Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-09
TIE DEulGoGUE IND RoFF1AN.

The present week has brought into promi-
gogue and ruffian. The rufian is the &C
tive principle +; the demagogue the hidden
impelling cause. The former acts in obedi-
ence to the latter, stimulated by his own nat
ural instincts and the hope of attaining
what all mob leaders covet-power over the
masses. The latter. while no doubt despis-
ing the ruffian and loathing the means to
which he resorts to sway the mob element,
applauds and encourages him for the sake of
the opportunities the agitation affords of
gratifying his own ambition and adding to
his own power.
Benjamin +. Butler is marvel in many
respects. Possessing many splendid natural
abilities, he is consumed by an overwean1ng
lust for power. TO crafty his ambition he
does not scruple to avail himself of the most
disreputable means. At times during the
past fifteen years he has been bitter, unre-
lenting partisan, intolerant of eli who diff
fered with him, regardless of aught save the
supremacy OF his party. 70 save it from
threatened destruction he has defended the
most odious legislation, apologized for and
justified the most dishonest practices. Again,
a spasm of virtue seems to have come over
him and he has denounced with unstirAed
invective corruption in high places and
| defended with all the eloquence of his
nature the rights of the people as against
the moneyed power. He has defended
political fraud, dallied with official prostitu-
ton, espoused the theory of military
government, excused the most barefaced
outrages upon The vested rights of the COM
munity, and been a firm advocate of the
| adoption of despotic means to govern free
people. Again he has been fearless cham
pion of the rights of the people as against
the military and money power, has been
foremost in denouncing all shams and hypo-
crisy in political life, and, regardless of par
tisan ties, has taken up the gauntlet for the
people against the encroachments of CEN
| traliged government. He has been magnif-
cent III his inconsistency, apparently careless
| of consequences, a veritable IshmaeIite in
Congress and on the stump, in private and
| in public life. He has no fixed moral OF po-
litical principles to guide his conduct. He
is weathercock. turning hither and thither
| as the breezes blow, and always appearing to
turn up on the winning side.
Dennis Kearney is new character in our
politics. although not entirely novel in the
old world. He is the outgrowth of con-
dtion of society abnormal in America. The
gross mismanagement of our public affairs
under the rule of the Republican party has
led to many and grievous abuses. The in
| terests of capital have been fostered by legis-
lation to the injury and debasement of lapol
measures for relief. With perhaps in
stinctive prescience Kearney discerned his
opportunity, and leaving his horse and his
dray lie entered the political arena as leader
of the masses. Rufianly by nature he has
sought and won supremacy as the
leader of mob. He exagger-
ated the wrongs of the workingmen
and magnitied the dangers with which they
are beset, and by denunciations of the pur-
poses of capitalists, business men and poll
tlcians he has inaamed the mob and
awakened the animosities and preiudices OF
many honest men whc are susceptible OF
influence. Without the intelligence, educa-
ton or tact of Molere, or Robespierre, OF
Henri Martin, he possesses much of their
animal magnetism and their intuitive knowl.
edge of human nature. He adopts Their
methods, by endeavoring to awaken preju-
dice and inspire spirit of revenge, the only
legitimate result of which is mob violence
depending upon the irresistible force of q
mob to attract to his cause enough adher-
ents to sweep the country. He is brutal
in his instincts, and relies upon brute force
to work a moral revolution.
We see to-day the extraordinary spectac
of these two men working together hand in
| glove-using the same means but with diff
ferent purpose in view. Butler is a dema-
gosue of the most dangerous species, capa-
bic of employing the most despicable means
to attain his ends. He sees in the spasmod-
ic uprising of the mob under Kearney az
opportunity for him to walk into power
through its influence. Underlying the mob
are real grievances, real causes for dissatis-
faction. These he has espoused and added
to them the abnormal and wholly indefen-
slble and unreasonable demands of
the mobocrats. He hopes to COM
bine the two, and through them