New-York tribune., 1876-04-24
OUTSIDE OK INSIDE REFORM.

The marty organs are sure that it IL all nhht
if good Republicans confer together to secure
"reform within the party" but if they confer
with anybody who has been independent OF
parties, or if men without strict party ties con-
fer with each other, in order to secure reform.
then it is all wrong, and there is a conspiracy.
This view seems to lis particularly stupid. The
object Of parties and of reforms ought to be
to secure better government, and every honest
citizen ought to rejoice if any two persons,
within either party or OF no party, will give
time or effort to that end. SO far as we can dis
cover there has been lamentable lack OF
conspiracy, or combined effort, or even of con-
sutatlon. on tho part of those good citizens
who want better government, and we should
be exceedingly glad if they would begin to
mediate less and to act more.
The party organs, however, labor to show
that the men who tired to reform things in
1872 were q very bad set of men, while those
who try to reform things now, provided they
confne themselves to "reform within tho
party are very good set of men. This
shallow cant decciyes nobody. Was it u meri
torious thing, then, to give us four years more OF
Grantism, Belknapery, and Babcockism, and to
bring all this shame upon the country Is
anybody proud Of that performance ! Are
those deserving of credit, as the puIcst
of saints, who voted to give Grant, and
Beknap, and BabcOck, and Robeson four
wears more of power, after their character WAS
known, and only denOunce them now when
exposures, indictments, and impeachmeNs null
tply9 Decent Republicans who supported
Grant are ashamed of it, and like Mr. Curtis
in Harper's Weekly make no bones of confess
ing it. The person who claims superior polit-
ical virtue for himself because he did not de-
mand reform four years ago, does not know
what virtue means. The men who want re-
form, but take pains to advertise that they
will vote the party ticket IN any case, may
boast that peculiar sort Of virtue which is i'm
pregnable only if nobody wants to assail it..
They tell corruptionists that they are virtu-
0usy inclined, but propose to yield to any
thing sinful that comes in tho garb of party
nomination.
"Reform within the party" is fraud Men
who want reform enough to be listened to or
feared by anybody, want it in the party or out
of the party, wherever they can get the most
of it and the best article The men who re-
fused to vote for bad Republicans, or voted
ana WOTkeu IOI bOOu bCIhoCidtS, III lcf-,
1874 and 1875 are the men who are reform
ing the Republican party. Not until the man
ayers were taught that Grantism meant defeat
did they discover that it was proper for q
Republican to object to Grantism. They would
turn Bristow out of the party in 1876. just
as they turned out Sumner and Schuz in
1872, if they dared. They will defeat him
In Convention unless thoroughly convinced, by
men who mean to have reform, party or no
party, that any less worthy candidate will get
beaten. Ii scared to that extent, however,
they will take him just rs a poisoned man
takes an emetic. If the alternative is death
or reform, then, and not till then, shall we
see "reform within the party" All good citi-
zens will rejoice to see it. But no sensible
person will waste praises on managers who are
kicked into decency. Whatever credit there