The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-11
TALK WITH BEN BUTLER.
.or,yHtL GIyEs sOME views ON
III .rIgKJNG 1OpICS or THE DAY
-. ctxii service Order Contemplate In
nae view and Wrong Tn rrinc'pie In An
~, waiting for Additional Evidence
49,, ,t.>e.I. - frsud-vcry Sly sarcasm.

N tn
would in nm hours talk Fully to under
I. ~t,he force and sting of his sarcasms. Gen.
III ,,,,,, must I've seen ns well ns heard. He camc
II j.. ,.,,, n lat, dinner nt the Fifth Avenue. md
Il s in cnod humor On his feet were dainty
4 t,r,rs while ON the hearth in front OF tho
a,,, fra. lay his gaitcrs. and on the mantel his
,,-,s slk hnt. The condition of his dress
"n'n,J that the General had been caught in
me rain, ,
lr,winr an easy chair TO the fire and lighting
.,cry fragrant cigar-"und am on my way
back to Washington"
"pd the Republicans Of Massachusetts, OK
i not 10 win such n victory. GcncralT
"Wcn those who were inside undcrstood
/ how things were going. The victory was not
/ surprsc 10 them
"Dd Rco gc, all tho Republican voto?"
NO; the Prohibtionists vote with us on
rr,alden,inl elections The votes they took
away from us wore more than mndc mp by the
li,uor sollcrs, who voted for Rice. They thought
| Ero safer man."
But. General was there not some alarm
among Republicans until Cen Dcvens wrote
| thc letter that set Simmons and the Custom
House to workf'
oh. yes The Republican. found that they
NODDED help. The Custom House officials were
pledged to observe the civil service order.
| Then, when il was found out what the effect
vss. Devens wrote the letter, which was Moth
in, moro or lees than an order To- disoboy the
order. Then the Custom House officials took
| h.,land worked and spoke for two weeks. The
only difference WIS that they crowded two
months work which they usually do. into two
vtks.
How lid the high toned Republicans -som,-
tines called the blue hcllics-"
Yes. the select and here Gen. Butler
smiled and ravc the reporter n quaint look.
Th,n he purcd very hard on lis cigar which
would not respond. a. 1t had given out.
"WrI."hc sn d at length, the select voted with
%. Thcy are like the old mans definition Of
.nain whig- in old Whig times. Always take
ueir toldy, and occasionally vote the Wing
trkd' This year the sclcct-therc are. well,
perhaps II. 600 in the State, not more than Tint
their notions were satisfied 10y the civil SER
We, order and so they voted with us That
swered TN. vote some Bu; they are about rs
much use ms. and very much like. parchcd peas
irpolitcs."
"Having seen the working Of Hayes civil
service order in Massachusetts,. what do you
ihnk o. IT. General ?"
Gen Butler lifted ono dainty slipper on the
oiher and meditated on both feet for n minute.
Then h. suddenly turned TO the reporter and
burst out in ayocc that WIS no whisper: Think
OF IT, Why | don't know what It mems.
haven't been able TO learn what it means"-an-
other smile" and am not in tho habit Of CIV
nsany opinion about matters whose meaning
don't know The Lord probably never in
tended that should b. able t. comprehend II.
,uprose. bocausc have not yet b"cn able to-
But suppose it means just what il saJs ~
Hon. Wcu. Let US suppose '-another
smile. a pau-c. and several vigorous purs at