The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-09-30
The REFORM PARTY.
Accurate Analysis Of it's Com
position and its Career.
The Brief Triumph of False Pretences
and Fraud, Humbug and
Hypocrisy.
from the Milwaukee Sentinel ]

From the Milwaukee Sentinel
The history of Reform rule, as it is
sarcasticaIly called, ii Wisconsin, Will be
that of a raid instead Of = conquest-in
with a rush, 8 brief season of pillage,
and out III a al.;c. The gathering in
dications, which all Democrats endowed
with any political sagacity, obviously
observe, are that The EcfoIm movement,
as inaueu1atcd two years ago, must
die in its infancy. The organs of the
party keep up q lively whistle, as they
draw near tie political cemetery, but
latterly their tune LIS grown tremulous,
with very audible accompaniment OF
chatterlng teeth.
The movement is failure, and all see
it except few politicians of the patent
right, quack-medicine school, and even
they confess that the mixture needs adj
ditionaI ingredients. Only the verdant
few who estimate the curative properties
of the dose by the nastiness Of its taste,
regard Reform as a success.
The reasons why the movement is
at stand-still, as the Celtic statesman
observed, are many and all lie on the
surface. It was fraud to begin with,
and got its start by false pretences- 1t
1t set out with a Pharisaical claim to an
gelic virtues, professed to be free from
thirst for office, love of power to plumb
er; and official corruption was SO odious
to it that it could not pass a public Of
flee without holding its nose. An uneX-
pected success SO surprised it that it
forgot every plank, pledge or promise
in its platform. The greed and rush
for office which followed its victory are
innumerable among scramblers of the
kind. Its list of soreheads is the largest
ever polled in the State, and owing to
the bad state of its system, they don't
heal but continue to tester and run till
the whole Reform camp Is pervaded with
an odor suggestive of the poll-evil ward
OF veterinary hospital. Sorehead is
sue, the unfailing system Of political de-
composition, has been alarmingly mani
fest IN the Reform party from its cradle.
In q word, it sprang into existence with
ali the diseases and vices which are gen
orally supposed to grow upon a party
long IN power.
Again: there is little community of
sentiment between the two elements
which constitute the party. The Lib
erals are still Republicans. The Bour
bons are Bourbons still. Political senti-
ments which have stood the wear of the
last fifteen years are fire gilt and do not
easily change. The Reform veneering
flakes off from your Terage Reform
Democrat in SO many spots as to give
him a sort of speckled appearance, which
every one despises, and none more than
himself He hates his Liberal allies
with the hatred he feels for Repub-
lican, and superadded thereto the hat
red which every constant soul feels for
renegade. The Liberals, on the other
hand, have little faith in their more
numerous allies. The manner in which
they are contemporary cast aside where
ever the Democrats are strong enough to
get along without them, renders their
service III the Reform camp exceedingly
uncomfortable. They fear posion in
every cup and n stab in every embrace.
Mutual distrust and contempt, and dis
cordant political opinions, make the I'M
ion of the two wings precarious. Held
together only by selfish motives and an
appeal to bad prejudiceS and instincts,
the party, OF rather the molly rabble, is
no match for its well organized foe.
Another reason is that the Reformers
now lack the organized aid of the Liquor
League. Two years ago that power
full ally, plethoric with the profits of
crooked whisky, made it fat eating, and
drinking, too, in the camp of Reform.
1t is now writhing in the clutches of
the law, and can spare neither add nor
counsel, drink nor money to the cause
of Reform. The Reformers affect an
austere look of responsibility and leave
their old friends to their fate, moralizing
as only Pecksniff can.
Again, the people of Wisconsin know
M lxTha Of
fetch up. Whether as inf1ationists, re-
pudiators or financial revolutionists.
Whether IN order to gain success they
Will ally with the rebel element and
bring on absolute restoration; whether
the results of the war will be safe in the
hands of those who fought them. To
trust a new party whose policy is to adopt
any principle to get in, and once in to
ignore every principle to stay in, is to
leap In the dark. 1t gives pause TO many
an honest Liberal. They know that
Democracy has been on the wrong side.
that it has fought against the achieve
ments which make this genenration mem
trable in history; that it has been
$, Stumbling block to progress, and that
/ emocracy is nearly all of Reform, and
that its masses regard Reform success
rs their vindication, their revenge and
Llolf RESTORATION.
And still another reason tor the down.
fal, of Reform is the personal unpopular
ity of Gov. Taylor. Naturally of
morose and sullen nature, the honors of
office have not sweetened, and it's cares
have soured his temper, so that he re-
pels all approaches of friendship, ang-
rs those who would assist him, and
drives off even those who toady to sue
cess. His habit has been to call a eau
Gus of prominent members of his party
to canvass each contemplated official act.
and to ask advice. He has generally fol
lowed the poorest and most interested
that was given, and thus offended the
pride of all who have taken the trouble
to advise him well. Without tact or
knowledge OF human nature, he denies
when he should, grants when he should
deny, denies in way that invites hat
red, and grants in a manner that STILES
gratitude. Too bigoted to brook con-
iradiction, the criticism Of his friends
and the opposition of his political enc
mics, which men of breadth of character
accept as an incident of politics and bear
with good nature, keep him in state of
rage, like mad bull stung with darts, |
kicking and hooking, sweating and bel |
lowing.
His plumage is entirely borrowed. |
His Stite apers, Of which his claquers