Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-09
WORCESTER
SATURDAY. DECEMBER o, 1s7II

SATURDAY. DECEMBER o, 1911
The favorite plan of the managers of the
'passiye' democracy has been, to have Senator
Trumbun nominated for the presidency, by
convention called and managed by "Anti-Gran
Republicans" The democratic party woult
keep out of sight, but the democratic voter
would be expecte1 to support the nomination a
the polls. To those who know Senator Trum
bull ii has been amusing TO hear this project dis
cussed by its contrivers and their organs. Re
Gently, the Louisville CourierJournal, one O
these organs, has taken special pains to hav
Senator Trumbull carefully interviewed" an,
the result is not cheering TO its friends
The interviewer reports that the senato
does not favor the proposed coalition
but on the contrary, "whistles it down the
wind" that he would not run for the prcs-
dency as a candidate against Gen. Grant; that
in his judgment the time has not come, north or
south, and especially south, for reconstruc-
lion of parties; that he believes the defeat OF
Gen. Grant, in 1872, would be followed by a
most disastrous southern reaction which would
produce a much worse condition of affairs at
the south than exists there now; and that he is
sure that any such coalition against Gen. Grant
would end in complete failure. So much for
the passive contrivance, so far as concerns nom
inatng Senator Trumbull.
In the reports from Washington concerning
it, this scheme does not appear to be very
"grand" in its prospects, although the present
condition of its hope is rather "gloomy and
Tbo AMI pnnublipanSY 81
not so numerous as was expected. Senator
Sumner is not in the fusion market" we are
told; and "Gen. Logan is coming round" TO
Grant, is the form of expression used to show
that the passive" intriguers are badly disap-
pointed in him. They have but little more hope
of Mr.. Greeley and most of the others who were
believed to be ready and eager to join them, In
fact, the head, front, rear, and wings of the
Anu-Grant army, which they were certain would
march out Of the republican party to give them
aid and comfort, appears to include
not much more than George Wilkes,
who might perhaps, be persuaded to serve
as their candidate for the presidency. They can
try him and see what he will do. He disikes
Gen. Grant exceedingly; but this is not pre-
csely the same thing as loving the aims to which
the "passive" democracy are devoted Not
many republicans are likely to allow their 'dis-
like of Grant to turn them against their own
earnest convictions. What they feel is expressed
by Senator Trnmbull. The time has not come
for a reconstruction of parties the success of
any movement to place the old democrats in
power would be disastrous TO the country; the
time has not com ewheu it can be safe to play
with such movements. Doubtless the intrigue
Of these passive coationists will be continued at
Washington; but we see no reason to believe it
can make much progress.
The spirit of economy in the British public
Offices occasionally manifests itself in somewhat
whimsical forms. A year or two ago, in fit of
parsimOny, il was found necessary to limit the
clerks to a certain number "Opens foreach month,
and this restriction called forth from the vic
tins general wall of petulant complaint in the
form of letters TO the various London papers.
Other writer's took up the subject, treating it
sometimes gravely, but more often with rdcule,
which was quite impartially divided between the
thrifty superiors and their unhappy subordi-
mates. The topic for some time occupied 4 very
prominent place in the periodical literature of
the country. A new grievance, of similar
kind, but even more suggestive of ludicrous as
sociations has just come to light. In an unex-
ampled spasm of parsimony it was determined
that the dressing rooms for the officials of the
British museum should be supplied with COM
mon yellow soap instead of the more agreeable.
as well as more costly, brown Windsor,
which had been allowed heretofore
No doubt, if the records of the official
bureaus could be explored, mass of very in
structive correspondence on this subject might
be discovered, including, among other docu-
meuts, a learned report from a chemist upon the
respective composition and methods of manu-.
facture of the rival soaps, their relative deter
gent properties, and the effects, in other respects
which had been observed to follow the use OF
one or the other, and ending with the official
conclusion that, as the cleansing properties ul
the yellow soap appeared to be fully equal and
in fact superior, to those Of the kind heretofore
in use, and the sum Of several shillings annu-
ally might be saved to her maieSty's exchequer
by the proposed change without any CORES.
ponding loss in the efficiency of her majesty
sealing wax is directed no longer TO issue
to the officials of the British museum the
Luxurious emolient TO which they have
been accustomed but instead of it the harsher
and less fragrant, if not, positively i'll sayored
substance, which science pronounces equally
efficient and more economical. Besides this
source of yeXation to the men of science, another
has arisen in the fact that one department Of
the museum is in want of buster, because, it is
said, perhaps with an intent to satrize the
foibles of Incorporate civil service reformers, the
commissioners have not finished the examina
ticn of the candidates for this post, all who have
yet presented themselves, displaying an astonish
ing, not TO say appalling, ignorance of thu
results of Professor Tyndel's recent researche,
into the nature and properties of dust, and bein.
thus maniiestly untitled for an official station
however humble, whose dutie. have such in
Innate relations with this interesting substance