New-York tribune., 1873-07-05

did not have it all his own way. Before he
arrived on the grounds the meeting adopted a
resolution calling upon him to sign declara-
ton in favor of temperance and "womans
"rights, and one of the speakers, with more
shrewdness than civility. predicted that their
distinguished guest would "wriggle" when 1t
was presented This prediction was promptly
justified. He refused to answer any questions,
and hurried away from the ground as soon
as possible, after delivering his set speech on
railroads and rum.
Now there is no doubt of the Importance of
both these questions to the people OF Massa-
chusetts. They have both been profoundly
studied and discussed by better men than Mr.
Butler and cleverer men than he have
frankly avowed their inability to prescribe
satisfactory remedy for the evils involved III
the present systems of transportation, ana Ill
the scandalOus fact Of a liquor law when
stands nnchallenged on the statute books and Ii
treated with contempt IN every town of the
State. But Mr.. Butler nnotapproach any public
question AZ other men do. In every PROPOSE
ton which emanates from him there are two
inseparabe qualities-tl,e airy self-concelt OF
the charatan. and the unconscious rascality
of a man destitute of moral sense. THIS liquor
question in Massachusetts involves the whole
problem of the limitations of tho right to
make laws and the power to execute them'
But Gen. Butler solves the whole difficulty by
some vulgar platitudes about the "puncheons
" OF rum in the rich mans cellar" and " the
" ouart Jug in tho poor mans hovel,' and
then accuses the Governor of perjury because
the law is not thoroughly executed. The
TRANSFORMATION question he dspOSes OF III
way equally rough and equally ready. lie
SAYS, in effect that Mr.. Vanderbilt has made
vast fortune by manipulating grants of
" special privileges and that his prosperity
and that of men like him is glaring lnJuS-
" tce and IAN aristocracy in its worse sense"
But how is this to be remeded Ia question
which occupies the minds OF all thoughtful
men. Mr.. Butler does not fatigue his mighty
intellect long in thinking about it. lie has
remedy which will fix everything III no time.
Listen to what he has the effrontery to pro-
nose TO the citizens of Massachusetts,, and then
decide whether free schools have yet done
their perfect work. "The land and the rights
q" Of way of all the railroads in the State have
been taken by law under the constitutional
" provisions that the taking was by the Gov
"ernment for common convenience and neces-
sity of the whole people. BE it so. Then
let every man enjoy this common conVe-
" nience and have the power to use the same
"by putting his car on these highways, sub
" iect to such rules and regulations as may be
| necessary"
| What quack at a village crossroads would
venture on proposing to his audience remedy
for tho toothache so Lblandly absurd as this
| The best organizing minds of the country are
employed in railroad business. SO enormous
are the demands of this colossal interest and
so rare are the persons gifted with the neces-
sary qualifications for the higher posts, that no
salaries are considered too great to pay for
their services Yet with all that has been
done to simplify and regulate the details of
this vast and intricate system, 1T Is growing
more and more difficult every day, and we see
now one of our great thOroughfareS beginning
the construction of fourth track to satisfy
the increasing cxigencies of travel and trade.
But Mr. Butler thinks all trouble would be
ended by giving everybody the right to switch
his own car upon the track, "subjeCt to proper
rules and regulations" And he is not salts
fed to let this suggestion remain merely alb
surd. There Unjust Do uttle VOuCn Oh
lnavery in it to give it flavor. He says if
some solution of the question of cheap trans
portation is not found, the strong-armed and
strong headed many will take the matter
into their own hands, to tho detriment of
" the dividend receiving few" This Is our old
Truepcnny forever reappearing. He is con-
| tinually making the mistake of looking into
his own heart and speaking. He thought re-
pudiation would be popular, and the masses
he was trying to tickle repudiated him. lie
thought nobody would care if Congress stole
5000 apiece. But he can persuade no
one but Congressman of this. We think he
will meet with no better success in his incite-
ments to violence against the railroads. He
may make himself Governor of Massachusetts,
by proving his fitness for the penitentiary-
bat that is matter for his fellow-citizens to