reforms advocated by the
Free Sellers and Democrats this Stlte have be-
come popular, just as fast as they became known
and understood. Trey survived the sneers Of the
Atlas and Republican, and some of them were
put in force at the last session of the Legislature
| Within year after their enactment, the Wings
| were claiming them as their own measures, and
| now they are disposed to claim as their own par
ticular and patent thunder, several projects, which
three years ago, they would have stigmatized as
destructive schemes, worthy only of the parent
| age Of the Empire Club, Very well, gentlemen,
| go on-or rather, come on. You are rather late
10 these things, TO be sure; you are bound to I'M
| prove, no doubt, under the wholesome discipline
| ofthe popular lash You have been ilogged out
| ofprofound ignorance into the rudiments of re-
form, and we hope will not need so much goading
| hereafter. The last jump towards the election
of Judges was prodigious one. A more steady
| progress will be advisable for the future RecoI-
| lect that however considerable your desire for
Reform may be, your progress must be behind
others; you are mere copyists; followers where
the Coalition has led the way. THIS is to be
| your position hereafler;you will do pretty we'll II
| you keep behind, quietly and Steadily just with
in hailing distance, not to get lost Strides
| like this last are-well, they show desire to
improve, but the thing may be overdone. "Mod-
crate" is the word for Wings and Whiggies on
this subject. No antics, no attempts to spell hard
words, just yet; by and by, little Jacky and Tom
my shall he put into the second class in reading
/ and may advance to, that point in Arithmetic
which informs the anxious inquirer after truth,
that he has ten fingers and ten toes-L o,oeA
| A1neric1n