Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-22
FRIDAY. MARCH &c, 1879.
ma Inhnr Roform CnndidnIc.

Judge Davis is likely to fail of getting many
labor reform votes, next fall. Labor reformers
arediscoverug his total unftness TO be their can
didate. The little company of men by whom
he was nominated at Columbus, consisted 10 a
very large extent of political adventures and
shysters, who called themselves labor reform
ers in order 10 use this designation TO play
game for their own benefit. But there were
so,he who were not quite willing to forget labor
reform: and these contrived to have Judge Da-
Wis agree TO write letter of acceptance in which
he would endorse their platform and put himself
into harmonious relations with their party. An
outline OF the promised letter was sketched, and
this has been published; whereupon, Judge
Davis, believing such letter would destroy his
chances at Cincinnati, and having no more love
for labor reform than the devil is supposed to
have for holy water, hastens to repudiate what
is attributed to him. In doing so, he makes a
desperate bid for nomination at Cincinnati, as
follows -
''If people who seek to bring about a reform
in the government, who favor amnesty for pOlit-
ical offences, cordial restoration of the Union
in all its integrity, the supremacy oil the civil
over military power the upright enforcement of
the laws, hostility to Capitalization, and iniegri-
ty in the administration OF affairs, desire him TO
represent them as a candidate for the preSiden-
cy he will accept that honor, because these
principles accord entirely with his convictions"
That about "reform in the government" is
meant for the Gratz Brown branch of the pro-
posed combination. All the rest, such as "restor-
alton of the Union, Capitalization" and the
like, is meant for the democrats, with whom he
has been most associated since the great circu-
lar performances of Andrew Johnson. A judge
of the supreme court, transformed into dema-
gogue, is not refreshing spectacle, Labor re-
formers will take notice that his pronunciamento
says not word about the labor question. The
truth is, it would be difficult to find another
man in the country who cares less for this ques-
tion than he, or who is so little likely to become
an honest labor reformer. He has acquired
great wealth by purchasing mortgages on lands
in Illinois, and taking advantage of the necessi
fies of people who found themselves unable to
pay promptly such balances as were due on the
lands Of which they had sought to make farms.
And yet, this man has been nominated as the
labor reform candidate for the presidency Yes,
the labor reform canddate
No good end proposed by labor relormers can
be reached by organizing political party and
nominating candidates for the presidency; for
such party is sure TO become the prey of polit-
zeal Adventures and demagogues, who will use
it, sell it, dishonor it, do anything with it but
promote its protested aims. Judge Davis is a
very suitable candidate for the managers of the
Missouri mass meeting at Cincinnati, Let them
by all means nominate Davis for the presidency
and irresistible Upton for the vice presidency.
Davis and Upton! Wouldn't this be inimita-
bic, grand, transcendant, terrible as an army
with bannersW But, when labor reformers find
themselves capable of voting such a ticket, even
with the Upton left out, none but Punch or a
Knickerbocker will be equal to the task OF writ
ing their political history.