New-York tribune., 1872-08-13
REFORM PROSPECTS IN IOWA.
A liberal MAJORITY PROBABLE.

ING-pIssENsIoNs AMONG TIE GRANT PAR
TISANS.
IRON THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBuNhI
DRs MONIES, Aug. ITO. the outward eye
there seemed but feeble leaven in the political elements
OF this state to work the great popular revolution Oh ~
last few weeks The modest band that came 'oso'no'
early in April for the Reform crusade Is now ~
great coalition, absorbing one party anu ''i' ~ -
dividing the other; and ithas come 10 DC "l'nU o.
chance whether the combination shall or sha ho' "iy
,ho state in November With the best Repubncahs in
its ranks and the high purposes OF the Omcln
matt and Baltimore platforms as It's Nltai PnotieS
the movement has aroused that thinking clement "ue
in the old days maintained vast Republican ln0oIs
Political revolutions slowly in the west imnerseu
an the manifold occupations of life, the genuine worker
gives his time and faculties more to tie business Vi hNs
,han the motive Of action. Unlike the Eastern states
where party dctatOn and corruption have s'rreu INC
peope TO Irresistible mutiny, tho party in Iowa gave
Iut mid encouragement to the great revolt The iact
4, noltcaly Iowa has moved in but one way ana that
way intensely Radical Issues without chahge' canui
dates without character measures purposeless anu cum
bersome were originated and confirmed by muorly dc
hopeles for reform as nviucibe in numbers, WIN he
state press largely the hands Of interested parsa
and marty machinery wholly in the control OF the cental
powers the political atmosphere Of Iowa mas Deeh as
inyeeratey unpromising for reform as the most party
bound district in all New England.
TuE FIRST STEP TOWARD LIBERALISM
But there we're attempts at Reform even before I'm
cippat Tho defeat OF Gen. Grants Senator, Harlan,
attests this That result indeed, may be said 10 Dc
case Of mistaken zeal the part Of the Reiorhers,
Coming before the people, not as from the people, anu
sustained by the unusual appliances OF Churcn ana
State he demanded the deputy OF Grant he suiases
that might have given him as the representative OF
the people In defeating Harlan, 1t the sentiment
of Iowa that the Administration had received marked
rebuke. Harlan's appliance for denomination were 10
the last degree repugnant b the farmnded
OF the state and aside from the system OF resos
persuasion which he attempted TO Introduce MS ante
cedents were not wholly satisfactory TO his party
and above all TO the Liberal element Although Senator
Harlan is now vehement in advocacy OF Gen.
Grants reflection there are hundreds In Iowa VINO re-
member the part Senator took in the discussion OF
Grants promotion 10 the generalship OF the army lie
was exceedingly bitter at the time, and revived enough
OF the Generals past weaknesses and irregularities 10
Justify an honest man. not only in voting against con-
aruing him as chief Of the army, but more emphatcaly
against making him the chief Of the nation III Is not
the fault Of the people, can 1t be charged 10 the
legislature that the movement for Reform seems to
have failed in this very beginning. Senator Allison,
elected on the issue, with every Liberal instinct
seems so far unwilling to ignore party, while genuinely
in favor of Reform and heartily in sympathy with the
Liberal tendencies Of the Liberal movement
uaPEDnrENTs To THE REFORM MOVEMENT
Iowa elected her last Republican Governor Carpen-
ter by in round numbers 1900 majority. Forty-one
Thousand majority does not represent the real Repubh
can strength in this state however 1t must be borne
In mind that for years the Democratic party has aD-
stained from general vote recognizing its hopeless
minority, and numbered by platforms and Candidates
repugnan alike TO the time and the circumstances Inc
party as a party, while standing almost solid at the
nolls has given no real indication Of its absolute
strength On general issues the Democratic vote IS
never brought out On Presidential issues-suen' for
instance as That or 1sCsbe party sotesare more eFeh
divided This peculiar position Of parties made the
work Of reformation greatly more dlfdcult, for the
leaven could only be introduced into q discouraged
minority while OF little effect on an unthnkng majority
In April last the handful OF Liberals that met at Da-
venpor probably very fairly represented not only the
Reform tendencies Of the state but the entire Liberal
patty as well Cincinnati set new current in motion, 1t
is true but not until after Baltimore could the most sau-
guine friend Of Reform feel that his party was reality
In the State. After Baltimore great numbers were scat
tered from the tranquil security Of the fence, and the
Liberal organization which had been before an enthusi
astc abstraction took form and measure IN every dis
trct in the state The action Of that convention in de-
prvng the Administration people Of one solid and really
impressive argumen-to wit: that detection from the
party would make purely Democratic success possible
measurably strengthened the hands Of the slowly de-
velopng Reformes. That idea held in check large ee
ment Of the Republicans which, with every
dency TO mutny, had yet strong repugnance
against breaking away from the party. The
singular enthusiasm of the Democrats, the outspoken
feryor with which that hitherto inyncble minority
came up 70 platform Of Reconciliation and Reform,
did more a practical, working argument than all the
utterances Of the campaign combined That is TO say,
the people SEEING believed the politicians watching the
people believed, what Is just good thought they
did AS result Iowa, which Eastern friends have per-
sstonty abandoned to the enemy now gives fun prom
casting her vote where is safe 10 say the MAORI
ty OF her thinking people are in hope with the Liberals
To show that this idle boast based the fab
re Of Oyerconhdence consider further on few careful
y gathered figures bearing the feeling and political
drift Of the districts. II must not be fancied
however that these figures be accurately fixed The
fence, is by deserted yet. 1 can
give you lists Of people who, while nOmi-
ally supporting the Administration, through the
countless ties OF office, friends, partisan prediction
are really 10 favor and do the purposes Of
Reform. The political instinct engendered by years OF
success, is never enterprsng adventurous one
and there is gregarousness little subject to disper
sion as the majority welded by the golden chains of
Office. There is nothing quite moving a 10000 ma
lory of 100000 vote to inspire theianguor Of let
ting well enough alone and this the whole argument
OF the Administration people is based In this campaign
open confession Is not good for the soul Declaration is
the dead line Of politics this year. Pass that and you
are rdded by the bullets and arrows Of the adversary
And the slngs and of such outrageous for
not endurabe 70 the average politician 1t is
hardly marvellous that shelter In
silence.
CHEERING PROSPECTS FOR A LIBERAL MAJORITY.
Every county III the registers its quota Of LIB
erals irrespective Of Democrats, in proportion its
population. Last weeks Convention at Des Moines
sened not only almost complete county delegations but
embraced as well bulk Of the who have hereto
fore led the Republican party in the State Of Iowa To
indicate clearly the groundwork Of this hopeful
generalization INDUCED in by the Liberals few facts
ana nSures may serve 70 convince that the State re-
quires not an unusual appliance OF electioneering
ehnery 10 make the chances II not in favor Of the Lib